Speaker Lunch at the House of Commons 2004
Andrew Lansley CBE, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and MP for South Cambridgeshire was the guest speaker at the Society's annual House of Commons speaker lunch.Thanking the PM Society for the invitation to speak, Andrew Lansley welcomed the 90 Society members and guests to the Houses of Parliament, and began by likening the pharmaceutical industry to the dessert of choice at the Commons - Crème Brûlée - hard on the outside, but soft on the inside!
 The Rt Hon Andrew Lansley CBE MP (standing) |
The overall aim of his talk was to provide an overview of what a prospective Conservative Government would like to achieve should they win the next election, through implementation of their proposed health policy.
Four key issues were pinpointed as important areas for discussion:
- Improving public health
- Extending choice across the whole NHS
- Increasing importance of NICE to raise clinical standards
- Giving the NHS freedom to respond
Public Health
The
new Conservative Government would aim to improve public health by combating
problems rather than just responding to them. Andrew Lansley felt that there needed to be a more effective health strategy in many areas of public health, including: obesity, binge drinking, Hepatitis C, teenage pregnancy, smoking and STDs. He believes many of these areas of public health are getting increasingly worse and the process and means to deal with these areas should be central to any government's health policy and are a major concern to the Conservative party.
During the last Government, the Health of the Nation White Paper achieved a great deal, with Britain being seen as a world leader in public health. To build on this success and increase the effectiveness of a public health policy today, there needs to be an increase in the support of national awareness campaigns. A coordinated approach is needed between the NHS and the public and private sectors, which would work to leverage change. Just spending more on the NHS will just not work.
Extending Choice
The second theme in Mr Lansley's talk highlighted the need for implementing choice. He stressed that patient's need choice, and providing information purely to PCTs does not achieve this. Patients need information too, not just the commissioners. For example in the case of MRSA and infection control, patients need empowerment to make a choice where they are treated; not just be put on a ward where they may be at risk. Where patients have more ownership, Andrew Lansley believes there is better compliance, as proven by the Expert Patient Programme (EPP).
Improved Clinical Standards
Andrew Lansley's belief is that more targets from Whitehall and the development of more frameworks with increased importance for organisations such as NICE, will improve clinical standards in the whole of the NHS. This would be the aim of the Conservative Government.
Freedom to Respond
The last theme to be presented introduced the necessity for the NHS to have freedom to respond to patient requirements, without being encumbered by red tape/form filling/targets and plans.
It seems that imposed targets and form filling often gets in the way of best practice. Mr Lansley quoted that there are currently 102 inspection agencies, with many duplicating each other's work. This is far from efficient and increases the pressures and workloads on both individuals and the NHS as a whole. The Conservative Government would drastically reduce the number of agencies and the duplication of work, in order that the focus of effort is placed on the care of patients.
How does Pharma fit into all this?
The Conservative Government thinks Pharma needs to be looked at positively. The current view is that 'new therapies = extra cost to the NHS', rather than focussing on the benefits of effective new drugs. This is not the view of the Tories and Mr Lansley believes that the Tories will:
- Acknowledge the remarkable contribution the Pharma Industry makes
to the UK and global economy and give encouragement to the industry
to ensure the UK stays at the forefront of R&D.
- Strengthen legislation to protect personnel in the Industry from
the targeting of animal extremists.
- Support the future of biotechnology and provide incentives for R&D
to prevent it from disappearing from Britain.
A lively
discussion session between guests and Andrew Lansley followed:
In answer to what the Conservatives would do to avoid situations where money runs out in hospitals and surgeons are unable to operate although they had capacity to, Mr Lansley stated that money needs to be made available to incentivise hospitals to offer the treatment.
A question regarding the performance and regulation of the GMC was raised with the suggestion that a future government should abolish the GMC altogether, Andrew Lansley responded by saying that, where possible, state run systems should be avoided and that the preference of the Tories was a professional body that was self regulated. Whilst he acknowledged that the GMC may be judged by some people to have failed, there was no guarantee that a new system would be any better and he felt reforming the existing system would be better than scrapping the GMC altogether.
Questioned as to what the Conservatives will do to encourage and reward innovation, he said that facilities need to be put in place alongside the current centres of excellence in the country. There are lots of opportunities in areas in Britain that would lend themselves to development for the research industry. The Government needs to support the University sector.
In answer to a question of how Conservative policies would differ to Labour's, he responded that, firstly, hospitals would be given more independence (foundation hospitals), secondly that more money would need to be spent on the NHS in a more efficient and effective way and in particular they would not enforce central supply contracts, which Conservatives believe have added to increased costs in the NHS. In short he said there would be less bureaucracy. He believes that the extra money spent in the last seven years was not on patients, but was in some ways re-directed to pay for supplies in NHS warehouses, of which there are 48, with lots of drugs and supplies held 'just in case'.
In addition he believes efficiencies can be gained by better management of NHS finances. In previous years within the NHS there has been an inflation rate of around 8-9% whereas in the private sector it is running at around 1%.
Mike Gale, Chairman of the Society thanked Andrew Lansley for a very informative presentation and for giving attendees his thoughts on the NHS, Industry and the role of the Conservative Government.
In answer to what the Conservatives would do to avoid situations where money runs out in hospitals and surgeons are unable to operate although they had capacity to, Mr Lansley stated that money needs to be made available to incentivise hospitals to offer the treatment.
A question regarding the performance and regulation of the GMC was raised with the suggestion that a future government should abolish the GMC altogether, Andrew Lansley responded by saying that, where possible, state run systems should be avoided and that the preference of the Tories was a professional body that was self regulated. Whilst he acknowledged that the GMC may be judged by some people to have failed, there was no guarantee that a new system would be any better and he felt reforming the existing system would be better than scrapping the GMC altogether.
Questioned as to what the Conservatives will do to encourage and reward innovation, he said that facilities need to be put in place alongside the current centres of excellence in the country. There are lots of opportunities in areas in Britain that would lend themselves to development for the research industry. The Government needs to support the University sector.
In answer to a question of how Conservative policies would differ to Labour's, he responded that, firstly, hospitals would be given more independence (foundation hospitals), secondly that more money would need to be spent on the NHS in a more efficient and effective way and in particular they would not enforce central supply contracts, which Conservatives believe have added to increased costs in the NHS. In short he said there would be less bureaucracy. He believes that the extra money spent in the last seven years was not on patients, but was in some ways re-directed to pay for supplies in NHS warehouses, of which there are 48, with lots of drugs and supplies held 'just in case'.
In addition he believes efficiencies can be gained by better management of NHS finances. In previous years within the NHS there has been an inflation rate of around 8-9% whereas in the private sector it is running at around 1%.
Mike Gale, Chairman of the Society thanked Andrew Lansley for a very informative presentation and for giving attendees his thoughts on the NHS, Industry and the role of the Conservative Government.
Held on: 18/10/2004