Health: Influenza Vaccination

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Thursday 20th January 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I can reassure my noble friend that the advice that the JCVI gives is subject to regular review. Clearly, before the next flu season, it will be looking again at the experience of the current flu season.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

What lessons have Ministers learnt from the management of the vaccine programme over the past six months? Is there anything that they may be prepared to do differently next year?

Health: Prostate Cancer

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Monday 19th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I am not aware that there is thought to be a significant shortage of urological surgeons or expertise around the country, although the coverage varies from region to region, as the noble Lord will know. However, I shall take his concerns back with me and make suitable inquiries. If I can write to him further, I shall certainly do so.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, why cannot we have a national PSA screening programme? Would that not help to avoid late diagnosis?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the noble Lord may know that the UK National Screening Committee examined this question recently. The matter is out for consultation, which will last until the end of September, when a conclusion will be reached.

NHS: White Paper

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Monday 12th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Walton of Detchant]

My Lords, does the Minister recall and accept that I have said on a number of occasions in the past few years that what the NHS needs least is another major reorganisation? We have been beset by too many reorganisations over the years, but, having made that point, I should say that there are many valuable things in this White Paper on which we shall all wish to reflect over the coming months before the legislation is laid before the House. The development of outcomes, measurement and framework is very important.

There is also a case to be made for making all trusts foundation trusts, but only if Monitor and the Care Quality Commission have the strength and improved ability to monitor behaviour so that we avoid the kind of disasters that have occurred in one or two foundation trusts in the past few months.

I have said on a number of occasions that the NHS is beset by the activities of an intolerable quangocracy. There are far too many quangos, which have the right to examine and assess the performance of health service bodies, and a reduction in the number of these will be very valuable. However, we wish to know which quangos the Government have in mind. Valuable, too, will be the reduction in bureaucracy.

Many of those who are so proud of the NHS have major concerns about the GP-commissioning element of the White Paper. No doubt the Minister will remember GP fund-holding under the previous Conservative Government, which was not a great success and had to be withdrawn in the end because it failed to fulfil the objectives. I know, and the Minister will agree, that a number of general practitioners are very enthusiastic about this idea, but many are deeply concerned and anxious about the new responsibilities that will be imposed on them. What administrative support will the GP consortia be given to enable them to fulfil this very arduous responsibility? Is it really right that every form of regional strategic planning should be abolished? What is to prevent overambitious foundation trusts embarking on programmes to bring in highly expensive—

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, with all respect, could someone remind the House that we are discussing a Statement?

[Lord Walton of Detchant]

Will the Minister say whether he believes that abolishing all regional planning is absolutely right? I believe that it could be dangerous.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Northover]

I am sure that we will return to this subject, but I am afraid that we are past time.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, does not what has happened today indicate what the problem is over Statements? Are the Government now going to sort it out?

Health: Spending Cuts

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Wednesday 30th June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, as so often, my noble friend is right. Local authorities will have a major role to play in the prevention agenda, as will third sector organisations. I can tell her that we are having extensive discussions at the moment with many such organisations.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords—

[Lord Ashley of Stoke]

I wonder if the Minister will also say that I am often right, like the previous speaker. He always says that the Government intend to improve the health service, but he says in the same breath that they intend to go ahead with cuts. How can this illogical stance be repeated time and again?

NHS: Budget

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of economies available within the National Health Service’s budget.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe)]

My Lords, the Government have guaranteed that health spending will increase in real terms in each year of the Parliament. However, it is clear that funding growth will be constrained and, in order to meet rapidly rising demands and to realise our ambitions for improved health outcomes, substantial improvements in economy and efficiency will be required across all areas of health spending. Full plans for delivering these improvements will be developed during the spending review.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, recognising the relationship between transparency and the economic use of resources, will the Government consider amending the National Health Service pharmaceutical regulations to require manufacturers of prescribed products and appliances to indicate on the label of the packaging the tariff price of a generic product or the manufacturer’s list price of a branded product? Can he refer this whole matter to the transparency unit that his Government have set up?

--- Later in debate ---

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, to ensure that the quality of NHS services continues to improve in a climate of constrained growth, we must achieve greater productivity, but that means designing services for better quality and value for money. It does not mean downgrading the quality of the services. It is for local NHS bodies to decide how services can best be delivered most efficiently. I would be very surprised if that kind of dilution of expertise formed a part of any such plans.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Would it not be quite wrong for the Department of Health to prejudge what the transparency unit might say on the price labelling of prescribed products?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I do not think that we have prejudged it because extensive work has already been done in the department. It found that if, for example, a medicine has a high price attached to it, people might be deterred from taking it because of their fear of being a burden on the NHS. Equally, if a medicine has a low price put on it, someone might wrongly perceive that the lower price was linked to lower quality. That is based on research. It is not simply civil servants reacting to an idea; there is a lot of work behind it.