Musculoskeletal Health Debate
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Lord Pannick
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(1 day, 10 hours ago)
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Captain of the King’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip (Baroness Wheeler) (Lab)
We will hear from the noble Baroness, Lady Donaghy.
Baroness Merron (Lab)
My noble friend raises a number of important points. In reference to the planning guidance, I hope she will understand that at this stage that is leaked information and I am therefore not in a position to comment. The Secretary of State has confirmed that planning guidance will be published in due course. I agree that patients around the country are waiting too long for care and treatment. I draw my noble friend’s attention to the plan for change, which will get the health service back on its feet. Part of the elective recovery plan, published just a few weeks ago, sets out funding to boost DEXA, which is bone density scanning capacity to support improvements in bone health and early diagnosis, including for osteoporosis. That will provide an estimated 29,000 extra scans per year, so I hope my noble friend will take heart from that node of direction.
Lord Pannick (CB)
My Lords, I declare a family interest in this condition. Will the Minister recognise that the failure to roll out the much-needed early diagnostic service, which, as the noble Lord, Lord Black, said, was promised during the general election campaign, will inevitably result in greater cost to the NHS in the years to come?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
I certainly agree with the noble Lord that without the right services in place at the right time and in the right location, there is additional cost—not just to the NHS but to the economy and to individuals. We have found that musculoskeletal community services have the largest waiting lists in England, and I refer the noble Lord to our forthcoming 10-year plan on the move from hospital to community. That will be a key part of cutting waiting lists, and the measures I have already announced will also assist.