NHS: Budget

Baroness Wall of New Barnet Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, as I hope was apparent from our debate in the House the other day, the Government attach great importance to chaplaincy in the NHS. The kind of encouragement that the right reverend Prelate speaks of is something that I will consider. I need to be sure in my mind of how best to do that, but his point is well made and I will take it back to the department to see what we can do.

[Baroness Wall of New Barnet]

My Lords, will the noble Earl assure the House that in looking for economies in the health service—I am sure that there are opportunities to do that—he will safeguard the vanguard policy of the last Government, which is fortunately retained by this Government, to ensure that patients’ experience comes first and foremost? Would he also perhaps take an idea from me to look at how we deal with patients who do not attend—DNAs, as we call them—despite having had prior notice? Failure to attend is costly and inefficient for the health service.

[Earl Howe]

The noble Baroness is quite right that patients who do not attend their appointments cost the NHS a great deal. How do we deal with the issue—I am sure that the previous Government wrestled with it, too—if we are to avoid charging patients for failing to turn up? I would resist the idea of charging because I do not think that it is a road down which we should be going in secondary or primary care. However, the ways in which we can encourage patients to turn up on time should attract greater focus in our efforts towards achieving efficiency.