THE Parliamentary Health Select Committee has started its investigation into the functions of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
This is proving interesting as already we are hearing about the difficulties faced by NICE in maintaining its independence and in establishing agreed authoritative guidance on the use of new treatments or drugs.

There was a debate in the House on the crisis of funding of care homes and although the Government admitted the crisis in the NHS as a whole, ministers do not accept that care homes are closing because of the costs of implementing new standards on top of inadequate funding.
Despite new money the crisis still exists. It was amazing that with two exceptions it was left to opposition MPs to point out difficulties facing care homeowners. Backbench Labour MPs extolled the success of services in their own constituencies. I would like to visit Stockton-on-Tees to see how they manage so well.

The group of MPs with constituencies along the River Severn met and decided to investigate particularly the problems with insurance for property owners in areas liable to flooding, and the present cost benefit method of prioritising flood defences. The possibility of a countrywide all-party group of MPs is being explored as this would support the work of the Bewdley-based National Flood Forum.

At home there was a useful and well-attended Care Homes Conference at Great Witley.
Problems known to myself and Julie Kirkbride MP were discussed in the morning and I have yet to hear how Jacqui Smith MP, Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly fared with this group during the afternoon.

On Monday, I visited the A&E Department and the Medical Assessment Unit at Ronkswood and was amazed to find these units peaceful and quiet.
I explained to the chief executive that with a new chairman who I am due to meet very soon, I hope for a fruitful relationship and that working with Primary Care Trusts and the Acute Trust, we can convince them that improving services at Kidderminster is for the benefit of the whole county as it will take the pressure off the other hospitals.

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