Health and Social Care Bill

The accountability in the NHS will be for the quality of the service being provided. The hon. Gentleman may not have agreed with the last Labour Government on this, and perhaps many in the Labour party are now changing their view on what was pursued by that Government, but it was that Government who introduced and encouraged a policy of ““any willing provider””. In 2003, Alan Milburn said:"““If I can get a private-sector hospital to treat an NHS patient, then for me the person remains an NHS patient.””" Everybody in the NHS who provides NHS services will be accountable through the—[Interruption.] The money will follow. The Chair of the Public Accounts Committee is here. Where public money goes, accountability for its use will follow.