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Health and Social Care Bill

Perhaps I may contribute to the debate solely on the comments that have just been made by my noble friend. As regards the first instance he mentioned, that is no longer the case. If someone is brought back into hospital with the same disease or illness, no tariff is paid. As far as I am concerned, that is certainly the guidance we have had from the Department of Health and it is being applied. It is still the case with regard to the second example— I guess quite rightly. But from my experience as the chair of a foundation trust—my noble friend Lord Hunt is nodding in agreement—if someone is admitted again with the same illness there is a presumption that they were not dealt with properly in the first place. As a result, the treatment has to be carried out under the first tariff and no additional tariff is granted.