My Lords, the National Health Service is a great service, but it is 60 years old. I have previously called for a royal commission on the service, but that has been refused. Perhaps with the constitution we have the next best thing, in what is a centralised health service. I...

My Lords, the National Health Service is a great service, but it is 60 years old. I have previously called for a royal commission on the service, but that has been refused. Perhaps with the constitution we have the next best thing, in what is a centralised health service. I...

My Lords, I take part in today’s debate on this Bill with a degree of trepidation. As a resident of Scotland, I am more likely to use the services of NHS Scotland, for which I have the highest possible praise, although my wife and I have recently had superb service...

My Lords, I take part in today’s debate on this Bill with a degree of trepidation. As a resident of Scotland, I am more likely to use the services of NHS Scotland, for which I have the highest possible praise, although my wife and I have recently had superb service...

My Lords, I will be more than happy to come back to that. I cannot commit to a date while standing in the House addressing a Bill that does not specifically address this issue but, as I said earlier, we are fully committed to this. Last month the Secretary of...

My Lords, I will be more than happy to come back to that. I cannot commit to a date while standing in the House addressing a Bill that does not specifically address this issue but, as I said earlier, we are fully committed to this. Last month the Secretary of...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, on bringing forward his first Bill for consideration by the House. I must declare an interest in Clauses 18 to 22. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who have not yet managed to give up; that is something that your...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, on bringing forward his first Bill for consideration by the House. I must declare an interest in Clauses 18 to 22. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who have not yet managed to give up; that is something that your...

My Lords, I thank noble Lords for a lively and informed discussion. It has become customary to declare interests and I declare that I am an active clinician and work as an academic at Imperial College, a name that was mentioned earlier. I should also declare that many years ago...

My Lords, I thank noble Lords for a lively and informed discussion. It has become customary to declare interests and I declare that I am an active clinician and work as an academic at Imperial College, a name that was mentioned earlier. I should also declare that many years ago...

My Lords, I am sure that the Minister will have been gratified by the general content and tone of this debate, which, with one notable reservation, has indicated a good measure of support for the Bill from all quarters of the House. He will be glad to know that I...

My Lords, I am sure that the Minister will have been gratified by the general content and tone of this debate, which, with one notable reservation, has indicated a good measure of support for the Bill from all quarters of the House. He will be glad to know that I...

My Lords, we have had an informed and interesting debate, but time is going on, so I shall confine myself to commenting briefly on the Bill and then discussing an amendment I shall table to insert a new clause on transplants and organ donation. Other noble Lords have commented on...

My Lords, we have had an informed and interesting debate, but time is going on, so I shall confine myself to commenting briefly on the Bill and then discussing an amendment I shall table to insert a new clause on transplants and organ donation. Other noble Lords have commented on...

My Lords, is it possible for a date to be given?

My Lords, is it possible for a date to be given?

My Lords, obviously the confusion continues. We are committed to single-sex accommodation, as we have always said in debates in this House. The announcement made by the Secretary of State is in support of that exact policy: we are committed to establishing 100 per cent single-sex accommodation in the future....

My Lords, obviously the confusion continues. We are committed to single-sex accommodation, as we have always said in debates in this House. The announcement made by the Secretary of State is in support of that exact policy: we are committed to establishing 100 per cent single-sex accommodation in the future....

My Lords, just so that we are all quite clear on the subject of mixed-sex wards, the Minister said, in answer to a Parliamentary Question that I tabled, that single-sex bays were the norm in the NHS, but that would result in a mixed ward. The Secretary of State has...

My Lords, just so that we are all quite clear on the subject of mixed-sex wards, the Minister said, in answer to a Parliamentary Question that I tabled, that single-sex bays were the norm in the NHS, but that would result in a mixed ward. The Secretary of State has...

My Lords, I believe in the National Health Service. I married into it, my family have worked in it, and I use it regularly. I also recognise the aspirations that the Minister voiced when he introduced the Bill and all the work that he has put in since he took...

My Lords, I believe in the National Health Service. I married into it, my family have worked in it, and I use it regularly. I also recognise the aspirations that the Minister voiced when he introduced the Bill and all the work that he has put in since he took...

That the Bill be read a second time.

That the Bill be read a second time.

My Lords, the Bill contains important measures to increase the quality of NHS care, to raise the performance of NHS services and to improve public health. I welcome the opportunity to set out the purpose of the Bill and the policies behind it. I also look forward to the contributions...

My Lords, the Bill contains important measures to increase the quality of NHS care, to raise the performance of NHS services and to improve public health. I welcome the opportunity to set out the purpose of the Bill and the policies behind it. I also look forward to the contributions...

My Lords, I must admit that I was tempted to set aside my speech after listening to the noble Baroness, Lady Tonge, and get into a dialogue with her about what, from my experience as chair of Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, I think really happens out there....

My Lords, I must admit that I was tempted to set aside my speech after listening to the noble Baroness, Lady Tonge, and get into a dialogue with her about what, from my experience as chair of Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, I think really happens out there....

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to take part in the Second Reading of the Health Bill. Last year I had the pleasure of taking part in several of the working parties. I realise how much work has gone into the Bill and offer my congratulations to the Minister...

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to take part in the Second Reading of the Health Bill. Last year I had the pleasure of taking part in several of the working parties. I realise how much work has gone into the Bill and offer my congratulations to the Minister...

My Lords, I have struggled for quite a while to find an opening line, which is always terribly important when you are speaking in this House. The best that I can come up with is that the Bill is paved with good intentions, as was the road to hell. The...

My Lords, I have struggled for quite a while to find an opening line, which is always terribly important when you are speaking in this House. The best that I can come up with is that the Bill is paved with good intentions, as was the road to hell. The...

My Lords, that is for a family of four. Four times 1,700 is 6,800, I believe. The service is paid for and people ought to know that they are paying for it, not be told that it is free of charge. If we are going to get pressure for better...

My Lords, that is for a family of four. Four times 1,700 is 6,800, I believe. The service is paid for and people ought to know that they are paying for it, not be told that it is free of charge. If we are going to get pressure for better...

That’s wrong.

That’s wrong.

My Lords, I believe that there are some good aspirations and proposals in Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill to which I can give my cautious support. However, I have some concerns over quality accounts which, I believe, will involve the setting up of new management lines within each...

My Lords, I believe that there are some good aspirations and proposals in Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill to which I can give my cautious support. However, I have some concerns over quality accounts which, I believe, will involve the setting up of new management lines within each...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a vice-president of Age Concern. I share the widespread support for the NHS constitution. I believe that it provides the prospect of a quality standard that patients will be able to expect from...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a vice-president of Age Concern. I share the widespread support for the NHS constitution. I believe that it provides the prospect of a quality standard that patients will be able to expect from...