Latest news with #CarolineVoaden
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
NHS has ‘culture of cover-up' over failures, Health Secretary says
He told MPs there is 'too much of that happening' in the NHS, and that reputations are protected instead of patients being told the truth. The minister's comments came after Labour MP Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) told him about the experience of a woman in his constituency who suffered from nerve damage after a hip operation, but was told her pain was 'common'. Mr Moon said: 'A couple of weeks ago at my constituency surgery, through the tears, my constituent Amy explained how, following a hip operation in 2008, she suffered progressive nerve damage due to repeated failures in diagnosis, referral and treatment. 'Despite raising concerns for years, she was told her pain was common. 'A nerve test in 2015 confirmed damage and further tests last year showed a significant deterioration. After 17 years, she's only now been offered surgery. 'All Amy wants to know is what steps are being taken to ensure that no other patient is left permanently disabled due to such long and systemic failures.' Responding, Mr Streeting said: 'Can I first of all, on behalf of the NHS, apologise to his constituent. 'That is a totally intolerable situation, but sadly not rare or exceptional. 'There's too much of that happening and a culture of cover-up and covering reputations, rather than being honest with patients about failures. 'We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case.' Elsewhere during health and social care oral questions on Tuesday, the Government was challenged on the difficulties that pharmacies are facing. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (Lucy North/PA) Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon) told MPs the 'current funding model doesn't take into account the lower footfall and the limited referral rates that are common in rural areas'. She said: 'If a pharmacy in a small market town closes, it can cause extreme difficulties for people to access advice and medicines, particularly where there is little or no public transport and they have to go a long way.' Conservative shadow health minister Dr Luke Evans raised the cap on funded consultation appointments that pharmacies can schedule through the Pharmacy First Scheme. He said: 'Once they hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation. 'That, in turn, may mean patients will either be turned away or the pharmacist has to take the hit and has to pay for it themselves.' Care minister Stephen Kinnock replied: 'The pharmacy sector is facing huge challenges after massive cuts over the last 14 years. We're beginning to rebuild, but there are particular challenges for rural pharmacies. 'We are looking at comprehensive reform in the pharmacy sector around better use of technology, hub-and-spoke dispensing and a range of other options which would enable better remote dispensing for rural pharmacies.' He told Dr Evans that the 'record uplift' of £3.1 billion for the pharmacy sector was coming in 'after years of underfunding, incompetence and neglect' from the Conservatives, and that the allocation of funding will be looked at in their reforms.
Western Telegraph
5 days ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
NHS has ‘culture of cover-up' over failures, Health Secretary says
He told MPs there is 'too much of that happening' in the NHS, and that reputations are protected instead of patients being told the truth. The minister's comments came after Labour MP Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) told him about the experience of a woman in his constituency who suffered from nerve damage after a hip operation, but was told her pain was 'common'. Mr Moon said: 'A couple of weeks ago at my constituency surgery, through the tears, my constituent Amy explained how, following a hip operation in 2008, she suffered progressive nerve damage due to repeated failures in diagnosis, referral and treatment. We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case Health Secretary Wes Streeting 'Despite raising concerns for years, she was told her pain was common. 'A nerve test in 2015 confirmed damage and further tests last year showed a significant deterioration. After 17 years, she's only now been offered surgery. 'All Amy wants to know is what steps are being taken to ensure that no other patient is left permanently disabled due to such long and systemic failures.' Responding, Mr Streeting said: 'Can I first of all, on behalf of the NHS, apologise to his constituent. 'That is a totally intolerable situation, but sadly not rare or exceptional. 'There's too much of that happening and a culture of cover-up and covering reputations, rather than being honest with patients about failures. 'We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case.' Elsewhere during health and social care oral questions on Tuesday, the Government was challenged on the difficulties that pharmacies are facing. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (Lucy North/PA) Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon) told MPs the 'current funding model doesn't take into account the lower footfall and the limited referral rates that are common in rural areas'. She said: 'If a pharmacy in a small market town closes, it can cause extreme difficulties for people to access advice and medicines, particularly where there is little or no public transport and they have to go a long way.' Conservative shadow health minister Dr Luke Evans raised the cap on funded consultation appointments that pharmacies can schedule through the Pharmacy First Scheme. He said: 'Once they hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation. 'That, in turn, may mean patients will either be turned away or the pharmacist has to take the hit and has to pay for it themselves.' Care minister Stephen Kinnock replied: 'The pharmacy sector is facing huge challenges after massive cuts over the last 14 years. We're beginning to rebuild, but there are particular challenges for rural pharmacies. 'We are looking at comprehensive reform in the pharmacy sector around better use of technology, hub-and-spoke dispensing and a range of other options which would enable better remote dispensing for rural pharmacies.' He told Dr Evans that the 'record uplift' of £3.1 billion for the pharmacy sector was coming in 'after years of underfunding, incompetence and neglect' from the Conservatives, and that the allocation of funding will be looked at in their reforms.
