UK Parliament / Open data

Covid-19 Update

Proceeding contribution from Jeremy Hunt (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Monday, 19 April 2021. It occurred during Ministerial statement on Covid-19 Update.

It is a pleasure to see you face to face, Mr Speaker, after some time.

The Health Secretary is absolutely right to put India on the red list and to explore mandatory vaccination of certain frontline workers, however difficult and sensitive that decision may be, but he will know that in the last week NHS waiting lists have risen to nearly 5 million people, which is nearly one in 12 of the population of England—the true cost of the pandemic. It is equally true that we have had capacity problems in the NHS for some time. That is partly why we have opened five new medical schools.

Does my right hon. Friend agree with the letter that he recently received from the three main health think-tanks, which says that Health Education England should be given a statutory duty to publish regular, transparent, independent, objective workforce projections, so that we can ensure that we really are training enough doctors and nurses? That approach is strongly supported by the Health and Social Care Committee and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. I hope that he will support it too.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

692 c660 

Session

2019-21

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber

Legislation

Coronavirus Act 2020
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