Department of Health and Social Care

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The latest general and acute bed data available is for Quarter 1 2021/22. This shows the average daily number of general and acute beds open overnight was 96,998 with an average occupancy rate of 85.4%.

All hospital buildings with an internal usable space over 250 metres square are required to have a Display Energy Certificate that identifies the energy intensity of the building. This is accompanied by a recommendation report updated every seven years which outlines how the energy efficiency of the building can be improved.

The National Health Service collects annual energy usage data for its sites through ERIC Estates Returns Information Collection. This data is fed into an internal system which allows organisations to compare their performance. The NHS is working to release additional tools which will help with the evaluation of buildings and improvements to reach net zero carbon. These will be announced in due course.

General practitioner (GP) practices offer National Health Service ear wax syringing services if they consider it clinically necessary or the patient will be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place in the local area. The NHS would not charge eligible patients who need this treatment. GP practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax. Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of their local population and should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

We plan to explore how third-party integrations can be facilitated to support COVID-19 status in other apps in the future, including secure identity management credentials which adheres to the emerging international standards.

In England, the NHS COVID Pass is currently available via the NHS App, NHS.UK and via letter.

We are taking a phased approach to restarting international travel from ‘amber’ countries and extending quarantine free entry to Australia and other countries as outlined in the Global Travel Taskforce report published in April.

We continue to work closely with medical and public health experts and with international partners ahead of following the next Global Travel Taskforce Review in October.

The Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry Breast Cancer Screening Service is working to screen all women who have missed an appointment by 31 March 2022, with NHS England and NHS Improvement monitoring progress.

The service has been able to gradually increase its capacity through the offer of open invitations rather than fixed time appointments and increasing the levels of permanent, third party and trainee staff, allowing the service to offer screening at additional times.

The notional costing from 12 August based on the charge of £2,285 is comprised of: room and board £1,217; security £651; testing £96; liaison £69; airport costs £92; welfare costs £51; transport £38; administration £49; and ‘other’ and contingency £22.

Public Health England (PHE) is analysing the data on uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV among different population groups, including women and black African communities. The GUMCAD STI Surveillance System collects data on PrEP eligibility, offer and use and prescriptions. GUMCAD data are submitted to PHE on a quarterly basis, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gumcad-clinical-guidelines

PHE is currently reviewing and analysing data reported for January to March 2021.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is now routinely available in the specialist sexual and reproductive health services throughout the country. The settings in which PrEP might be made available outside of sexual health services is being considered as part of the development of the new Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and the HIV Action Plan, which we plan to publish later this year.

NHS England and NHS Improvement engages regularly with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) through the NHS Confederation. NHS Confederation carried out an engagement exercise with clinical and care professionals in March 2021 which NHS England participated in and considered their feedback in the development of guidance of the role of primary care in integrated systems.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 September 2021 to Question 41820.

No estimate has been made and information on the number of severe asthma patients are receiving biologic therapies is not available in the format requested.

Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, taking into account the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisals and guidance on management of asthma and the local commissioning decisions. Prescribing of biologics for severe asthma is co-ordinated through severe asthma centre multi-disciplinary teams to ensure current treatments are optimised and all appropriate treatments are considered with use of biologics as part of the treatment review for each patient.

No estimate has been made and information on the number of severe asthma patients are receiving biologic therapies is not available in the format requested.

Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, taking into account the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisals and guidance on management of asthma and the local commissioning decisions. Prescribing of biologics for severe asthma is co-ordinated through severe asthma centre multi-disciplinary teams to ensure current treatments are optimised and all appropriate treatments are considered with use of biologics as part of the treatment review for each patient.

No estimate has been made and information on the number of severe asthma patients are receiving biologic therapies is not available in the format requested.

Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, taking into account the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisals and guidance on management of asthma and the local commissioning decisions. Prescribing of biologics for severe asthma is co-ordinated through severe asthma centre multi-disciplinary teams to ensure current treatments are optimised and all appropriate treatments are considered with use of biologics as part of the treatment review for each patient.

While no formal comparative assessment has been made, surgery performance is monitored regularly.

Through the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund, we are supporting the National Health Service to increase activity to pre-pandemic levels. We have also provided additional funding to deliver approximately 30% more elective activity by 2024-25, compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Since 30 June 2021, the Department has sent out 228 application forms and associated documents to families, or their representatives, who may have no recourse to public funds based on the initial information shared. There are currently no families with no recourse to public funds in receipt of Healthy Start benefits.

COVID-19 is a new disease and therefore it is not yet clear what the physical, neurological, psychological and rehabilitation needs will be for those experiencing the long-term effects of the virus.

The Government has invested £50 million in research to help build our understanding of ‘long’ COVID-19. One of the funded studies, Stimulate-ICP, will assess the use of magnetic resonance imaging scans to help diagnose potential organ damage in those recovering from COVID-19.

Data on prostate cancer is not available as a separate data set. It is published monthly as a subset of data on urological malignancies, which includes a number of different possible cancers.

The Department continues to work with the National Health Service to improve services. There are now 11 urology or prostate rapid diagnostic centre pathways either under development or operational to help recover these services.

Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry Breast Screening service has received funding from NHS England and NHS Improvement to increase its mammography, radiography and radiology staffing capacity. Further to this locally targeted action, regional partners including Health Education England and NHS England and NHS Improvement have undertaken a workforce review of breast screening to tackle current shortages of trained staff. This will support all breast screening services, including the Warwickshire Solihull and Coventry service to have sufficient and sustainable staffing into the future.

Covishield is a two-dose vaccine and therefore we require people to have received both doses and completed the course before they are able to travel to the United Kingdom from an ‘amber list’ country without the need to quarantine.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Guidance has been issued to the National Health Service on 10 August recommending actions for medical directors, nursing directors, general practitioners and pathology laboratories to optimise resources for pathology laboratory work. Further guidance was issued on 26 August advising of anticipated short-term shortages on certain product types and how to safely reduce demand of all tubes in order that clinically urgent testing can continue.

The Emergency Care Data Set categorises the incident leading to injury, including the status and type of activity being undertaken as well as the cause of the injury. While a connection between the injury and ladder accidents can be established through these categories, there is no specific entry for ladders as a cause of injury.

The Department has commissioned research on living well with dementia from the National Institute for Health Research, which includes the methods and effectiveness of music therapy. NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance for social prescribing link workers to expand music prescriptions, which is available at the following link:

https://musicfordementia.org.uk/advice-resources/toolkits-resources/toolkits-resources-for-social-workers-and-link-workers/

We will be setting out our strategy on dementia for England for future years in due course.

The Department has commissioned research on living well with dementia from the National Institute for Health Research, which includes the methods and effectiveness of music therapy. NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance for social prescribing link workers to expand music prescriptions, which is available at the following link:

https://musicfordementia.org.uk/advice-resources/toolkits-resources/toolkits-resources-for-social-workers-and-link-workers/

We will be setting out our strategy on dementia for England for future years in due course.

The Department has commissioned research on living well with dementia from the National Institute for Health Research, which includes the methods and effectiveness of music therapy. NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance for social prescribing link workers to expand music prescriptions, which is available at the following link:

https://musicfordementia.org.uk/advice-resources/toolkits-resources/toolkits-resources-for-social-workers-and-link-workers/

We will be setting out our strategy on dementia for England for future years in due course.

The Department has commissioned research on living well with dementia from the National Institute for Health Research, which includes the methods and effectiveness of music therapy. NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance for social prescribing link workers to expand music prescriptions, which is available at the following link:

https://musicfordementia.org.uk/advice-resources/toolkits-resources/toolkits-resources-for-social-workers-and-link-workers/

We will be setting out our strategy on dementia for England for future years in due course.

Ministers have regular discussions with their counterparts in the Department for Work and Pensions on a range of issues.

The Government intends to expire section 52 and Schedule 22 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 as it pertains to England.

We will invest at least £500 million in new measures over three years to provide support in professionalising and developing the workforce, including hundreds of thousands of training places, certifications for our care workers and professional development for the regulated workforce.

We have no current plans to do so.

No formal assessment has been made. We continue to engage with NHS England and NHS Improvement to build capacity and to reduce the backlog, with a further £1 billion announced to tackle waiting lists.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have not yet confirmed the date for commissioning the nine centres. Where services currently have insufficient clinical expertise to prepare for the commencement of those services, local cardiac networks will consider establishing a preceptorship programme with an established centre

There is currently no timeline for the commencement of formal provider selection. Each NHS England and NHS Improvement regional team has been asked to take responsibility for selecting a formal provider, supported by national clinical advisors. The selection process is expected to take at least three months, with each region working to their own prioritised timetable, taking into account local circumstances.

A proposal has been submitted to NHS England and NHS Improvement in relation to functional mitral regurgitation and is receiving consideration. It is anticipated that such a policy review could take at least 12 months for completion, taking into account clinical evidence and engagement with appropriate stakeholders

NHS England and NHS Improvement have not yet confirmed the date for commissioning the nine centres. Where services currently have insufficient clinical expertise to prepare for the commencement of those services, local cardiac networks will consider establishing a preceptorship programme with an established centre

There is currently no timeline for the commencement of formal provider selection. Each NHS England and NHS Improvement regional team has been asked to take responsibility for selecting a formal provider, supported by national clinical advisors. The selection process is expected to take at least three months, with each region working to their own prioritised timetable, taking into account local circumstances.

A proposal has been submitted to NHS England and NHS Improvement in relation to functional mitral regurgitation and is receiving consideration. It is anticipated that such a policy review could take at least 12 months for completion, taking into account clinical evidence and engagement with appropriate stakeholders

Many of the measures we have implemented to tackle COVID-19 will also be effective against flu, such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, social distancing, environmental cleaning and use of personal protective equipment.

Public Health England’s local health protection teams investigate notifications of suspected influenza/respiratory virus outbreaks in care homes and alongside making recommendations on infection prevention and control measures, can recommend that local services consider prescribing antivirals to prevent and treat flu where needed.

The cap on care costs and increase in the capital limits will benefit all those who access adult social care, as the reform changes will be universal. We will be publishing an equalities impact assessment in due course.