Sky News
13-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Palpable anger as both sides of assisted dying debate gather in Parliament Square
Finger jabbing, the frenetic shaking of heads and the competitively loud chanting to drown out the opposition are all symptoms of rising tensions. The two sides of the assisted dying debate clashed on Parliament Square Garden as parliament worked through amendments on Kim Leadbeater's controversial bill. The sides have not shared the same space before, not intellectually, nor emotionally, nor physically. But on Friday, they stood uncomfortably close together, mostly squaring up to each other because neither side could afford to give an inch to the other. The pink-wearing supporters of the bill usually have the green lawns opposite Big Ben to themselves. The black-wearing opponents of the proposed legislation usually stand with their tombstone placards much further down towards Jewel Tower. But they decided to decamp to Parliament Square on the penultimate day ahead of the final vote next week. As the months have passed, the discourse has become increasingly bitter. There is a lot at stake for both sides, and the anger is palpable. Doctors have been publicly falling out with each other, each side accusing the other of spreading misinformation. Even some of the Royal Colleges have become embroiled in rows with sections of their membership calling out their leadership. And the emotion outside parliament was reflected inside the Commons when Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon), whose husband died of oesophageal cancer, warned MPs about the language being used. Assisted dying, she said, was not the same as "murder and killing". But those words, and stronger, were plastered across placards held by opponents of the bill outside parliament. Expect the language to become more incendiary, more accusatory in the weeks to come. In seven days, we will learn which side has won.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Devon heart attack care trial pulled to review feedback
A proposal to trial changes to heart attack services in part of Devon has been withdrawn to allow time to consider feedback on the Devon's Integrated Care Board (ICB) was due to discuss a "test and learn" process for out-of-hours services in Torbay and Exeter during a meeting on part of the move, the trial could have seen patients driven to hospital in Exeter rather than Torbay to help cut costs and release resources to cut treatment following concerns raised locally, NHS Devon said it had decided to delay the proposal so comments can be reviewed before an updated plan is presented to the ICB in July. 'Deeply concerning' A report which formed part of the trial from NHS Devon said it believed consolidating centres might "provide increased value with minimal and clinically acceptable impact on safety and quality".However, the idea was criticised by Liberal Democrat MPs Steve Darling and Caroline Voaden who both raised the issue in the House of MP Darling said the proposal put patients at risk of not receiving treatment fast enough while South Devon MP Voaden said it would put people in critical Torbay Conservative MP Kevin Foster also raised concerns with the trial, which he described as "deeply concerning". In a statement on Wednesday, NHS Devon said its chair and chief executive had decided to pull the plans from the board meeting off the back of "wide-ranging" comments from politicians, health professionals and patients."This will enable the feedback to be fully considered and allow time to reflect on whether such a process will lead to clarity on future commissioning arrangements to ensure the long-term sustainability of this important service," NHS Devon added its key priority was to commission "safe, reliable and sustainable" services for the future of healthcare in the Devon said: "We will engage with our clinicians and partners to design this and find the most effective solutions for the whole population of Devon."An updated proposal will be presented to the board in July, taking into account the valuable feedback received."
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Wealthy landowners lose Supreme Court case to restrict wild camping on Dartmoor
A wealthy landowning couple have lost a Supreme Court case to restrict wild camping on Dartmoor - in the latest twist in the dispute over public access to the moor. The bitter dispute began when Alexander and Diana Darwall's lawyers argued that some campers were causing problems to livestock and the environment. The couple, who keep cattle on a 3,450-acre estate in the southern part of Dartmoor, sought and won a High Court case that restricted people's right to camp on the national park in Devon without landowner consent. But that ruling was overturned at the Court of Appeal a few months later - and on Wednesday, the pair lost their challenge against it at the Supreme Court. The high-profile case is seen as a test case for countryside access, with campaigners hopeful it will now mean greater access rights for walkers and campers across the country. South Devon Lib Dem MP Caroline Voaden told The Independent: 'I'm absolutely thrilled with this ruling. It is a vindication of something we've all known for a long time: that the stars are for everyone, and that access to nature is not a nice to have, but a fundamental necessity for a happy, healthy life. 'It's a shame this had to be tested yet again in the courtroom. Now this is over, I hope we can begin work to extend our right to wild camp beyond Dartmoor. In opposition, Labour spoke about extending the right to wild camp across the UK. I hope they will put those words into action and expand access rights for walkers and campers across the country.' The ruling largely focused on the wording in the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, that says 'the public shall have the right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation'. In written submissions, Timothy Morshead KC, for Mr and Mrs Darwall, had said the act only gives the public access on foot and horseback 'which naturally means walking and riding'. However, barristers for the Dartmoor National Park Authority, which opposed the move, said that the phrase 'on foot' means access should be pedestrian and not by means of a vehicle. The DNPA also disputed the concerns of damage caused by camping, describing the reported impact to land and vegetation as 'absurd'. The legal battle started in January 2023, when the Darwalls won their High Court case that ruled the law did not give people the right to pitch tents overnight without landowners' permission. However, just months later the Court of Appeal overturned this decision, finding the law gave people 'the right to rest or sleep on the Dartmoor Commons, whether by day or night and whether in a tent or otherwise' as long as byelaws are followed.
