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Department of Health

In a debate that concentrates on estimates and figures, it is inevitable that there is an emphasis on difficult funding areas. However, when we rightly examine such areas, it is important that we do not lose sight of the bigger picture: far from being in crisis, for the fifth year running, our health service is treating more people, reducing waiting lists and improving patient care. Funding has increased from £34 billion in 1997 and it is projected that it will be £92 billion in 2007–08. Yes, there are problems, but when a £70 billion budget—the current budget—is delivered by 600 separate units, the chances of keeping each unit in financial equilibrium are slim. We must also consider the situation in the context of dramatic changes to the way in which we deliver health care and the implementation of new contracts. Such difficult and perhaps destabilising issues have caused problems, but we have an NHS funding deficit that is a tiny proportion of the whole budget and considerably less than that in 1997, when there was a much smaller NHS budget. The hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Mr. Stuart) threw out statistics on productivity that were laced with individual anecdotes. I, too, would like to compare what the NHS is like for people in my area with how it was a few years ago. My GP surgery, which is just down the road from me, has almost doubled in size. There has been a huge increase in the provision of GPs and support staff, and throughput. The surgery now has a training centre. I look at the two acute hospitals in my area. Russells Hall in Dudley has almost doubled in size and Sandwell hospital has a new accident and emergency department. I had personal experience of the A and E department at    Russells Hall last week, when I suffered the occupational hazard of all politicians. When inserting a leaflet through a door, I was met by a quiet, yet vicious dog that not only refused to enjoy the wisdom of my leaflet, but proceeded to try to chew off the ends of my fingers. I was in and out of the accident and emergency unit at my local hospital in just over an hour. When I compare the waiting times that I experienced a few years back—