Then I should not give way. This is an important political point. It is the height of hypocrisy for Members to come to this place and complain about their local NHS when they do not use the national health service. I was born in the NHS, I worked in the...

Then I should not give way. This is an important political point. It is the height of hypocrisy for Members to come to this place and complain about their local NHS when they do not use the national health service. I was born in the NHS, I worked in the...

In that context, does my right hon. Friend recognise the important work that has been carried out at the New Cross hospital in my constituency, which has moved from below average to the top of the league table? He presented an award to the hospital for that work this week....

In that context, does my right hon. Friend recognise the important work that has been carried out at the New Cross hospital in my constituency, which has moved from below average to the top of the league table? He presented an award to the hospital for that work this week....

I do not need to put it in amendments; I tell NHS staff week in and week out what a fabulous job they are doing. I know that the hon. Gentleman has been paying close attention to my words, and he will already have heard me say what a tremendous...

I do not need to put it in amendments; I tell NHS staff week in and week out what a fabulous job they are doing. I know that the hon. Gentleman has been paying close attention to my words, and he will already have heard me say what a tremendous...

The Secretary of State postponed or cancelled the package that had been agreed with that chief executive. Will he confirm that the cancellation will survive in law, and that the package will not be confirmed quietly after some time has passed?

The Secretary of State postponed or cancelled the package that had been agreed with that chief executive. Will he confirm that the cancellation will survive in law, and that the package will not be confirmed quietly after some time has passed?

I am at risk of getting into trouble with Madam Deputy Speaker, but that is important. Thrombosis is a hidden problem that does not get the attention it deserves. Health care-acquired infections are a problem not only in hospitals but in care homes and nursing homes. A recently received parliamentary...

I am at risk of getting into trouble with Madam Deputy Speaker, but that is important. Thrombosis is a hidden problem that does not get the attention it deserves. Health care-acquired infections are a problem not only in hospitals but in care homes and nursing homes. A recently received parliamentary...

There is a pattern of incompetence, but also a pattern of a lack of accountability. That does not extend just to the NHS. One positive message that we can take from the situation to ensure that such an event is never repeated is to re-inject more accountability to local people...

There is a pattern of incompetence, but also a pattern of a lack of accountability. That does not extend just to the NHS. One positive message that we can take from the situation to ensure that such an event is never repeated is to re-inject more accountability to local people...

Of all the reports that hon. Members may have read recently, none is more damning or more distressing to read than the Healthcare Commission's report into the outbreaks of C. difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. I have no doubt that the sense of betrayal among local people...

Of all the reports that hon. Members may have read recently, none is more damning or more distressing to read than the Healthcare Commission's report into the outbreaks of C. difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. I have no doubt that the sense of betrayal among local people...

The hon. Gentleman raises such an important point that I should answer it at this stage. There is a duty on doctors to record the cause of death accurately on death certificates. The chief medical officer wrote to all doctors to remind them of the importance of giving full and...

The hon. Gentleman raises such an important point that I should answer it at this stage. There is a duty on doctors to record the cause of death accurately on death certificates. The chief medical officer wrote to all doctors to remind them of the importance of giving full and...

I am grateful for the Minister's intervention. My hon. Friend the Member for Kettering reminded me before the debate of our request last May for a Department of Health Minister to come to Kettering general hospital to examine the problems that it faces. We have not received a response to...

I am grateful for the Minister's intervention. My hon. Friend the Member for Kettering reminded me before the debate of our request last May for a Department of Health Minister to come to Kettering general hospital to examine the problems that it faces. We have not received a response to...

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone). His powerful speech went to the heart of an important problem, and I hope that the Minister will take it further into account. I agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald...

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone). His powerful speech went to the heart of an important problem, and I hope that the Minister will take it further into account. I agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald...

My hon. Friend's description rings a bell? It is an example of systematic incompetence, which is a factor that we see across government.

My hon. Friend's description rings a bell? It is an example of systematic incompetence, which is a factor that we see across government.

I am listening carefully to what the hon. Gentleman says, and it is clearly a concern if there is a particularly high incidence of clostridium difficile in his local hospital. Has he asked the hospital about their prescribing regimes, because generally speaking C. difficile is brought on only by over-prescribing...

I am listening carefully to what the hon. Gentleman says, and it is clearly a concern if there is a particularly high incidence of clostridium difficile in his local hospital. Has he asked the hospital about their prescribing regimes, because generally speaking C. difficile is brought on only by over-prescribing...

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention, and I listened to what she said in her powerful speech, but may I move on to discuss a specific case study? A number of people have come to see me about C. difficile in my area, and one family...

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention, and I listened to what she said in her powerful speech, but may I move on to discuss a specific case study? A number of people have come to see me about C. difficile in my area, and one family...

I wholeheartedly agree with the hon. Gentleman. In the last Parliament, I drew that to the attention of the then Member for Welwyn Hatfield when she was a Treasury Minister, because the Office for National Statistics has responsibility for the veracity of the death certificates, not the national health service....

I wholeheartedly agree with the hon. Gentleman. In the last Parliament, I drew that to the attention of the then Member for Welwyn Hatfield when she was a Treasury Minister, because the Office for National Statistics has responsibility for the veracity of the death certificates, not the national health service....

I welcome, and agree with, that intervention. I have taken the matter up and have received a letter from the Society of Registration Officers. It says that it is not down to its officers to decide what is on a death certificate, but that they have to put down what...

I welcome, and agree with, that intervention. I have taken the matter up and have received a letter from the Society of Registration Officers. It says that it is not down to its officers to decide what is on a death certificate, but that they have to put down what...

rose in his place and claimed to move, That the Question be now put. Question, That the Question be now put, put and agreed to. Question put accordingly, That the original words stand part of the Question:— The House divided: Ayes 200, Noes 301.

rose in his place and claimed to move, That the Question be now put. Question, That the Question be now put, put and agreed to. Question put accordingly, That the original words stand part of the Question:— The House divided: Ayes 200, Noes 301.

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

In a moment. Anna Walker, the Healthcare Commission chief executive, said:"““targets are not to blame for the Trust's leaders taking their eye off the ball. Managers always have to deal with conflicting priorities and plenty of organisations do it successfully.””" Nor do high levels of bed occupancy prevent trusts from...

In a moment. Anna Walker, the Healthcare Commission chief executive, said:"““targets are not to blame for the Trust's leaders taking their eye off the ball. Managers always have to deal with conflicting priorities and plenty of organisations do it successfully.””" Nor do high levels of bed occupancy prevent trusts from...

On ward design, does my hon. Friend accept that the technology of hospital equipment is very important? Colson Castors has developed a microbiologically resistant castor specifically for hospital beds and trolleys. Will the Department consider that as part of the armoury of policies designed to curb such infections?

On ward design, does my hon. Friend accept that the technology of hospital equipment is very important? Colson Castors has developed a microbiologically resistant castor specifically for hospital beds and trolleys. Will the Department consider that as part of the armoury of policies designed to curb such infections?