Speeches by Fenton-Glynn.

“That is really useful. Dr O’Brien talked about the need for more expertise and the need to look at weight loss treatment as a specialty. The Royal College of Physicians believes that it should become a specialty pathway. Is there is enough to make weight management its own separate specialty pathway?”

“So waiting is not a neutral in itself. I am going to move on. In 2021-22, we had 4,400 surgeries, which moved up to 6,900 by 2024-25. As I alluded to just now, that is nowhere near the 28% of adults who are obese. I appreciate that bariatric surgery is not the answer for all those adults, but do you think it is the lac…”

“I am going to talk mainly about workforce capacity issues and what we can do. You talked about not having targets for surgical procedures. Do you think we need to get to a point where we do have targets for weight loss surgical procedures?”

“I will get into that—that is my next question—but knowing NHS structures as I do, I know that what is specialised is valued in a lot of ways. I wonder whether there is an argument for obesity and weight management credentials, or something like that, now that the GMC is opening up more credentialed pathways. Might that…”

“What kind of debate is going on among physicians on this? My knowledge and bitter experience of medical schools is that they don’t love politicians telling them how they should design their curriculum. Do you think there is enough debate within the medical community?”

“We have talked about how long people are waiting, but we have also talked about moving from fitness to prevention. Obviously, dealing with weight loss prevents further illnesses. Do you think we also need to look at the absolute number, not just how long people are waiting, and perhaps look at increasing that?”

“Why do you not think it should be its own sub-specialty?”

“You think we have the workforce to deliver 20,000 bariatric surgeries a year, which is three times what we are currently delivering.”

“Quite a lot of the procedures are delivered by SAS and LE doctors; you obviously want to do more to allow those people clearer career paths in weight management.”

“I welcome the clarity and determination to deliver on HS2. Rail investment is infrastructure investment, which drives growth, but may I urge the Secretary of State to look at driving growth between towns as well as between cities, for example by bringing lines such as the Calder Valley line into the 21st century?”

“Is it still the case across all medical schools that there is one lecture?”

“It is a comorbidity for so many deaths—I am thinking about the “dying with” element of covid. It is a really apposite point. What more can we do to make sure that weight management and the different aspects of treatment are incorporated into all medical training so that, as you say, you are more likely to be referred d…”

“Dr O’Brien, you have a slightly broader view because you practise as a GP. When you think about people going into a GP’s office, what are their chances of having a GP who has that knowledge of healthcare in this area?”

“Do you think we should expect people to continue to keep abreast of it as part of their ongoing improvement? I am thinking specifically about GLP-1s and things like that; I feel like there are doctors who have trained further back in history and are just not ready to deliver them and the associated care.”

“It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris. I am always pleased to take part in a Delegated Legislation Committee, but I am particularly pleased to speak in this one, given that it reminds us that it is imperative that we build the infrastructure we need for net zero, and ensure that it is backed up w…”

“My hon. Friend is giving a powerful speech. She is absolutely right that the Government are committed to helping with the rewilding and restoration of our peatland. It is probably worth noting that that is done by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbi…”

“It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I wish hon. Members a happy World Curlew Day--tan, small, slender, often up to its knees in muck and at the risk of extinction in West Yorkshire--I also congratulate the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) on securing the debate. This debate, mu…”

“I think my position is fairly clear from what I am saying, but my point—this is the very clear thing—is not about a development in Calderdale, but about the principle of trying to tackle climate change and looking at that in the round with regard to developments on peat and whether any developments on peat make sense. …”

“I welcome this strategy, having worked on maternity and medical misogyny on the Health and Social Care Committee. I will bring up the thorny issue of sexual health. In a recent sitting of the Committee, we heard that a third of sexual health doctors are set to retire in the next three years and that there are only 14 t…”

“Moving on, the 10-year health plan has 70 new build health centres and 50 refurbishments by 2030. It might need a new model of private finance. You suggested that that is the most likely way that we get investment into healthcare. What should we learn from previous PPP models for future contracts?”