Health: Dementia

Debate between Lord Bethell and Baroness Crawley

Monday 5th July 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Crawley (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, is it not the case that there are just not enough diagnostic consultants and memory service nurses to reduce the waiting list that the noble Baroness, Lady Couttie, referred to? Given the number of people with dementia who, sadly, have passed away during Covid, when will the Government change the law to enshrine the rights of care home residents to have family visits?

[Lord Bethell (Con)]

My Lords, the focus on diagnosis is critically important. That is why Challenge on Dementia 2020 set a target of two-thirds of people living with dementia receiving a formal diagnosis. At the end of May 2021, DDRs were 68.8%, compared with 61.7% at the end of April. We are working hard to get these numbers back up, and the £17 million fund which I referred to is one contribution to that. But the noble Baroness is entirely right that this is an important area, and we are focused on it.

Covid-19: Cancelled Medical Operations

Debate between Lord Bethell and Baroness Crawley

Wednesday 10th June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Crawley (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, which NHS trusts, following Sir Simon Stevens’ letter to them of 29 April, have made full use of all contracted independent sector hospital capacity, and will the contract between NHS England and the private healthcare sector be renewed at the end of June?

[Lord Bethell [V]]

The noble Baroness has asked for a very specific figure, which I am afraid I do not have to hand. However, I can assure her that the private healthcare contract has provided us with incredibly valuable surge capacity and we will be looking at how to use that kind of capacity to protect the NHS from a potential surge in the wintertime.

Covid-19: Response

Debate between Lord Bethell and Baroness Crawley

Tuesday 19th May 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bethell]

I first pay tribute to the devolved nations for working so closely together, as characterised by the very close work of the four CMOs. The noble and learned Lord is entirely right that different parts of the country move at different paces—the disease does not respect national boundaries in any way—but public health messages have to be clear to be effective. It is difficult to speak in terms of one region or another being in different phases of the disease, but I completely accept his point that local variations may well be necessary. When they are, and if it is possible, we will have to shape our communications to that cause.

[Baroness Crawley (Lab)]

My Lords, if, as the Statement says, we in England are now in the second phase of the fight against coronavirus, and given the need to turn our attention to the huge backlog of operations and procedures for those non-Covid NHS patients on waiting lists, will the Minister inform the House if and when NHS England will renew its current important contract for capacity and diagnostics with independent hospitals? I understand that the contract is coming to a close at the end of June.

[Lord Bethell]

The noble Baroness is entirely right: the backlog of operations and procedures will be a daunting task for the NHS to tackle. We have prioritised it. Simon Stevens has told the NHS to throw the doors open to try to get through this backlog. As a result, we will live with the effects of Covid for months to come. I am not fully aware of the contract of which she speaks, but I will try to find out its status and will write to her with additional information.