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NHS Deficits

All right, an assessment group—[Interruption.] Let us not quibble about figures and simply say an assessment. Even if one agrees with the Minister that there should be an assessment, why does a four-page letter have to be sent from the GP’s practice, not the hospital? If the assessment confirms the GP’s decision, why cannot the hospital chosen by the patient simply write, as happened before choose and book, to accept the patient’s need to see a consultant and to invite them to turn up at the hospital on whatever day and time is suitable? That would cut out a lot of inefficiency. Of course, one then has the joy—I cannot tell the House about it today because the seven days have not expired—of finding out how many times I will have to ring this number to get through to the appointments people. In conclusion, I ask for more thought to be given before bringing in unnecessary assessments, extra paperwork, extra costs and extra time-consuming demands. What will happen is that one will not get an appointment for 13 days at the earliest, whereas under the old system one had an appointment within seven days—although when one actually saw the consultant and treatment started was indeterminate. That is my simple point. I ask for the House’s forgiveness because I am due to attend a meeting and have to leave now, but I certainly hope to return to hear the winding-up speeches.