§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath of 10 July (WA 72), what is their estimate of the period of time that will be required to achieve their ambition "to give our country the quality of healthcare provision that compares favourably with the best in Europe". [HL367]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe NHS Plan sets out a major programme of change, which will give us a National Health Service among the best in Europe. Change on the scale the NHS Plan outlines cannot happen overnight, which is why we have set a 10-year programme of reform. Implementation is progressing well. Increasingly, NHS systems and practices are being refocused on improving quality, and services to patients are improving.