NHS: Walk-in Centres

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe Excerpts

Tuesday 10th December 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

Yes, my Lords, and that is exactly why Sir Bruce Keogh has been tasked to look system-wide not simply at walk-in centres but at the entire community and urgent and emergency care network to make sure that patients go where is most appropriate for them, that there is not undue pressure on any single part of the system, and that tariffs reflect the right balance of patient flows.

[Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)]

My Lords, if there is an expectation that there should be consultation with patients and it does not take place, who is accountable for that failure?

[Earl Howe]

In some cases, a change of services will be so minor that formal consultation with patients is not required under the existing rules if, for example, a service moves a few yards down the road or something of that kind. However, it is the responsibility of the commissioner—either NHS England or a clinical commissioning group—to make sure that consultation where appropriate does take place.