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NHS Reorganisation

The point that the hon. Gentleman makes is not really very valuable. Benefits will flow from working more closely with other structures. For example, in the event of a very large incident, emergency response is enhanced when services have become used to working together and have developed working policies and protocols. Fewer, larger ambulance trusts will also make it simpler to build the effective relationships with stakeholders that are so important in successfully dealing with major incidents, and in providing the effective delivery of integrated, patient-centred health services. Our aim is an NHS that is free to all of us and personal to each of us. We are delivering it through high national standards backed by sustained investment, by using new providers where they add capacity or promote innovation and, most importantly, by giving more power to patients over their own treatment and their own health. I ask the House to support the amendment.