Health and Care Bill

Debate between Baroness Redfern and Baroness Walmsley

Lords Hansard - Part 1 & Committee stage
Monday 31st January 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Walmsley (LD)]

My Lords, a very compelling and, indeed, conclusive case has been made by the noble Lord, Lord Blencathra, and other speakers in favour of this amendment, and I hope the Government will accept it. I particularly commend the suggestion made by the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, that the answer is there for us in science. I have only one question, because I have no intention of repeating all the excellent comments that have been made. This morning, I went into the Bishops’ Bar and picked up a box of lateral flow tests. On the box was written, “Made in China”. Can the Minister explain what efforts have been made to ensure that noble Lords, in their attempt to protect others and themselves, are not unwittingly supporting forced labour and slavery?

[Baroness Redfern (Con)]

My Lords, I rise briefly to support this amendment, and I apologise for not attending Second Reading.

This amendment requires the Government to perform a risk assessment on whether there is a “serious risk of genocide” in a region from which it is sourcing—not to make a genocide determination. It is the UK’s obligation under international law, as a signatory to the genocide convention, to perform such a risk assessment. We have heard many harrowing stories, which we find so difficult even to believe. Uighur identity is being erased: future generations are lost through forced birth-prevention measures, and millions have been detained, tortured and violated in concentration camps.

The incorporation of this amendment would send a clear signal to both the Chinese authorities and the international community that the UK is committed to ridding its supply chains of forced labour, fulfilling its obligations under international law and protecting Uighur people from genocide. The amendment is an opportunity to offer the Uighur community accountability for genocide and crimes against humanity, and I support it.

Medicines and Medical Devices Bill

Debate between Baroness Redfern and Baroness Walmsley

Committee stage & Committee: 5th sitting (Hansard) & Committee: 5th sitting (Hansard): House of Lords
Wednesday 11th November 2020 Grand Committee

[Baroness Walmsley (LD) [V]]

My Lords, I add my voice to those of the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, and the noble Lord, Lord Ribeiro, on their Amendments 86, 88 and 102, about having unique identifiers for medical devices. In these days of barcodes, this should not be too difficult nor add much, if any, cost for the manufacturers. Indeed, it has been proved to work with medical devices, as the noble Baroness explained.

It is important that products found to be faulty are speedily traced. If my digital radio can be recalled speedily because it might burst into flames, surely a medical device implanted in someone’s body must also be able to be recalled speedily. Recall could also be useful when something better comes along; it could be vital for the future treatment of the patient.

There are occasions when an individual product develops a fault, although the majority of products of that model are perfectly okay. If we are to learn lessons and improve products, as the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, has just pointed out, it would be essential to know where they are and how the receiving patient has reacted to them. A unique identifier could facilitate that, and also provide some protection for the patient concerned, especially in the case of a recall.

I look forward to the Minister’s answers to the questions that the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, asked about patient consent. It is vital that patients have confidence in the system. Confidence in their own privacy is part of that, and patients can have that confidence only if they know what is being shared, and by whom.

[Baroness Redfern (Con) [V]]

My Lords, I am pleased to speak to this group of amendments, and to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, who has been so diligent in her review in proposing such needed changes, and making good for the recipient and building user confidence in the devices offered. It is a pleasure to follow the noble Baronesses, Lady Finlay and Lady Walmsley, and the noble Lord, Lord Ribeiro—as well, of course, as the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege.

I spoke on Second Reading in support of an extensive programme for medical devices, to provide for high standards of safety and to share vital information, with data central to effectiveness. The noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, in her review, regarded being able to track which treatments and implants people have had as being of particular importance. A barcoded wristband, with equipment used in treatment, including implantable medical devices, being scanned and tracked to a patient’s record, would save much precious time for product recalls, and reduce drug errors.

This means knowing who has had a device used in their treatment, so that they can be swiftly notified if there is a problem. Having unique device identification is therefore very important. The noble Lord, Lord Ribeiro, said—and I agree—that we must consider tracking all medical devices used in the UK, rather than a select few.