HL Deb 10 July 2001 vol 626 c72WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they consider that the quality of healthcare provision in the United Kingdom should be no less favourable than the quality of such provision in other European countries such as France; and, if not, why not. [HL199]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Our ambition is to give our country the quality of healthcare provision that compares favourably with the best in Europe. A set of new policies, programmes and structures has been introduced since 1997 which have created in the National Health Service the conditions for a comprehensive approach to assuring and improving the quality of NHS care and patient safety.

This programme was developed in A First Class Service: Quality in the new NHS and expanded and strengthened in the NHS Plan, published in July 2000.