My hon. Friend, as ever, makes an extremely worthwhile and practical point. Simply having the words in statute does not always portray the real position on the ground. A small intervention can often help to stop things becoming a crisis.
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In Salford we are having to make cuts of £600,000 from transport for disabled people. For many, this could lead to family breakdown. We are in consultation to see whether we can alleviate the worst of the impact, but some of the most disabled people one can imagine, who have complex needs, face the possibility of not having transport.
I support new clause 19(1)(d), which would
“ensure that systems are in place to ensure that the relevant general medical services are rendered to their patients who are carers.’.”
I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Worsley and Eccles South (Barbara Keeley) for her commitment on this issue, and I want to give one brief, personal example. Last year, my father, who is 84 years old and a full-time carer for my mother who has dementia, had a medical problem. It took us some time to get him the simplest of medical attention, and in that time my mother had to be admitted to respite care. She was there for four weeks, during which time her condition declined
dramatically. It would have made much more sense, as well as being in the economic interests of the health service, for my father to have received fast-track medical treatment.
Will the Minister consider having a system that flags up people who are 24/7 carers, so that when they need fast-track treatment they can receive it? That would save not just money, but misery and distress to the whole family. I therefore commend new clause 19(1)(d): its two lines could transform people’s lives. I ask the Minister to take this simple and practical step, which would make such a difference.