My Lords, I am pleased to support this timely amendment, which, as we have heard, would introduce a new clause to the Bill to extend prescribing rights to additional healthcare professionals. It is a consequence of the debate on Second Reading, which clearly laid out the benefits of extending prescribing rights to such allied health professionals as dieticians, orthoptists, diagnostic radiographers and speech and language therapists. I will not repeat all the advantages this would bring, because that argument has already been well made, both on Second Reading and in the speeches we have already heard this afternoon. In summary, I believe that it would help to deliver better support and more timely care for patients, reduce pressure on other health professionals, increase system efficiency and maximise the ability to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, both now and in the predicted post-pandemic surge in the pressure on services.
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As we have heard, it was welcome when, in responding to the Second Reading debate, the Minister said:
“NHS England and NHS Improvement are considering across all non-medical groups, influenced by learning from the Covid-19 pandemic, where there is a need to consider undertaking formal consultation on potential amendments to prescribing responsibilities for several professional groups.”.—[Official Report, 2/9/20; col. 432.]
This will build on the groundwork already undertaken by NHS England’s scoping exercise over the last few years, particularly since 2016.
So let us be clear: the case for extending prescribing responsibilities, where it is safe and appropriate to do so, has strengthened since 2016, because, first, the roles of allied health professionals have developed. For example, speech and language therapists’ roles have developed into respiratory care, into ear, nose and throat services, into critical care and into end-of-life care. As we heard from the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, diagnostic radiographers are increasingly performing routine interventional procedures under imaging control —for example, joint injections and biopsies.
Secondly, the volume of patients has increased considerably since 2016. For example, growing numbers of patients with type 2 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and severe obesity require the support of dieticians. And again, speech and language therapists have seen an increase in patients with head and neck cancer, including HPV.
Thirdly, as we are all well aware, there is increasing pressure on all health professionals, particularly as a result of the pandemic. The amendment would facilitate the delivery of a one-stop approach, reducing the need for multiple appointments with different healthcare professionals.
Finally, since 2016, there has been a growth in allied healthcare professionals operating advanced levels of practice. Prescribing responsibilities would help widen the scope of their practice and would support the workforce transformation laid out in the NHS Long Term Plan and the NHS People Plan. As we have already heard from the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, and the noble Lords, Lord Hunt and Lord Ramsbotham, all these benefits have been reinforced by the impact of Covid-19. Allied health professionals have learnt to work in new ways to support not only Covid cases but non-Covid patients—for example, those with cancer.
Further extending prescribing responsibilities could help those people better to support vulnerable groups of patients who need to minimise contact with healthcare professionals, I believe that the arguments for the new clause are overwhelming. Much of the work to achieve its aim has already been undertaken, so there should be no delay. A commitment to bring back a proposal and a timetable for implementation is completely reasonable, so I hope that the Minister will respond favourably to the amendment, which proposes to insert a new clause in the Bill.