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Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, this is a slightly disparate group of amendments so I will certainly not try to respond on any other amendments apart from my own. I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for signposting where patient and public involvement come in, in Clause 59(7) and Clause 178, and her explanation that my amendment would ““constrain Monitor’s flexibility””. I am always interested in the kinds of response that the department is able to come up with in these circumstances. After all, HealthWatch and the local healthwatch organisations are the creatures of this Bill and of the department, so it seems somewhat extraordinary that these are not specifically mentioned in Clause 59(7). I understand that in broad terms Monitor has the duty to, "““secure that people who use healthcare services, and other members of the public, are involved to an appropriate degree””—" that is a useful word as well— "““in decisions that Monitor makes about the exercise of its functions””." However, of course, ““appropriate”” is determined by Monitor. It is not an objective test in those circumstances.