Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

I made the Government think a little about the difficulties and that’s okay. I thank the Minister for her reply, because she has been thinking about it. The big specialist hospitals—which are really regional—are one issue, and I think that that is a separate issue. It is not clear that they should be tied into the local area agreement at all. It does not seem relevant that Great Ormond Street is located within a particular London borough because it ought to be part of a wider system. It has just occurred to me that, next time the ambulance comes to take me away, neither of the hospitals from which I can choose—if it happens, I hope that I am sufficiently able to make that choice—is in Lancashire. Therefore, neither of them will be part of the local area agreement that will involve the two local authorities of Lancashire county council and Pendle borough council in which I reside. The system will be difficult, to put it mildly, because without the co-operation of those two hospitals any health targets, or health-related targets, in the part of Lancashire in which I live will be absolutely meaningless. There are problems. This matter ought to be thought out. It may just require more flexibility on the ground, which I have argued for throughout, and a more local approach. Having made those remarks and listened to the Minister’s interesting comments, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 205 to 207A not moved.]