NHS Reorganisation — 7 Feb 2006 at 21:49

In this division the Ayes were voting for a statement critical of the government's reform of the English primary care trusts (PCTs) and the strategic health authorities. This reform had been criticised in quite strong terms by the Health Select Committee

The Noes voted for virtually a complete replacement of the text with one congratulatory to the government.

I beg to move,

That this House believes the structures of the NHS should serve the needs of the service and patients; notes the Health Select Committee's report on Changes to Primary Care Trusts (HC 646); regrets the mishandling of the reorganisation of primary care trusts (PCTs) by the Department of Health; wishes to see administration costs minimised; further believes that structure must follow function and that the future functions of PCTs have not been clarified; further believes that strategic health authorities should be abolished; further believes that ambulance trusts should not be required to undergo restructuring unless the services themselves request it; fears that restructuring proposals will seek to mask the consequences of £1 billion worth of deficits across the NHS; further regrets the loss of morale amongst NHS staff in PCTs; and calls on the Government to enter into a new and genuine debate about NHS structures, so that the service can better meet its aim of comprehensive quality healthcare available to all, based on need not ability to pay.

I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

"welcomes the Government's determination to reform primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) to ensure all patients get the services they need, to shift the focus of services more towards prevention and tackling health inequalities, to engage better with GPs in developing services that meet patients' needs, to reduce bureaucracy and to deliver better value for money for taxpayers; further welcomes the widespread support within PCTs and SHAs for the principles on which Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS has been based; and further welcomes the Government's consultation on reforming ambulance trusts to ensure more care is provided in the home and at the scene, to give better advice to patients over the telephone and to deliver faster response times to save more lives, in line with the recommendations from the National Ambulance Adviser Peter Bradley's review 'Taking Healthcare to the Patient: Transforming Ambulance Services.'."

Question put accordingly, That the original words stand part of the Question:-

The House divided: Ayes 216, Noes 291.

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