Better Start Longitudinal Programmes
Debate between Baroness Merron and Baroness Rafferty(4 days, 9 hours ago)
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Baroness Merron (Lab)
I hope I can be helpful to the noble Baroness. In the Best Start for Life strategy, we committed that each Best Start Family Hub will have a children and family services practitioner to support children and families who have additional needs. I feel that this new offer will help parents to understand their child’s development and identify emerging needs sooner. Importantly, it will also support vital join-up across the services, keeping children who have particular needs at the very centre.
Baroness Rafferty (Lab)
My Lords, would my noble friend the Minister confirm what the Department of Health and Social Care has taken from the Better Start work to inform its maternity and baby strategy?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
As my noble friend knows, we are absolutely focused on improving quality and consistency of care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and the critical months that follow. That is why we have appointed the noble Baroness, Lady Amos, to lead an independent investigation and why the Secretary of State will chair a maternity and neonatal taskforce to address the recommendations of the investigation. It is very much part of our work to give babies the very best start in life.
NHS England Update
Debate between Baroness Merron and Baroness Rafferty(10 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Rafferty (Lab)
My Lords, can my noble friend the Minister kindly confirm that the role of the Chief Nursing Officer for England will migrate to DHSC?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
My noble friend will know—as I am sure the right reverend Prelate knows—that the Chief Nursing Officer has always played a role in advising Ministers; that the case was long before the establishment of NHS England and will continue long afterwards. The chief executive, Sir James, has announced his new transformation team, and that includes NHS England’s Chief Nursing Officer.