I am most grateful to both noble Lords for their constructive contributions and their support for these measures. I welcome their questions and will do my best to respond to them.
I will first make a few general points that may assist. Noble Lords acknowledged the role of the MHRA, the essential se…
This is indeed a vulnerable group, as the noble Lord says, and it is probably best that I refer to the upcoming 10-year plan, which will deal with inequalities throughout a number of sectors, including the most vulnerable and including this group.
As the noble Lord rightly outlines, this is a move, over a number of years, to reduce the reliance on international recruitment. I am really glad that just a couple of weeks ago the Department for Education announced the launch of a health and social care foundation apprenticeship, set to begin in A…
My Lords, I associate myself with the congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Booth, on securing such an important debate. I am very grateful to him for doing that on the back of his personal experience. It shines a light and, while I realise that it is difficult, what he has done is worthwhile. Man…
The supply situation has improved since last year and there is now sufficient stock of lower-strength Creon to meet normal demand. There are still some supply constraints, as I have said, with the higher-strength product stock, but stock is regularly being delivered to pharmacies. As we have discuss…
It would not be possible to prescribe them if they were not fit and safe for use. I am grateful to the noble Lord for allowing me to make that reassurance. There is very clear information on ordering and prescribing unlicensed imports on the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service website, should the noble …
Our commitment to moving towards a neighbourhood health service obviously allows for attention to be given to different circumstances, including in rural areas. It will mean that more care can be delivered locally and that problems can be spotted earlier, including any problems with rollout. We will…
On the three ways forward that the noble Lord identified, the approach often has to be a mix of all three. It is the balance that is the point under debate, and it has to be informed by evidence. I certainly share the noble Lord’s view about the importance of civil society and working with community…
The important point that the noble Lord raises is that our role is to encourage people to ensure that they are choosing a healthy diet and can achieve a healthy diet. As the noble Lord said, the word “could” is a bit of a problem. That is why we continue to invest in research and, as I say, work clo…
On that point, I feel that the Government taking the backlog very seriously, against the background of what we have inherited, will make conditions far better for staff, which will make it a far more attractive place to work. That will be reflected when we report on the workforce plan. To the point …
As the noble Lord is aware, I regard the contribution of the community sector—the third sector—as absolutely crucial here. I personally work very closely, like the department more generally, both to improve our practice and to recognise the difference that the creative arts, for example, can add to …
I am grateful to noble Lords for their valuable contributions and the way in which they have raised issues relating not just to the statutory instrument before us but this whole area of important work. I am also grateful for the support more broadly on the need to get the legislation right in order …
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Mackinlay, for securing this debate and for giving your Lordships a tremendous opportunity for a very informed and meaningful debate. Having listened as the Minister, which I did very closely—I assure noble Lords that I will also review the points that were rai…
Before the Minister stands up, we have the benefit of having the chair of the EHRC in the Room with us. I wonder whether it is your Lordships’ wish that we hear from her.
We are very open to all sorts of creative ways of dealing with the matter, but it is important to say on the drugs that we are discussing that lecanemab and donanemab can only slow the progression of the disease by between four and six months. The challenge is not just whether it is available on the…