Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 5 August 2024.
Alex Mayer
Labour, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board on funding options for a health hub in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the pressure on primary care infrastructure in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade, and across the wider National Health Service estate. We acknowledge that, nationally, change is desperately needed to bring healthcare closer to home, to provide patients with the care they deserve.
Unfortunately, the Minister cannot commit to meeting with the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) at this time. However, we would encourage the ICB and indeed staff and patients to contribute to our forthcoming consultation on the 10-year plan for Health which, among other things, will consider this Government’s ambition to move healthcare from acute settings to the community. We would welcome contributions for those who recognise the need to invest in our primary care estate to make this ambition a reality.
Yes4 people think so
No3 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
