Health and Social Care Bill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Baroness Wall of New Barnet

Thursday 8th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff]

My Lords, we have, I hope, threaded education and training through the Bill and established it as a core principle for all providers.

In support of the comments by the noble Lord, Lord Turnberg, it is essential to place on record that the vast majority of specialist training for all those specialties in secondary care occurs in those places that will have foundation trust status, if they do not have it already. That future investment in the specialist workforce to provide services is essential and there is merit in restating the importance of it.

[Baroness Wall of New Barnet]

My Lords, I also support the amendment. Adding to what the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, has said, the House may be aware that trusts are now committed to quality accounts, certainly for clinical staff, and an integral part of those quality accounts is education and training. I would like to see it being widened beyond the clinical staff, because there are lots of staff in a hospital who need that constant education and training, to make sure that patient care overall is as good as we would all want it to be.