Learning Disabilities: Premature Deaths

Debate between Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe and Earl Howe

Wednesday 30th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I take my noble friend’s point. The specific needs of people with learning disabilities are being considered as part of the overall work programme to provide people with online access to their GP practice and GP-held e-record. That is being done in the wider context of the development of a fully comprehensive patient-held record. NHS England plans to hold a meeting later this year to look at developing a national standard for a hospital passport. This will be a patient-held document that will detail key information to be shared with any contact in the NHS.

[Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (Lab)]

My Lords, what is the Minister doing to ensure that comprehensive community learning disability teams are available in all areas and that GPs are proactively referring patients with a learning disability to these vital services?

Learning Disabilities: Community-Based Support

Debate between Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe and Earl Howe

Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

Lessons are being learnt almost by the day by the NHS and local government on how to pool funding and share responsibility in areas of this kind. Admittedly, most of the effort at the moment is on the vulnerable elderly but the lessons apply equally to those with learning disabilities and to ensuring that we do not have any artificial walls forming between the NHS and local government as regards the flow of money. I can tell the noble Lord that this is a major area of focus for both NHS England and the Local Government Association at the moment.

[Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (Lab)]

My Lords, given the recent resignation of the director of the joint improvement programme, which was tasked with delivering the Winterbourne View action plan only 18 months ago, will the Minister let us know what the future of the programme holds and how it will work with the new group, also tasked in a similar way, led by Sir Stephen Bubb?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I have every confidence that the programme will continue as we had hoped it would, and indeed with a renewed momentum. The noble Baroness is right that NHS England has asked Sir Stephen Bubb, the chief executive of the charity leaders’ network ACEVO, to head a new group of experts and advisers to develop a national guide on how we provide health and care for those with learning disabilities. We have every confidence that Sir Stephen, with his immense experience in these areas, will be able to bring everybody together to a good result.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology: Regulation

Debate between Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe and Earl Howe

Wednesday 13th October 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I recognise, as will the House, the noble and right reverend Lord’s experience in these matters. At this early stage, we will look very carefully at the design of systems to ensure that the expertise and the scrutiny functions, which we associate so well with the HFEA, are not diluted or lost in any moves that we make in this area.

[Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe]

My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of the Human Tissue Authority. Just as with the HFEA, the HTA works efficiently and effectively to ensure public and professional confidence in the regulation of human tissue, and to ensure that it is used safely and ethically and with proper consent. Does the Minister agree that it is crucial in any transfer of functions that the confidence of both the public and professionals is maintained; that consent, respect and dignity are maintained; and that any disruption to well-regarded regulation is kept to a minimum?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, again, I thank the noble Baroness for the work that she does with the HTA. The answer is yes in every case.