NHS Redress Bill [Lords]

I will not give way. Patients are not signing their rights away in pursuing cases under the Bill. It simply gives some breathing space—some time—in which the NHS can examine what has happened, engage positively with the family involved and establish whether a better way can be found of giving them what they want: an apology, an explanation and, crucially, an assurance that the same thing will not happen to someone else. My argument, which I shall develop with the hon. Gentleman in Committee, is that our proposals will deliver that result better than a replication of an adversarial, finger-pointing, accusatory system. The hon. Gentleman is advancing a fundamentally different proposal, with which we do not agree. Let me refer the hon. Gentleman to the words of the health service ombudsman, who said"““I hope that the fact that an independent review of complaints about the scheme will be available will give reassurance to both complainants and the NHS bodies involved.””" Numerous elements of the scheme import some independence. The independent legal advice that I mentioned will be available to patients, along with independent medical advice. Experts will be appointed jointly by patients and professionals. There will be an annual independent review by the Healthcare Commission of how the proposals are being implemented by NHS bodies, and there will be an independent ombudsman’s review.