Medical Innovation Bill [HL]

Debate between Baroness Jolly and Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve

Friday 12th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Jolly]

I have said that the Government are very supportive of a registry. Of course, patients would want to know what does and does not work, as would all doctors. I have said that I will take this issue back and discuss it with the noble Earl, Lord Howe.

[Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve]

My Lords, in so doing, it would be valuable if the Minister could go back to the central theme of today’s debate, which is patient safety, not the protection of doctors from clinical negligence claims. If we are focused on patient safety, any failure to collect valuable information, whether positive or negative, would compromise patient safety—not perhaps the safety of that individual patient at that moment but patient safety generally. The collection of data here is of fundamental importance. I cannot see the reasons why it should not be compulsory.

[Lord Mackay of Clashfern]

Do I understand that the position that the Government are taking is a technical one on the scope of this Private Member’s Bill and that it would be improper in a Private Member’s Bill to set up a register that would go beyond the scope of this Bill as to the innovations that it covers? The idea is to set up a register that would be wider in its scope than the mere innovations that take place under this Bill, assuming that it becomes an Act. Is that the difficulty?