Homelessness: Tuberculosis

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 1st March 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I was very interested to hear about the noble Baroness’s experiences in the north-east and I would like to hear more. The points that she raises lie behind our intention in the Health and Social Care Bill to make GP consortia responsible not just for the patients on the GP lists but for all the population in the local area. The health and well-being boards, which we propose should be set up at local authority level, will bring together all the relevant stakeholders to look at how the health needs of an area can best be met and prioritised.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, this is a group of our fellow citizens who are particularly vulnerable and can so easily be lost in the system. At a time when there is considerable pressure on budgets, will the noble Lord use whatever good offices he can to ensure that this remains a priority in all the public services and is not seen as a soft option?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the short answer to the noble Lord’s question is yes. We have committed to ring-fence the public health budget and I think that there is no better earnest of our intentions for public health than that.