Unpaid Carers: Patient Hospital Discharge

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Thursday 19th March 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Pitkeathley]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which unpaid carers are consulted before a patient is discharged from hospital, and what plans they have to monitor this.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Health and Care Act 2022 requires NHS trusts to involve patients and unpaid carers in discharge planning, reinforced by 2024 discharge guidance. However, this is not always done consistently and carer involvement is not monitored nationally. We will support better implementation by commissioning work from the LGA’s better care fund support programme this year. Care transfer hub guidance also promotes best practice by encouraging early identification and involvement of carers in planning.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for her Answer. It was important, though not easy, to win for carers the right to be consulted at the point of discharge. I am sorry that better statistics are not being kept, but I am glad to hear the plans for improvement. The survey from Carers UK shows that the number of carers being consulted is decreasing rapidly. Although I fully understand the pressure on the NHS at the point of discharge and the difficulties of securing proper social care support, does my noble friend agree that it is very short-sighted not to consult carers at this point? If they break down from lack of support, the patient is readmitted and there is further pressure on the NHS.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I completely agree with my noble friend that the involvement of and support to unpaid carers is crucial when a patient is discharged because, as she says, it is vital not just for patient recovery but for the whole healthcare system. I welcome the recent Carers UK report that was published last year, which focused on how government legislation and guidance is or is not being implemented and monitored in practice. That has been and will be very useful work for us to continue with.

Independent Commission on Adult Social Care

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Monday 9th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I understand why the noble Lord pushes this point, and I am sure that we all share his view. It has also been said that there is not a lack of good ideas, but there has been a lack of good politics. That observation has been made. The noble Baroness, Lady Casey, is chairing an independent commission and she has made it clear how complex and deep-seated these challenges are, as the noble Lord described. The 2028 date is a “by” date; the noble Baroness may report sooner, but that is a matter for her.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, concentrates on workforce issues. I am sure that she and my noble friend agree that patients, families and carers do not care who is employing the social care worker, as long as they are getting support. Should we concentrate on a flexible workforce that works across both agencies without boundaries to meet the changing needs of the population?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

That is key in the mind of the noble Baroness, Lady Casey. We need to better join up the NHS and social care workforces. We will have a workforce plan for the NHS in spring this year and we are also investing in developing our social care workforce to professionalise and respect it.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Report stage
Tuesday 3rd March 2026 Lords Chamber

Amendment 65 agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

As Amendment 65 has been agreed, I cannot call Amendment 66 for reasons of pre-emption.

Amendment 67

Moved by

--- Later in debate ---

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

As Amendment 67 has been agreed, I cannot call Amendment 68 for reasons of pre-emption.

Amendment 69

Moved by

NHS: Wheelchair Services

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Monday 24th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

This is a very important point, not just for the supply chain but also for the technology, particularly if we are thinking about those with more complex needs; the wheelchair has to support and meet those complex needs. We know that there is a lack of investment in new models and that there has been disruption in the supply chain. While I do not seek to blame, that was a particular issue arising out of the pandemic. We are indeed working on better technology in terms of wheelchairs and other aids and adaptations and seeking to iron out difficulties in people making bids for contracts. If the noble Lord has examples, I would be very pleased to hear about them.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, can my noble friend comment on the problem, which carers often report, of being unable to return the wheelchair to its source when it is no longer needed?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My noble friend raises a point that applies not just to wheelchairs but to other aids and adaptations. There is indeed a very considerable issue. That is a matter for local services, but it is absolutely something that we will work with them on as part of how we improve services, because it also includes the safe and timely return.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Committee stage
Monday 17th November 2025 Grand Committee

Clause 135: Addition of smoke-free places in England

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

My Lords, if this amendment is agreed to, I cannot call Amendments 176 and 177.

