NHS: GP Salaries
Debate between Lord Mawhinney and Baroness Jolly
Baroness Jolly
There is a whole mix of issues. Morale is clearly one, but it is our view that the 48-hour target did not work. From 2007 to 2010 the percentage of patients who were able to get an appointment within 48 hours when they wanted one declined from 86% to 80%. This Government take a different approach. We are trying to focus on local solutions rather than top-down targets. According to the latest data from the GP patient survey published in January this year, 84% of patients were able to book an appointment at their GP surgery when they needed one and 91.8% of patients got an appointment at a time that was convenient to them.
Lord Mawhinney (Con)
My Lords, going back to the answer my noble friend gave to the noble Lord, Lord Laming, who made a fundamentally important point, she said that the work of GPs was being looked at by NHS England. As I understand it, NHS England is answerable, in some form or other, to this Government. Does my noble friend accept that if there is to be the sort of fundamental and comprehensive change that not only the noble Lord, Lord Laming, but a lot of other people believe to be necessary, that change will have to be agreed on a cross-party basis rather than on a narrow, government basis, whoever happens to be in Government?
Baroness Jolly
Yes, consensus is already a good idea. I am sure that the next few months will see all of us airing our differences. But in some areas—the one that comes to mind immediately is the area of joined-up services between health and social care—there is already quite a lot of agreement.
Health: Care Homes
Debate between Lord Mawhinney and Baroness Jolly
Baroness Jolly
In the world of care there is a lot to learn from everybody. There are probably regular conversations with NHS Scotland and NHS Wales. The noble Lord shakes his head. I will go back to the department and suggest that such a meeting might be a possibility.
Lord Mawhinney (Con)
My Lords, given that most people in care homes are either paying to be in the care home or the local authority is paying for it, will the Government consider making it a requirement that all care homes have to tell those who are funding it how much, if any, of the fee is as a result of so-called enhanced GP services?
Baroness Jolly
Certainly none of the fees should be towards enhanced GP services. That is rather the point that the Question asked by the noble Baroness outlined. What needs to happen is that NHS England must look at it quite seriously to ensure that no GPs are sending a bill to any care home on their patch for delivering services they should be providing freely.
Mental Health: Spending
Debate between Lord Mawhinney and Baroness Jolly
Baroness Jolly
Dementia services are delivered jointly with social care. The Government will be working with NHS England through clinical commissioning groups to make sure that the joint strategic needs assessments that are set out in local plans include provision for people living with dementia. My honourable friend in the other place has set up pioneering groups that are looking at integration of services. All that is very high on the agenda.
Lord Mawhinney (Con)
My Lords, I return to the original Question, asked by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath. Is my noble friend telling your Lordships’ House that the figures for the past two years do not exist in the keeping of any health organisation? Or is she telling us that they do exist but the Government will not instruct that organisation to publish them?
Baroness Jolly
My Lords, the last figures kept by the Government were the Department of Health ones for 2011-12. The figures for 2012-13 and 2013-14 are being kept by NHS England.