Health and Social Care Bill

Baroness Masham of Ilton Excerpts

Tuesday 25th October 2011 Lords Chamber

I think I have spoken long enough. This has been an excellent debate and, to pick up a point made by my noble friend Lady Jolly, I am sure that members of the NHS Future Forum will consider it with great interest. My door is open to noble Lords for a continuing dialogue on these issues, not least to the noble Lord, Lord Walton, as I have already said. I hope that he and other noble Lords will feel able not to press their amendments for now on the basis of the Government’s amendment on which I am happy to provide further clarification if it is needed.

[Baroness Masham of Ilton]

My Lords, could I ask the Minister about something that I do not understand? Why in my noble friend’s amendment does it not include the training of healthcare assistants?

[Earl Howe]

I have already made clear, my Lords, that the amendment could include healthcare assistants. We have been careful to make it all-embracing so that it includes not only all health professionals, but health support workers who are not health professionals.

[Baroness Masham of Ilton]

That is the Government’s amendment. The Minister said that my noble friend’s amendment did not include them.

[Earl Howe]

As I read it, it is the noble Lord’s amendment and it is for him to speak to it, but it refers to the education and training of “the health care workforce”. That will include a lot of people, but not those who are not healthcare workers.