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Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, I thank all those who have spoken in this debate. As the noble Lord, Lord Walton, was not in Grand Committee on 21 May when I quoted from GMCtoday, I think that I must repeat that part on the position of doctors. I said then that the article states: "““In future, there will be three options. You may hold registration plus a licence to practise. You may decide to hold registration only, or you may take voluntary erasure from the register””." The article goes on to ask: "““Why would a doctor want to hold registration only?””." The answer, the article states, is: "““When the concept of revalidation was first introduced back in 1998, a significant number of doctors who are not in active practice expressed concern that they would lose their connection with the GMC. They saw their GMC registration as part of their professional identity. We will therefore make it possible for them to maintain their connection with the GMC by continuing to hold GMC registration, but without a licence. There will be a cost for this, although it will be less than the cost of holding a licence plus registration. However, doctors with registration only will not be able to practise. Of course, doctors who see no advantage in holding registration only will be able take voluntary erasure from the register. This will cost them nothing””.—[Official Report, 21/5/08, col. GC 541.]" The dental situation was changed in 2004 and instead of paying £65, dentists over a certain age had to pay either the sum of almost £400 or nothing. There was no alternative. Doctors have been exempt from all charge but now it is suggested that there will be a charge. But this article contains no suggestion that they will not have the right to continue if they pay a certain charge. Dentists would certainly have been happy to pay about £100 a year, instead of £400. They would not have kept up the continuing professional development that is required. But at that time the General Dental Council threw away 2,500 dentists, losing a nice little income of £250,000. The debate on this issue has made it clear to me that, although I am happy to withdraw the amendment now, I shall bring it back again at the next stage, not just for dentists but for doctors, social workers and all healthcare professionals. It would be very progressive if we put in the Bill an enabling provision, although it would not in any way force the General Dental Council to do this. If the dentists decide that they do not want it, that will be up to the General Dental Council. But the points that have been made by social workers and by the noble Lord, Lord Walton, today show that things are changing and that there should be an enabling provision in the Bill. This would be in the public interest; it would be valuable to have a list of people available in case of a national emergency or any other situation. I warn the Minister, who has been so helpful in this matter, that the issue has just become much wider. I will bring forward an amendment at Third Reading with totally different wording to include in the Bill an enabling provision for all healthcare professionals. Emphasis has been placed today on the fact that all should be the same. Meanwhile, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 108 [The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence]: