HC Deb 15 February 1983 vol 37 cc152-3
18. Mr. Hoyle

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to invite the Trades Union Congress Health Service committee to discuss the future National Health Service programme.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

I understand that the TUC Health Service committee is just completing a review of public expenditure in the NHS. I would welcome a meeting to discuss the review if the committee wished to have one and preliminary arrangements are being made for such a meeting.

Mr. Hoyle

Will the Griffiths inquiry into the running of the NHS consult the TUC Health Service committee and will its findings be made public? I am sure that the Minister is aware that there has been much anxiety in the Health Service, which is not a supermarket chain.

Mr. Clarke

The Griffiths inquiry will decide how it sets about its task. I have no doubt that it will hear the views of, and take evidence from, a wide range of interested bodies. No doubt the TUC will make representations to the members of the inquiry. We do not intend to spend a long time producing a great report. The committee will advise the Secretary of State on what management improvements could be achieved in the NHS. We wish to make such improvements as quickly as possible, in order to release more resources for patient care.

Sir Anthony Grant

Will my hon. and learned Friend point out to the TUC Health Service committee that if the ancillary services in the NHS were carried out by private enterprise to the same extent as they are in other European countries, most notably Sweden, resources would be released to provide 52,000 more kidney machines, 51,000 more nurses, 17,000 more doctors, or 750,000 more beds? Will he knock some sense into both the TUC Health Service committee and also the Health Service administration?

Mr. Clarke

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said, he proposes to make a statement shortly giving details of how we propose to proceed in this matter. The object is to avoid unnecessary expenditure on the support services of the NHS so as to concentrate resources on better patient care.

Mr. Terry Davis

Has the Minister asked the managing director of Sainsburys to undertake the inquiry, because both the health workers and the shop workers are low paid?

Mr. Clarke

The object of the inquiry is to improve the standards of management of the Health Service, so as to improve the standards of service for patients. That objective should be shared by everybody who has the best interests of the NHS at heart.