Health Bill

The right hon. Gentleman raises an important point. As for private hospitals and the independent sector generally, the same standards will apply, using the same code provisions but under the existing legal powers of the Care Standards Act 2000. The obvious reason why we have a somewhat different enforcement regime is that we have direct management controls—or through a monitor, direct regulatory controls—on NHS and foundation trust hospitals that do not exist in respect of the private sector. The new code that we are introducing, backed up by the new powers of the Healthcare Commission, will help to ensure that our NHS, which is treating more patients faster than ever before, will also provide the highest possible standards and quality of care. I want to refer briefly to parts 3, 4, and 5 of the Bill, which deal with drugs, pharmaceutical and ophthalmic services and various other matters. We are strengthening the management of controlled drugs in response to some of the shortcomings identified in the Shipman inquiry’s fourth report. Those provisions, which are UK-wide, will require every health care body to appoint an accountable officer who will have to take personal responsibility for the use of controlled drugs within that organisation. We are also taking steps to continue improving pharmaceutical and other services. Community pharmacists are already playing a much wider role than they used to within the NHS—for instance, providing screening services and reviewing medicine use for people with long-term conditions. We know from our recent consultation on community health and social care services that the public welcome the work of community pharmacists and would like to see it increased. The Bill, by freeing pharmacists from the requirement personally to dispense every item, will allow them to expand the other services that they offer without in anyway compromising patient safety.