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Author Archives: Norman Lamb MP

Norman Lamb MP writes…Have your say on dementia care

By Norman Lamb MP | Thu 12th December 2013 - 12:36 pm

Back in 2008, when I was Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, I spoke out about poor diagnosis rates for dementia sufferers, saying that “the NHS must do more to ensure people are encouraged to seek early help and that they have access to care from their GP, specialist assessment and accurate diagnosis.” Dementia diagnosis rates across the country vary significantly – and although they are improving, they are still not good enough. And, while there is some excellent dementia care – there has also been much that is inadequate.

I could never have imagined then that – 5 years on – …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged dementia | 3 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…My view on cigarette standardised packaging

By Norman Lamb MP | Fri 29th November 2013 - 1:45 pm

Yesterday the Government announced that it is launching an independent review of the public health evidence on standardised packaging for cigarettes.

As a Liberal I will always defend an individual’s right to smoke when they can do so without this having an impact on those around them, but I have made clear in the past my personal view that we should introduce standardised packaging.

This is a product, after all, which kills something in the region of 100,000 people a year. Is it really that unreasonable to argue that, given this death-rate, we should be able to restrict, in all ways, the …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged cigarette packaging and health | 35 Comments

Norman Lamb writes… How Liberal Democrats are promoting safety and openness in the NHS

By Norman Lamb MP | Sat 23rd November 2013 - 8:45 am

As a Liberal Democrat, my priority for the NHS is simple. I want patients to have the best possible care. When people are ill and vulnerable, they deserve safe and compassionate care provided by doctors and nurses with the best possible training and medical expertise. And people need to know that, when mistakes are made, doctors will be open with them – and that lessons will be learnt.

What happened at Mid Staffs Hospital was a shocking scandal. The stories of neglect sent shock waves across the country. This Government …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, Francis report, health, mid-staffs, NHS and robert francis qc | 4 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…Another step forwards in achieving parity for mental health

By Norman Lamb MP | Wed 13th November 2013 - 4:40 pm

It’s a bit of a cliché to say that mental health is the Cinderella service of the NHS but it’s essentially true. There is a real institutional bias against mental health. It loses out financially when budgets are tight for local commissioners and significant advances on choice and access for patients introduced by the Labour Government left out mental health.

In the time I have available to me as Care Minister, I am determined to do everything I can to combat this and the update of the Government’s Mandate – which sets out the Government’s priorities from the NHS – published yesterday, …

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Posted in News | Tagged featured, mental health and NHS mandate | 6 Comments

Norman Lamb writes: A huge leap forwards in delivering personal health budgets

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 15th October 2013 - 4:04 pm

At the heart of the Liberal vision of a fairer society is the belief that people should be in control of their lives – the belief that the state does not always know best. For decades in the NHS and the social care sector, we have had a situation where the government will spend tens of thousands of pounds a year providing care for an individual, but giving that individual little or no control over the design and commissioning of their package of care. We need to achieve a …

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Posted in News | Tagged NHS and personal health budget | 5 Comments

World Mental Health Day #timetochange

By Norman Lamb MP | Thu 10th October 2013 - 2:18 pm

Those of you who have read previous contributions from me to Lib Dem Voice will know that at the very top of my list of priorities as a health minister is to transform the care and support for people with mental health problems. Every year, the Mental Health Foundation – one of Britain’s leading mental health research and policy charities – holds World Mental Health day, to raise awareness of different mental health conditions. Mental health has always struggled to attract the same attention as physical health …

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Posted in News | Tagged mental health and time to change | 4 Comments

Norman Lamb: Support for Volunteer Groups across our Health and Care System

By Norman Lamb MP | Sun 1st September 2013 - 9:03 am

Charities and not-for-profit organisations offer an extraordinary range of care services across the UK. They offer millions of people access to high-quality treatment, advice and support. Brilliant innovation in care often happens in this sector. It is critical that the NHS works hand in hand with third sector organisations to make full use of the important work that they carry out in enabling people to live healthier, more independent lives.

Last week I announced the latest round of funding for the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development (IESD) Fund, which is designed to support voluntary groups in promoting health and wellbeing in local communities.

The …

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Posted in News | Tagged public health and voluntary sector | 3 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…The Better Care promise – driving up standards of care across our NHS

By Norman Lamb MP | Fri 19th July 2013 - 11:59 am

It is clear that no single institution has done more to improve people’s lives than the NHS, and its generosity and expertise is something of which we are rightly proud. Yet events which have come to light, such as the abuse of people with learning disabilities at Winterbourne View or the grave neglect of patients at Stafford Hospital, have highlighted serious problems within our health service.

