Health: Pathfinders

Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Excerpts

Thursday 12th January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I do recognise that. It gave rise to the fairly famous quote by Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of the NHS, who went down to Torbay to see the work being done there. He came away saying:

“I have seen the future and the future is Torbay”.

There was good reason for him to say that because Torbay has established close relationships between social workers, district nurses, therapists and allied health professionals through a single point of contact so that intermediate care services are delivered effectively, thus avoiding the need for patients to be admitted to hospital.

[The Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells]

My Lords—

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes]

Can the Minister tell me—sorry, I would have given way to the right reverend Prelate. I had better press on. Does the Minister believe that the new legislation will change the problem that has always existed—that social care always felt that health should pay and health always felt that social care should pay? There may be good will and a wish to integrate, but can he assure me that the new financial systems in the health service will cover this point and prevent that problem continuing?