Care Standards Bill [H.L.]

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 9:15 pm on 10 January 2000.

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Photo of Lord Clement-Jones Lord Clement-Jones Liberal Democrat 9:15, 10 January 2000

Before the noble Baroness, Lady David, responds, perhaps I can make a few points. That was one of the most helpful responses the Minister has made this evening. A number of green shoots were lurking in his remarks which may grow into something larger as the Bill progresses through the House. In particular, what we need, even as regards matters in the Bill, is a little more teasing out of the chapter and verse. For instance, the Minister says it is a condition of registration that specific establishments must have a complaints system. Indeed, he went on to say that the requirement would be to provide an independent element to investigate complaints. On the face of it, the Bill makes no provision for that. However, that is a helpful indication of the way in which the Government's mind is working.

It was extremely helpful for the Minister to say that the commission should have an active role in pursuing complaints and that it will accept complaints and have wide powers. But again, that is not obvious from reading the Bill. In order to accept his view--I take it in good faith--that an independent review panel and public complaints directors are not needed as part of the commission, it is important that he provide us with further information as to the regulations proposed and as to how the Bill might be amplified in that respect. I appreciate his statement that alleged breaches of standards will be investigated by the commission and also that, within his definition, "services" is wide enough to encompass clinical services.

I was interested to hear the Minister talk of complaints in the independent healthcare system and the fact that there needs to be a clearly identified person in that regard. But, further, he said that the Government are committed to introducing an independent complaints mechanism and that there is no difference in principle between us. As I explained from these Benches, in a sense we were presenting some a la carte possibilities; the mechanisms are myriad, it is the principle that matters. The Minister's statement that he was considering how best to deliver that independent complaints system for private healthcare was a strong indicator.

I hope that the Minister will bring forward his proposals for amending the Bill at the Report stage here. Otherwise, we will engage in fruitless discussions, coming up with a further set of amendments, none of which will probably satisfy the Government. It would be much more satisfactory if the Government came back at Report stage with their amendments.