This week in particular we have seen the publication of two key independent reviews on NHS care, both of which highlight areas in need of urgent improvement. The outcome of the review by Baroness Neuberger …

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Posted in News | Tagged care standards, NHS and norman lamb | 9 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…Tackling Mental Health stigma and discrimination: the NHS 65 years on

By Norman Lamb MP | Fri 5th July 2013 - 2:29 pm

65 years ago today, the foundations of our modern National Health Service were laid based on the recommendations of a Liberal, William Beveridge. The founding principle that our NHS should always be free at the point of use endures today. The NHS now treats around a million people every 36 hours, with 300 million GP appointments each year. It is a national institution of which we are rightly proud.

However, the National Health Service is far from perfect. Significant changes are needed to cope with the challenges faced by the fact that people are living longer, and are living with an …

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Posted in News | Tagged mental health, NHS and norman lamb | 9 Comments

National carers week 2013

By Norman Lamb MP | Mon 10th June 2013 - 8:57 pm

At some point in our lives, almost all of us will find ourselves caring for a relative or close friend. Many of us will one day be reliant on some form of care ourselves. We owe our carers an immense debt of gratitude. In this week’s National Carers Week, individuals and organisations are joining together to highlight the invaluable work carried out by UK carers and to raise the profile of the nature and challenges of the role.

For too long, the care system in the UK has been designed around the needs of large organisations rather than around …

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Posted in News | Tagged carers | Leave a comment

Norman Lamb MP writes… Integrating Care – Joined up thinking in the NHS

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 14th May 2013 - 10:20 am

Many of you will have seen last week the headlines following comments by David Prior, the Chairman of the CQC, about the unsustainable pressure on Accident and Emergency wards in the UK. The truth is that patients are getting excellent care in A&E departments up and down the country. The NHS is coping well with the increase in demand. But there is no denying that there has been a big increase in demand on our emergency services. There is no easy fix to this situation, especially at a time when the NHS needs to make limited resources go further. But …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged david prior, integrated care and NHS | 7 Comments

Norman Lamb writes … Culture change – the foundations

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 26th March 2013 - 6:12 pm

How do you change the culture of an organisation – particularly one as large as the NHS? That was one of the key questions posed by the Francis Inquiry into the appalling failings at Mid Staffordshire Hospital. Today we set out part of the answer.

The overriding message of the Francis report was the need for a culture change across the NHS to make sure that patients always come first. That change will take time, leadership, and engagement from staff. But the measures announced today set the tone, and signal what I hope will be the start of a transformation. They …

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Posted in News | Tagged Francis report, Mid Staffordshire Hospital and NHS | 8 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…The government will act in response to the Francis Report

By Norman Lamb MP | Thu 7th February 2013 - 10:34 am

Over the course of four years at Mid Staffordshire hospital, hundreds of patients suffered from appalling neglect and mistreatment. Relatives that voiced concerns were ignored; staff that tried to speak up were silenced. It was a shocking betrayal of trust of patients and their families.

Yesterday Robert Francis QC published his report into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The public inquiry lasted more than two years, heard over 250 witness statements, considered over one million pages of documentary evidence, and has produced a report nearly two thousand pages long. It makes 290 separate recommendations.

The story of Mid Staffs, the report …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged robert francis qc | 5 Comments

Norman Lamb writes: Tackling gun and knife crime – hospitals and police working together

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 5th February 2013 - 2:10 pm

Trying to make different departments work effectively with each other is a challenge that all Governments face, and this one is no different. It could be all too easy for objectives that fall between two departments to end up falling through the cracks.

That is why I am pleased to report on the efforts we are taking in the Department of Health to roll out the ‘Cardiff model’. This is a very simple measure that can have a dramatic impact on knife crime in an area.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto included …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged gun crime, knife crime and NHS | Leave a comment

Norman Lamb: another step forward on parity of esteem for mental health

By Norman Lamb MP | Fri 14th December 2012 - 4:21 pm

From April 2014, for the first time, people who need mental health services will be able to choose where they receive their care.

In 2008, the Labour government gave patients the legal right to choose who provides their care when referred by a GP. Scandalously, however, that right was specifically denied to mental health service users – a clear, institutionalised bias against mental health services and service users who had to take what they are given, whether they like it or not.

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Posted in News and Parliament | Tagged mental health and norman lamb | 2 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…Preventing another Winterbourne View

By Norman Lamb MP | Wed 12th December 2012 - 11:51 am

The first time I wrote on these pages as a health minister was when eleven former members of staff at Winterbourne View private hospital were sentenced. The judicial process ran its course and the Government process, too, has now reached a conclusion. On Monday I published our response to the shocking abuse that took place at Winterbourne View and the systemic weaknesses that allowed it to happen. Most importantly, I have set out what we are doing in Government to prevent it happening again.

