Health Bill [HL]

I am delighted that the noble Baroness is better, and I am sure that it will be relevant to the discussion of the amendment. The amendment proposes that the definition of ““patients”” in Clause 3 should be extended to include all patients, "““who are eligible to receive NHS services or who have received NHS services within the past 5 years””." I understand the intention behind the amendment. I reassure the noble Baroness that recent and potential patients, as well as current patients, are adequately consulted in respect of any changes to the constitution. Clause 3(3) and 3(5) refer to the need to consult ““members of the public””. That includes anyone who was eligible to receive NHS care, or who is currently receiving NHS care, or those who have received it in the past five years. I reassure the noble Baroness that these are all captured in the clause. I further reassure the noble Baroness that it is fully our intention to consult extensively on any changes in the constitution. However, it is unnecessary to be prescriptive and to set up subcategories—another list, if you wish—of NHS patients in the Bill. I hope that I have demonstrated that the groups mentioned by the noble Baroness are already captured in the current drafting of the clause under the description of ““members of the public””. I very much hope that she will feel able to withdraw the amendment.