NHS: Clinical Commissioning Groups

Lord Laming Excerpts

Wednesday 16th January 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I am very grateful to my noble friend. I have meetings from time to time with the chairman of the NHS Commissioning Board, as does my right honourable friend the Secretary of State. I also meet regularly with the chief executive of the Commissioning Board. It is important that there is that interaction between Ministers and the board if there is to be proper accountability.

[Lord Laming]

Will the Minister say whether poverty was the only element that was removed and, if so, why was this singled out?

[Earl Howe]

Poverty was not removed. As I hope I have outlined, there are various criteria reflecting deprivation which are most certainly relevant to the fair allocation of resources. Age is clearly another factor, because it would be difficult to envisage an allocation formula that did not take it into account; it is the key factor in determining an individual’s need for healthcare. That is not to say that other factors such as deprivation should not continue to be considered.