NHS: Staff

Debate between Lord O'Shaughnessy and Baroness Emerton

Tuesday 13th November 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I greatly respect my noble friend on this topic, which we have gone around several times. As he knows, I defend the current system as being the most progressive. Nevertheless, I am grateful for his report, which he sent me and which I am reading with interest. However, at this point, we are confident that we have the right policy.

[Baroness Emerton (CB)]

My Lords, how are the Government determining the safe level of staffing? In the Health and Social Care Act, one of the requirements was to look for safe levels. Could the Minister tell us how the Government will assure us that they are safe levels?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that question. First, we have safe levels by recruiting more staff. We recognise that there is a need for it, and we are recruiting more staff in every category. The actual safe level of staffing is a trust-level issue that needs to be determined in response to the case load they have at any moment.