National Health Service Regulations

Lord Harris of Haringey Excerpts

Tuesday 16th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The expectation is that all GPs, including those in rural areas, will benefit greatly. The premise of the 10-year plan, which was announced recently, is to improve patient access. That is a particular issue in rural areas and is absolutely key, no matter where you are—whether you are appearing in person, are seeking to get online access to your GP or are on the phone. Remember, this is all about, for example, ending the 8 am scramble. Noble Lords have been very critical and I share in their criticism. I think that, particularly in rural areas, where people face various challenges in getting around, these changes will improve things massively for both GPs and patients.

[Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)]

My Lords, my noble friend has described these changes in terms of the benefits for patients. How will the Government know whether they are of benefit to patients, given the decision to wind up HealthWatch, which itself was less than adequate in terms of patient representation compared with Community Health Councils, an organisation I knew well many years ago? Surely, that is a negative step and there should be a mechanism for local consultation and local engagement with patients through an independent body.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I appreciate what my noble friend says about HealthWatch, which has done a sterling job over the years. However, in assessing where we are in ensuring that we have the right framework in place, including on patient safety—Dr Penny Dash recently published her report saying that the landscape was “cluttered” and it was difficult to hear the patient voice—it is right that we make the changes that we do to improve things. The reform to the GP contract very much assists general practice to be at the heart of a neighbourhood health service, and that is where we are going.