Holding directors to account

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged care ervices, health and winterbourne view | 1 Comment

Norman Lamb writes: A landmark for the NHS – and a line in the sand for mental health

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 13th November 2012 - 5:55 pm

The first mandate between the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board was published today, setting out the priorities for the health service over the next two years. It reaffirms our commitment to a comprehensive and universal NHS, available to all based on need rather than on your ability to pay. Its overriding aim is to make the NHS work better for patients.

The Mandate was drawn up following widespread consultation over the summer. Key goals contained within it include:

Improving standards of care, especially for the elderly
Better diagnosis,

…

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Posted in News | Tagged ed miliband, mental health and nhs commissioning board | 5 Comments

Norman Lamb writes: The Liverpool Care Pathway and end of life care

By Norman Lamb MP | Tue 6th November 2012 - 1:06 pm

I imagine many people had not heard of the Liverpool Care Pathway before it hit the headlines a couple of weeks ago with allegations of patients denied drugs, liquid and sustenance and families experiencing real distress. Set up in the late 1990s, its intention was to help spread elements of the hospice model of care into other settings: hospitals, care homes and people’s own homes. We all want to know that our loved ones – no matter where they are – will receive dignified and appropriate care in the last hours and days of their life.

Used properly, the Pathway ensures that individuals receive whatever treatments are right for them in their final days. The Liverpool Care Pathway itself is very clear that patients should be involved in decisions about their care if possible, and that carers and families should always be included in the decision-making process.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged care, end of life, health and liverpool care pathway | 7 Comments

Norman Lamb writes: Time to change

By Norman Lamb MP | Wed 17th October 2012 - 12:54 pm

Over the next few weeks’ telly-watching you may see adverts encouraging people to talk about mental health. For those of you that can’t wait, you can watch them online here. These adverts are part of the Time to Change campaign, England’s biggest ever attempt to end the stigma and discrimination that faces people with mental health problems. This is a brilliant campaign. I remember speaking at its launch back in 2008. In the time since then, it has made a real difference.

It can be extraordinarily tough to talk about mental health problems, and this only adds to the hardship caused by the illness itself. I welcome the fact that more and

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged mental health and time to change campaign | 6 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes: One suicide is one too many

By Norman Lamb MP | Wed 12th September 2012 - 12:47 pm

On average, someone commits suicide in England every two hours. That’s over 4,200 suicides a year. That figure may shock you. But what is just as shocking is that a lesbian, gay or bisexual person is twice as likely as a heterosexual person to self harm

I was drawing this awful statistic to people’s attention because Monday was World Suicide Prevention Day. It was also the occasion for me to the launch the Government’s new Suicide Prevention Strategy – the first for ten years. It is based on evidence of what works. Credit is due to Paul Burstow who …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged mental health, samaritans, suicide and world suicide prevention day | 26 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes… Liberal reform in employment law

By Norman Lamb MP | Mon 23rd July 2012 - 11:53 am

On the last day before Parliament’s summer recess, while many MPs were packing their bags for home, I was handling the last of seventeen committee sessions for the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (ERR) Bill.

Along with important measures establishing the Green Investment Bank and creating a powerful new competition authority, the Bill contains a whole range of provisions designed to improve regulation, increase

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged green investment bank | 5 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes…Employee ownership: moving from niche to mainstream

By Norman Lamb MP | Mon 9th July 2012 - 9:53 am

I’ve written about employee ownership on these pages before – but today am doing so from a very different position. As the Coalition’s minister for employment relations, employee ownership is part of my remit. I’ve gone from being an enthusiastic advocate of greater employee ownership, to being the Liberal Democrat minister responsible for delivering it.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged employee ownership | 3 Comments

Norman Lamb MP writes… Fairness: from the farm to the shopping trolley

By Norman Lamb MP | Mon 14th May 2012 - 5:05 pm

The Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday. This is an issue which the Liberal Democrats in general, and Andrew George in particular, have campaigned on for many years. I can remember meeting with farmers shortly after I was first elected back in 2001, and hearing from them the difficulties they faced as suppliers for the biggest supermarkets. A commitment to introduce “a powerful independent regulator of Britain’s food market” featured in our last manifesto (in fact, …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged farming and Supermarkets | 4 Comments

Norman Lamb writes… Putting two national treasures back on their feet

By Norman Lamb MP | Sun 6th May 2012 - 2:25 pm

Royal Mail and the Post Office are two of our most recognisable and most trusted brands. For hundreds of years the post office has been at the heart of our communities – with a value that goes beyond mere economics to the social and the symbolic. Royal Mail, meanwhile, is a service that covers every part of the country and reaches every part of society. The public, quite rightly, is fiercely protective of both institutions.

Sadly previous governments left them both in a mess. Labour opened up the postal market, thereby exposing Royal Mail to the full force of competition. Ludicrously, …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged post office and royal mail | 9 Comments

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