Speeches by Joseph.

“I was pleased to take part in the debate in the Chamber yesterday. I raised some examples from my local hospital, which is expanding its same-day emergency care because of the funding that we received from the Labour Government. We also have a safe haven for mental health patients who do not need to go into accident an…”

“As the chair of the APPG on adult social care, I pay tribute to unpaid carers for the enormous contribution they make to their families, their communities and wider society. I often have meetings with them, and as part of my job before I became an MP—I worked in the NHS—I had a lot of contact with carers. I have seen s…”

“Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the existing constitutional arrangements already provide mechanisms, ministerial accountability and parliamentary scrutiny? Singling out one country is a politicising measure, and it will have long-term consequences for our relationship.”

“I pay tribute to all the parents and schoolteachers who engaged with me last summer, following the White Paper and the SEND consultation. It has been a huge problem in Kent. Kent county council has been under Conservative administration for the last 25 years. In recent years, it was in special measures because of its S…”

“I agree. We need more band 5 nurses or healthcare assistants who can check blood pressure or blood sugar in patients’ homes. When someone rings their GP surgery, they should be able to meet a nurse or a healthcare worker to carry out some basic checks, rather than being delayed from seeing somebody until, a few weeks, …”

“My hon. Friend makes a sensible comment. I work closely with her on mental health, and she is absolutely right. Some of the policies the Government have introduced, such as giving children early access to mental health provision, will be absolutely vital to prevent them from becoming unwell later on. The Government are…”

“I absolutely agree, and I can give an example. Last week, as part of the ICB’s new independent neighbourhood health centre, one of the GP practices in my constituency started to proactively go and see all elderly patients. It is not just giving those patients appointments when they fall ill; it is proactively visiting …”

“It is good to see you in the Chair, Ms Lewell. I strongly believe that public health is very important to our health system because it focuses on prevention, so that people do not end up in A&E or in hospital beds. Unfortunately, over the last 10 or 15 years we have seen the opposite. If we are serious about improv…”

“We must continue to highlight corridor care, as it puts a spotlight on the pressures facing the NHS. One of the first visits I made after being elected to this House was to William Harvey hospital in my constituency. During my visit I was shown around an A&E department where 19 patients were being treated in corrid…”

“The point about patient safety is absolutely important, as every Bill Committee member would agree. The number of patient safety incidents has been going up for the last 10 years. Between 2015 and 2022, there was a 62% increase in patient safety incidents in this country, and since the creation of HSSIB, the number of …”

“Those are just some examples. In my constituency, a patient’s records are kept in five, six or seven different locations.”

“My patient record is currently kept by different organisations or providers, which cannot see each other. If I speak to the GP about my blood sugar and then end up in A&E, they cannot see that record. If I go to the mental health service, they cannot see what medication I was taking. When I get discharged back to t…”

“For example, in my constituency of Ashford, GPs use EMIS. Some can access parts of patient records through Graphnet, but not everybody can. The East Kent hospital trust—my local hospital—uses Sunrise. Some staff in that trust can access Kent and Medway clinical records. The Kent community health trust uses Rio, but Ken…”

“I agree that we are never going to have 100% proof. There will always be people accessing records. What I am talking about is the existing system, which does have provisions. What we need to strengthen is the training and the audit trail. All staff who do the training are aware that they are not supposed to check patie…”

“It really surprised me to hear my hon. Friend talk about his experience of 450 systems in the computer system in his local hospital. I was shocked, because as a clinician who previously worked in the NHS, I wanted a system that made patient records readily available so that we could care for patients. My understanding …”

“I declare that I am a registered nurse. I have worked in the NHS for many years, and I have used patient records throughout my career. The Nursing and Midwifery Council code requires nurses, midwives and nursing associates to respect patient confidentiality, share information appropriately and ensure that patients are …”

“My understanding is that the single patient record is just a single place where all of a patient’s medical records will be kept. It will not necessarily change the ways in which they access healthcare services, such as A&E, the GP or a dentist. Those ways of accessing healthcare will stay the same, whether we have …”

“Absolutely; a single patient record will not stop professionals from asking the necessary questions of patients at any time. Each ward round, the doctors ask the patients how they are feeling. They will have that conversation; that will not stop. We are talking about repeatedly having to tell the story. The point was h…”

“I do not know whether there will be the same system in Scotland, but my understanding is that in the north of England doctors will be able to see the same system. Again, we can hear more detail from the Minister. A single patient report has the potential to transform patient experience and safety by ensuring continuity…”

“I am very sympathetic to this amendment, and to the argument that patients and carers should have enough information about what they are providing care for. In the current system, carers get a copy of the care plan, which states what the patient’s care needs are, as assessed by health professionals. Does the hon. Membe…”