Schedule 8 - Minor and consequential amendments
NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill
11:00 am
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire, Conservative)
Amendments Nos. 112 and 113 are technical and I have nothing to say about them.
I welcome amendment No. 133. During an earlier debate, we raised some concerns about the role of the Audit Commission now that the Commission for Health Improvement is to have a role in the inspection of health services that are being provided instead of its previous narrower role covering clinical governance. One of the points made by us and some of the bodies with which we have communicated during the course of our proceedings was that they felt it important that the work of the Audit Commission—it has exposed some of the great problems that the Government and patients are having with the health service at present—should not be sidelined. I referred to an article in the Health Service Journal which was insistent on the point.
It is welcome that the Minister is introducing the amendment confirming that the Audit Commission will be able to undertake inspections for the Commission for Health Improvement, that it is not being sidelined in any way and that there will be a proper commitment to joint working. I hope that that is what it means and I believe that that is what the Minister said, in which case I welcome it.
Amendment agreed to.
Amendment made: No. 113, in page 79, line 16, leave out 'paragraph 32(b) is' and insert
'paragraphs 32(b) and 107(12)(b) are'.—[Mr. Hutton.]