Amendment 175

Moved by

Healthcare Provision: Inequalities

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Monday 20th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Brown of Silvertown]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of inequalities in the provision and experience of healthcare among different population groups; and what plans they have to address this.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Brown of Silvertown, and at her request, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in her name on the Order Paper.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, the report on the NHS by the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, casts light on a range of health inequalities which are both stark and unacceptable. In response, our 10-year plan for the NHS in England sets out a re-imagined service designed to tackle inequalities in access and outcomes for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My noble friend Lady Brown’s supplementary is about the experience of women. Last month, the Secretary of State for Health went on record saying that women should have consistent pain relief when coils are fitted. My noble friend has campaigned for 10 years to get proper pain relief for women who are undergoing hysteroscopies. Manchester is piloting a way to deliver this, though many other hospitals are ignoring it. Can my noble friend the Minister assure the House that the Government are seriously looking at this and monitoring what Manchester is doing in this regard?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I can indeed give that assurance, and I am grateful to my noble friend Lady Brown for her voice on the matter of women’s poor hysteroscopy experiences. These are unacceptable and part of a wider issue of women’s pain being normalised. Women must be given the opportunity to discuss pain relief with a clinician before the procedure. While I am glad to say that updated guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists do emphasise minimising pain, it is clear that more action is needed. I assure my noble friend that we are updating the Women’s Health Strategy for England to address what I believe is a wider issue, and to improve the experiences of women across the country.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I think the valid points that the noble Earl raises refer to a whole range of health conditions. I refer particularly to our health service’s struggle to support those with complex needs. Clearly, prevention of ill health—one of the pillars of the 10-year plan—is going to be crucial, and that will include good diet and a good exercise and movement programme. I cannot comment on the specific link with dementia. There is so much more work to be done, which is why we are investing so much in research and development.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, family members who look after those with Alzheimer’s—often at great stress to themselves, as the House will know—require respite care, which is one of the most valuable ways of helping them. Traditionally, they have looked to the nursing home sector to provide one-week or two-week admissions to give them a break, or perhaps a chance to attend a family event. Increasingly, though, they are finding these more difficult to obtain. Not only are they prohibitively expensive but the nursing home sector is now reluctant to offer short-term placements.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for those helpful, although concerning, observations. That is why I very much look forward to the first phase and later phases of the independent commission into adult social care, chaired by the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, not least because it will inform the modern service framework, which will take account of matters such as those that my noble friend raises.

National Health Service Regulations

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Tuesday 16th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Physician associates often work in hospitals and are there to develop the availability of care. The noble Lord is right to say that there are concerns around physician associates. That is why my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent review to work out where there are problems and what we need to do to make sure that there is no confusion among patients about who is treating them, and also that patient safety standards are upheld.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that, from the patient’s point of view, the team around the GP is as important as the GP? As yet, we have no way of applying the regulations to teams. Does she think that this ought to be pursued, in the interests of the patient?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I agree with my noble friend. In the contract changes, we have removed caps on the number of staff recruited. Importantly, we also expanded reimbursable roles to include practice nurses, to do the very thing that my noble friend asked about, which is to increase workforce capacity.

NHS and Social Care: Joint Working

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Thursday 26th June 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Pitkeathley]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to promote joint training programmes and opportunities for joint working for staff who are separately employed by the NHS and social care agencies to encourage integration between the two services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government are committed to developing an integrated health and care workforce which is skilled and well supported and has opportunities for high-quality learning, to enable staff to develop and progress their careers across an integrated system. We are also implementing joint induction for all health and care staff, a mid-career management programme and, during 2025-26, the introduction of new management standards and unified core leadership and management standards for managers.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that positive reply. Does she agree that one of the main barriers to integration between health and social care is the lack of knowledge of the skills and experience of other professionals? Should the importance of integration therefore be included in initial clinical training, and should clinicians of all kinds be encouraged to understand the work of others by job rotation, so that they can be helped to appreciate the role of other colleagues and the importance of all professionals to patient care, no matter which agency employs them?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I very much agree with my noble friend about the importance of integration. As she explained, it is not necessarily about training to be joint, but about the approach. I will feed back her particular suggestion about job rotation to Minister Karin Smyth, who is responsible for developing the workforce plan. I will also share her view—again, I am sure she will see this reflected in the workforce plan when it is published following on from the 10-year plan—on the importance of multidisciplinary teams in many areas. The one that we are talking about, health and social care, is a prime example.

Social Care Reform

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Thursday 22nd May 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Pitkeathley]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in cross-party talks on the reform of social care.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government are facing up to the challenges of adult social care reform. The Prime Minister has tasked the noble Baroness, Lady Casey of Blackstock, to lead an independent commission into social care, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transcend party politics. The noble Baroness is tasked with building cross-party consensus on her recommendations and is starting a national conversation on what is expected from social care.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, history shows us that reform of social care is a contentious issue and political consensus has been notable by its absence—indeed, parties have used proposals as sticks to beat each other with—but there is agreement on two things: first, the system badly needs reform; and, secondly, this is a long-term project that cannot be solved in one Parliament but across several. In view of that, does my noble friend agree that achieving political consensus is a vital part of any reform of social care? Can she tell the House that this will be specifically included in the terms of reference for the review that the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, is carrying out?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My noble friend makes very strong points, which I absolutely concur with. This is an issue that needs to be able to stand the test of time and changes, whether they be in leadership or of Government. That is why we are taking the approach that we are. My noble friend will have seen the terms of reference that have been published. They are deliberately broad because we are tasking the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, to lead the work fully independently, which is particularly important in seeking cross-party consensus. Indeed, the noble Baroness’s review is very much about having the conversations cross-party and seeking to bring people together across parties and across sectors and the many individuals who have an interest in this.