Dr Peter Prinsley is the Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. Sits on the Home Affairs Committee.
Overall, across health & social care this Parliament
Alive and kicking!
Ranks 45th of 1273 MPs and peers who have spoken on health or care this Parliament — top 3%. 77 contributions since 2024-07-19.
What they’ve raised
Dr Prinsley has made 40 debate speeches on health and social care, predominantly during Health Bill committee stages, raising concerns across NHS workforce, waiting lists, A&E pressures, and bed capacity—drawing frequently on his experience as a doctor to illustrate long-term systemic issues such as the halving of hospital beds since the 1980s. He has advocated for stronger integration of public health within the NHS, questioned the effectiveness of private sector use in reducing waiting lists, and highlighted workforce challenges including reliance on non-medical practitioners for hospital referrals. His contributions demonstrate sustained engagement with operational healthcare challenges and a focus on prevention, including support for tobacco control legislation.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
Record by topic
- GP access7th of 23239.0
- Mental health90th of 86739.0
- NHS & care workforce/staffing8th of 29536.0
- Cancer25th of 61336.0
- NHS waiting lists23rd of 53027.0
- A&E & ambulance response15th of 24821.0
- Public health & prevention55th of 68321.0
- Dentistry access19th of 19118.0
What they’ve said
“Does the Minister agree that the single most effective thing that we have done for public health since we were elected is to get the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 passed? The gradual abolition of cigarette smoking will save more lives than anything else we could conceivably do in politics.”
Health Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · 2026-07-16 · Read on Hansard ↗
“I am interested in what the hon. Member has to say about strike action. I was involved in trying to get the resident doctors’ strike stopped, but was unsuccessful for many months. I think she is talking about the principle of whether people involved in medical care should ever go on strike.”
Health Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · 2026-07-16 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…to a requirement to “make regulations” in this respect, as the private sector is already widely used to reduce waiting lists where appropriate. However, we must also be aware of the problem we have with overuse of private facilities.”
Health Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · 2026-07-16 · Read on Hansard ↗
“The other important fact is that more and more hospital referrals were not coming from general practitioners at all, but from other people working in the general practice such as nurses and physician associates, who are less confident in forming a clinical judgment.”
Health Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · 2026-07-16 ·