Commonwealth Fund Report: NHS Ranking Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Commonwealth Fund Report: NHS Ranking

Lord Shinkwin Excerpts
Tuesday 14th September 2021

(2 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Bethell Portrait Lord Bethell (Con)
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My Lords, the noble Baroness half answers her own question. When it comes to universal coverage, I am extremely proud of the NHS and the service that we provide to the British public. There is no other health system like it anywhere in the world. The report makes cogent points on equality, and we have put that at the centre of our agenda, and in the NHS long-term plan, the prevention Green Paper and the newly implemented Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. We are doing that work through the obesity plan, the NHS health checks, the tobacco control plan and the vaccination plan. We are highly committed to this agenda, and we are making an impact.

Lord Shinkwin Portrait Lord Shinkwin (Con)
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My Lords, of course we must protect the NHS and support social care but, given the proposed tax increase, can my noble friend the Minister explain to taxpayers on low incomes how they will know whether their money is well spent?

Lord Bethell Portrait Lord Bethell (Con)
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My Lords, we raise taxes with huge hesitation. My noble friend is entirely right to hold the system to account for delivering value for money and to question productivity, but I reassure him that we have one of the most efficient health systems in the world. The money spent by the department on behalf of taxpayers is very wisely invested, and we are extremely grateful to those in social care and the NHS for the incredibly effective way in which they go about their business.