NHS: West London Hospitals

Baroness Masham of Ilton Excerpts

Thursday 28th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

No, I do not accept that at all. A reconfiguration is about modernising the delivery of care and facilities to improve patient outcomes, develop services that are closer to home and, most importantly, save lives. It is not about saving money.

[Baroness Masham of Ilton]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the downgrading of anything is very depressing, worst of all for patients when they want upgrading?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I think that often when plans are explained to patients, they realise that the word “downgrading” is inappropriate. For example, in north-west London, there has been a lot of unnecessary worry about urgent care centres as substitutes for A&E units. The majority of people who attend A&E can very well be treated in an urgent care centre on the same site, and patients who dial 999 will be taken by ambulance straight to the appropriate hospital. Therefore, I think there is, in some senses, a false debate going on here.