Healthcare Provision: Inequalities

Lord Weir of Ballyholme Excerpts

Monday 20th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

In a number of ways—I refer, for example, to the Mental Health Act, which is very significant in respect of the group we are discussing. We have already taken action in that regard in a legislative form.

However, the noble Lord is right. We started in a difficult place, but I am more than hopeful about the whole approach through the 10-year plan. So while I cannot give a month-by-month answer to the noble Lord—much as I would like to—I can say that in the course of the next 10 years, the matters to which he refers will be addressed. I believe that a neighbourhood health service designed around the specific needs of local populations will be a great contributor to this.

[Lord Weir of Ballyholme (DUP)]

My Lords, we have seen in debates across a wide range of medical matters such as perinatal care, dementia and cardiovascular issues that there is widespread geographical disparity within the country, often driven by different approaches taken by different NHS trusts. Can the Minister outline how she intends to use the 10-year plan as a driver for greater uniformity of services, to ensure that there is not that postcode lottery disparity for many patients?