Health and Social Care Bill — Committee (12th Day) (Continued)

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 5:15 pm on 13 December 2011.

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Photo of Lord Walton of Detchant Lord Walton of Detchant Crossbench 5:15, 13 December 2011

My Lords, I support the amendment proposed by my noble friend Lady Finlay because this is an extremely important matter. When I was a consultant working as a neurologist in the NHS, if I had a patient who, for instance, had a peripheral neuropathy and turned out to be diabetic, I had no problem in referring him to a colleague within the same hospital for the care of his diabetes or to a colleague in the ophthalmology department for the care of his eyes. I am horrified to discover that in the recent past such individuals have been told to go back to their GP for yet another referral to a different consultant. This is an extraordinary situation. Can the Minister assure us that something in the Bill will stop this kind of nonsense occurring?