Health Care in the UK (Hansard, 15 October 1991)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)
My Lords, the Government are committed to the promotion of good health and the provision of preventive health care. The recently published Green Paper The Health of the Nation sets out our plans to reduce preventable diseases and targets specific areas for action in England. Similar initiatives are under way in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. It is somewhat overdue, but better late than never. Is she aware that our standing in the World Health Organisation is not much to be proud of? We are very low in its league. The facts have to be taken into consideration. I welcome what the Government are now doing and I do not see anything wrong in that.
Is the Minister aware that three organisations— that is to say, MIND, the Health Visitors' Association and Age Concern—are very worried about many aspects of mental health? Is she further aware that some old people are not given the attention that they deserve? Is the Minister also aware that the Health Visitors' Association believes that it can contribute, with the other two organisations, in making recommendations to the Government to help them in their desire to create a better preventive health situation than we have at the moment?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, our Green Paper has been widely welcomed by everyone interested in health matters, including Dr. Jo Asval, the Director of WHO Europe, who has said that it is the kind of initiative he would like every country to take. That means that we are the first European country to take this initiative. Indeed, the document is out for consultation at present and all organisations are being asked to offer their views on the final document.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, is the Minister aware that on this side of the House we recognise that there are some very useful proposals in the 142 page document, but that also there are some very significant omissions? Perhaps I may ask two specific questions? First, why is it that the Green Paper does not have a single word to say about complementary medicine, which has an enormous contribution to make to the health of the nation? Secondly, why does the document not deal specifically with the health of elderly people? They form almost one-quarter of our population.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we shall not apply that statistic to your Lordships' House! The subject of complementary medicine may well come up in the course of the consultation process. The objectives of the Government in producing a Green Paper were to set achievable targets in areas where our record needs improving. That is our intention.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, will the Minister please answer the second part of the question regarding the elderly?

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords. The whole area of the needs of elderly people is contained within the targets which are set out in the Green Paper. We have not categorised a separate ghetto area for the needs of the elderly. However, we are well aware of the demographic factors and of the needs and requirements they impose on our National Health Service.

§ Baroness Denton of Wakefield
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that in this area, as in so many areas, women have an important role to play and that the recent publication by the department of a booklet on women and health—which has had to be reprinted already—has proved invaluable?

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords. The action that we have taken in terms of the call and recall system for cervical and breast screening processes plays an enormous part, too, in ensuring the better health of women.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, one of the most effective ways of dealing with this matter is through the Health Education Authority. Does not the Minister agree that the authority does splendid work but that it is now facing an additional burden with its excellent work on the AIDS problem? In those circumstances, is the Minister satisfied that the authority's resources are sufficient to deal with the points raised in my noble friend's Question and the other matters that I have mentioned?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, in relation to AIDS in particular, in the current year well over £30 million is being spent on public education and AIDS prevention. In the absence of a cure of any sort for AIDS and the HIV infection, public education remains the cornerstone of preventive action. This year, total funding for the Health Education Authority exceeds £30 million. That enables the Health Education Authority to carry out very valuable work in the seven major education programmes which it is conducting, including the HIV/AIDS programme.

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, does the Minister think that that is sufficient for the work that the authority is doing?

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords. The work of the Health Education Authority, taken together with the other valuable work being carried out by voluntary groups and others within the National Health Service, is all pointing in the right direction.

§ Viscount Caldecote
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the best way of improving preventive health care in the United Kingdom is to get the best value for money on the funds expended by the Government on the health service? That is the best way to proceed in accordance with present government policy.

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords. That is an important point. The preventive approach is certainly not a passive option; it needs each and every one of us to play a role. The Government's role is to provide clear information.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, perhaps I may ask a question arising from a reply given by the Minister concerning breast screening. Will the Minister say whether she is worried by the fact that only two out of five women are now taking advantage of breast screening? Is there something that can be done to improve that?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, all the action that we are taking to encourage women to come forward for breast screening is to fulfil the aim of encouraging more women to benefit from the service.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the efforts being made in connection with the subject of health care are of course totally admirable? However, is she aware that the efforts that are being made in this direction and the claims on the National Health Service would be lessened if the Government themselves were to tackle some of the root causes of bad health; namely, bad housing, poverty and unemployment?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, the Government's Green Paper goes wider than health issues and includes references to these important aspects.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, will the Government be taking into consideration and examining some of the many variations in the health service; namely, geographic, ethnic, social and occupational? All the 1000 voluntary organisations feel that tackling these problems would help the Government a great deal in arriving at proper preventive measures.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we shall be taking all those interests into account.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, does the Minister agree that we can have too much of a good thing, even something as good as health?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I sometimes feel very much in agreement with the noble Baroness.