Alison Bennett's Monday Mail: Two More Good Things

Westminster Vaccination Day

Last week I learnt about the value of vaccinations at ‘Westminster Vaccination Day’ hosted by experts from NHS England and the pharmaceutical industry. Vaccination has transformed public health, cutting mortality from infectious diseases, saving the NHS money, and protecting people from diseases we once feared.

Now it’s October, it’s a good time to find out whether you are eligible for any free NHS vaccinations this winter. It’s easy to check and book on the NHS App, or you can find out more by visiting the NHS’s dedicated vaccination web page.

Two more good things

Last month, I got the government to do a good thing, namely renew the funding of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. Last week, two more good things were announced by the government that I have been campaigning on. 

The first was that we won a concession from Stephen Kinnock the Care Minister on the Mental Health Bill. He agreed to add to the Mental Health Code of Practice the requirement for mental health practitioners to establish whether an adult with severe mental illness has children. This will mean that children are better protected, and if those children are young carers, that they can be supported. Working with the Carers Trust I had tabled an amendment to the Mental Health Bill and got other MPs to support the amendment. You can watch me explain it in a short video, or read more about why this is important on the Carers Trust website.

My second win was helping to secure a three year funding settlement for children’s hospices. The Speaker had granted me last Thursday’s Adjournment Debate on Government support for children's hospices in the South East. On the morning of the debate, the government announced a settlement of £80m index linked over three years. This will make a massive difference to children’s hospices across the country, especially because it is a three year settlement rather than just one. There is more that is needed especially with rising demand for children’s (and adult) hospice services and costs that continue to soar. But a win is a win, and I was very pleased to have been able to help Together for Short Lives get children’s hospices on a more sustainable financial footing. 

One person’s experience of the NHS

Pretty much everyone I talk to wants to see the NHS succeed, and knows that the people who work for the NHS are doing their very best in very difficult circumstances. On Sunday I read this substack by Sam Freedman who has been in hospital over the last week. It’s worth reading if you are interested in what his experience was like and what he thinks were the causes of his experience. 

But what are your experiences of the NHS?

I am interested in whether Sam Freedman’s experiences in his London hospital are similar to ours in Sussex. Over the last few months I have been conducting my own healthcare survey. If you have not yet received your paper copy do fill it in online.

Getting in touch

My parliamentary email address is: alison.bennett.mp@parliament.uk. If you need my help, please get in touch.

Best wishes,

Alison

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