Health Secretary and NHS England Chief quizzed by MPs
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, his Department’s Permanent Secretary Samantha Jones, and NHS England Chief Sir Jim Mackey will be questioned by the Committee on a range of topical issues.
Meeting details
After publishing its Community Mental Health Services report, the cross-party Committee will be interested to hear whether the Government still believes in achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health. The report highlighted that DHSC has stopped increasing the proportion of NHS spending that goes on mental health.
MPs are likely to press the witnesses for detail on how they will implementing three strategic changes across the NHS – a greater focus on preventing ill health, moving services to local communities, and digital transformation.
As a wave of flu cases piles pressure on hospitals, there may be questions about the NHS’s preparedness for winter and what contingency plans could be made for future winters.
Difficulties in retaining and recruiting staff in a number of healthcare professions will be examined, including the Health Secretary’s ongoing negotiations with the British Medical Association to avert strikes before Christmas by resident doctors.
Forthcoming plans to absorb NHS England into the Department of Health and Social Care will be scrutinised, including details of which parts of the system will take responsibility of NHS England’s current functions.