Health Data: Research and Analysis
Debate between Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie and Lord Evans of Rainow
Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)
The whole point of the government strategy with introducing this data is to improve the connectivity, similar to what the noble Lord was referring to, between GPs and primary care, and indeed into those ICBs and the trusts throughout the country. I totally agree with the noble Baroness on doing it sooner rather than later, but the Government are moving at pace, and this strategy will transform patient outcomes throughout the United Kingdom.
Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)
My Lords, to build on the noble Baroness’s point about connectivity, the Minister has just told us that this will benefit everybody in the United Kingdom. Can he confirm that he is speaking to NHS Scotland, the services in Northern Ireland and Wales, and the devolved Administrations, so that all work to help develop health data connectivity is truly spread across the UK?
Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)
I do not wish to mislead the House—I can talk only about NHS England. If the noble Baroness is referring to healthcare in Scotland, or indeed in Wales or Northern Ireland, I cannot talk specifically about this. What I can say is that the IT system software is transformative for healthcare in England—but it also equally applies to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Health: Cardiac Arrest
Debate between Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie and Lord Evans of Rainow
Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)
On the noble Baroness’s latter point, NHS England has partnered with St John Ambulance to co-ordinate skills development to significantly increase the use of AEDs by individuals in community settings such as those she has just outlined. The ambulance service has access to the location of defibrillators, but, as I said to the noble Lord earlier, it is important that, if you have a defibrillator, you register it so it ends up on the system.
Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)
My Lords, defibrillators are extremely important in helping people who have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, but research shows that there is significant variation in the treatment that patients receive, depending on where they are from, after a cardiac arrest. What can the Government do to ensure that evidence-based guidance for treatment is embedded in practice consistently across the NHS?
Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)
That is a very good point. Treatment does vary from hospital to hospital, which is why it is very important that the NHS establishes best practice so that hospitals which are not performing to a high standard can learn from the best within the NHS.