Clause 3 - Functions of the Centre

Part of Health (Wales) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:00 pm on 10 December 2002.

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Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling Opposition Whip (Commons), Shadow Minister (Health) 6:00, 10 December 2002

One would hope that the approach would not be different. Anyone who has been involved in communication—my professional background before I came to this place—knows that organisations are wonderfully good at saying things that contradict one another. A marketing campaign from one department will say one thing, and another campaign from another department will say something diametrically opposite. The company concerned is then in a mess as a result.

That lesson should be taken on board by the public sector, especially the national health service in this arena. It should simply be a duty of care for those responsible for research and for public information and education to ensure that they talk to each other, work together and co-ordinate their work, so that each strengthens what the other does, rather than weakens it by putting out contradictory messages.

The amendment would not remove any powers from the Wales Centre for Health, but would put a duty of care on it, simply to remind the centre that it is part of a health service that is spread across the United

Kingdom and that it will indulge in activities that cross borders. The need for co-ordination and to work together with other parts of the UK is sacrosanct and should be included in the Bill.