Aug. 13 2024
Source Page: Changes to rules - the Care Quality Commission (easy read)Aug. 13 2024
Source Page: Changes to rules - the Care Quality Commission (easy read)Aug. 13 2024
Source Page: Health and Social Care Secretary Responds to CQC ReviewAsked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to accelerate the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan targets to recruit more NHS staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Domestic training places have not kept pace with increases in demand for workforce and bringing in the staff we need will take time. We have committed to delivering the Long Term Workforce Plan to ensure that the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We also recognise the importance of having a robust and well-supported healthcare workforce, and will ensure that the NHS can attract and retain the necessary staff across all roles.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve child and adolescent mental health services in (a) Surrey Heath constituency and (b) Surrey.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is unacceptable that many children and young people are not receiving mental health care and support when they need it, and we know that waiting times for mental health services are far too long. The Government is determined to change that.
At a national level, the Government will recruit 8,500 additional staff across children and adult mental health services, and will introduce a specialist mental health professional in every school. The Government will roll out open access Young Futures hubs for children and young people in every community, including in Surrey Heath constituency and Surrey.
Responsibility for onward commissioning of mental health services sits with integrated care boards (ICB). It is the role of local ICB decision-makers to consider the implications of mental health services, specific to each geography and including from the perspectives of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and local authorities.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the immigration health surcharge.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has not announced any plans to review the policy.
Aug. 09 2024
Source Page: Letter dated 06/08/2024 from Baroness Merron to the Editor of Hansard and Lords regarding clarification to remarks about the cyber-attack against Synnovis, made during the Oral Question on NHS Blood and Transplant Service: Blood Stocks. 1p.Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they will elicit views on the NHS Constitution consultation from people whose first language is not English, especially those who are high users of NHS services.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A review of the NHS Constitution was announced in October 2023. The standard consultation closed in June 2024, with the easy-read consultation on the NHS Constitution closing in July 2024. The Department acknowledges the limits of both publishing a consultation in online-only formats and solely in English.
The Department published an easy-read version, with the simplified language making the information more accessible for a broader audience, supporting those whose first language is not English to access and respond to the consultation.
The Department is committed to engagement with the public in the future and continuously improving our approach for future consultations and strategies. If any further review of the NHS Constitution takes place, ensuring communication through an accessible format for people, including those for whom English may not be their first language, will be considered.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what specific plans they have to introduce legislation on the prescription of puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria issues, and whether they plan to address the issue of such drugs being brought into England from Northern Ireland using prescriptions by private providers, and from other jurisdictions.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is inclined to renew the emergency banning order on puberty blockers with a view to converting it to a permanent ban, subject to appropriate consultation.
Human medicines and healthcare are transferred matters in respect of Northern Ireland. We are engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive, including on whether the ban should apply across the United Kingdom. We are committed to providing young people with holistic care, in line with the recommendations of the Cass Review.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with NHS England to help improve testing facilities for suspected liver disease in (a) rural and (b) deprived areas.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Early detection of liver disease, including in rural and deprived areas, is vital to enable interventions and encourage behavioural change that can potentially lead to recovery. Liver disease is also one of the primary risk factors for liver cancer.
NHS England is ensuring that National Health Service laboratories across the country receive the upgrades to laboratory digital capabilities required to offer Intelligent Liver Function Tests, which are effective at quickly identifying patients at high risk of liver disease and cirrhosis. We will work with the NHS to further support investment into pathology laboratories and the development of national early diagnosis pathways.
The Community Liver Health Check programme is delivering Fibroscans and lifestyle advice in the community, from mobile units across many local areas, to identify people at high risk of liver cancer, targeting drug and alcohol service users, homeless people, and people with type 2 diabetes, among others. As of the end of June 2024, the programme has delivered over 61,000 Fibroscans and referred over 4,500 people into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.
The primary care case finding programme, which uses primary care records to identify patients at high risk of cirrhosis and offer them blood tests and Fibroscans, began in 12 primary care networks in January 2024. As of the end of June 2024, the pilot had tested over 8,900 patients, and referred 142 into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.
People from deprived backgrounds are more at risk of liver disease and liver cancer, and these programmes specifically target those with the highest risk, to identify the most in need patients first.