Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to continue funding (1) physician associates, and (2) physician associate apprenticeships, through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme; and what plans, if any, they have to fund additional GPs through that scheme.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) provides funding for a number of additional roles, including Physician Associates, to help create bespoke, multi-disciplinary teams. The government currently intends to continue funding physician associate and physician associate apprenticeships through the scheme.
The government recently announced changes to the ARRS which allows primary care networks to recruit general practitioners (GP) through the scheme for 2024/25. This is an emergency measure for 2024/25 whilst the government works with the profession to identify a longer term solution.
The ARRS is subject to annual review as part of the consultation on the GP contract with professional and patient representatives. NHS England works closely with the Department to implement any changes identified as part of this process.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to help consumers to identify ultra-processed food, to encourage the consumption of healthy food, and to reduce the percentage of ultra-processed food in the national diet.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the King's Speech, the Government will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to ban junk food advertising to children, and will stop the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. We face an obesity crisis, and we will take action to tackle it head on, easing the strain on the National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.
There is no universally agreed definition of ultra-processed foods (UPF), although NOVA is the most widely used classification system. NOVA categorises foods by how processed they are, rather than their nutritional composition.
Published evidence has estimated that UPF intake varies by age group, ranging from 51% in adults aged over 19 years old, to 68% in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old, based on National Diet and Nutrition Survey data.
In July 2023 the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published a position statement on processed foods and health, and concluded that observed associations between UPFs and health are concerning, but it is unclear whether these foods are inherently unhealthy due to processing or due to their nutritional content. Given the SACN’s concerns, they added the topic of processed foods and health to their watching brief and will consider it at their next horizon scan meeting in October 2024.
Government dietary advice, based on recommendations from the SACN and as depicted within The Eatwell Guide, already shows that many foods that would be classified as ultra-processed are not part of a healthy, balanced diet, as they are high in calories, saturated fat, salt, or sugar. Government advice on healthy eating, including The Eatwell Guide principles, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and the Government’s social marketing campaigns such as Better Health, Healthier Families, and Start for Life.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the number of GPs seeking employment, and (2) the average length of time taken by a GP to find employment, in England; and what steps they are taking to ensure sufficient provision of GPs in England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England does not collect systematic data on the future intentions of any groups of doctors once they have completed specialty training. While many newly qualified general practitioners (GPs) will subsequently take roles in GPs, others will contribute to the National Health Service in different ways, or may choose to work elsewhere.
NHS England publishes analysis on the number of doctors who can be tracked from the GP training dataset to the data provided by GPs on their substantive workforce, and how long this takes. Further information, and the most recent data, is available on the NHS Digital website, in an online only format. Under the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, the number of GPs appointed to Specialty Training will rise to 6,000 per annum by 2031/2032.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the take-up of commercial health tests on NHS costs; what oversight is given to the efficacy and reliability of such tests; and whether they plan to introduce further regulation of such tests.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has not assessed the impact of private tests on costs to the National Health Service and has no plans to change the way they are regulated; however, people are free to choose private health check providers outside of the NHS. We recommend that individuals understand whether the tests are likely to be informative and are clear what will happen if the test shows an abnormal result.
If a product such as a commercial screening test is classified as a medical device, it must hold a UK Conformity Assessed or CE certificate before being placed on the United Kingdom market. This certificate shows that the device meets the requirements of the relevant regulations.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the NHS of cosmetic medical procedures conducted overseas and any subsequent complications; and what plans they have, if any, to limit or control the advertising of such procedures.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not have data on the overall costs to the National Health Service of treating complications from cosmetic and medical procedures conducted overseas. With regards to the advertising of cosmetic procedures conducted overseas, the Department continues to work closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), with the ASA taking enforcement activity against any company which contravenes United Kingdom advertising standards.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the number of GPs currently seeking, yet unable to obtain, employment.
Answered by Lord Markham
There is no centrally held data on the number of general practice vacancies.
The Government remains committed to growing the number of doctors working in general practice. NHS England has made available a number of recruitment schemes, including the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme and the Return to Practice Programme.
The headcount of doctors working in general practice in March 2024 was 4,282 more, including 2,709 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors, than in March 2019.
The latest available data, as of March 2024, shows that the headcount of doctors in general practice in England was 47,173, including 37,235 FTE doctors, of whom 37,399 (27,574 FTE) were fully qualified general practioners.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of GPs now seeking and unable to obtain employment.
Answered by Lord Markham
There is no centrally held data on the number of general practice vacancies.
The Government remains committed to growing the number of doctors working in general practice. NHS England has made available a number of recruitment schemes, including the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme and the Return to Practice Programme.
The headcount of doctors working in general practice in March 2024 was 4,282 more, including 2,709 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors, than in March 2019.
The latest available data, as of March 2024, shows that the headcount of doctors in general practice in England was 47,173, including 37,235 FTE doctors, of whom 37,399 (27,574 FTE) were fully qualified general practioners.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government which profession has primary responsibility for providing initial point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, and whether physician associates are the appropriate profession for this work.
Answered by Lord Markham
While general practice (GP) remains at the heart of primary care, a wide range of clinicians are well suited to supporting patients in GP, as part of multi-disciplinary teams. This includes Physician Associates (PAs), who work alongside GPs and the wider practice teams, to provide care. PAs are not substitutes for GPs or doctors in training, rather they are specifically trained to work collaboratively with doctors and others. PAs work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence. NHS England has provided recent guidance on the use of PAs in GP teams.
As set out in the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service, where their named GP supervisor is satisfied that adequate supervision, supporting governance and systems are in place, PAs can provide first point of contact care for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems. Underpinning this is the supervising GP’s confidence in the PA’s competence, based on the knowledge and skills gained through their training and development.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their Social Care regulatory reform programme and what new protected professional medical titles they are considering introducing.
Answered by Lord Markham
There are no plans to publish a social care regulatory reform programme. However, the Government has consulted on its proposed approach to modernising the legislation of the professional health and care regulators. As part of this work, we will consider whether to make any changes to the medical titles protected in law. Any proposals will be subject to statutory consultation, and the affirmative parliamentary process.
The Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order 2024 was made on 13 March 2024, and will bring Aanaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates into regulation by the General Medical Council (GMC), under a reformed regulatory framework. We are currently working on the next phase of reform, which includes introducing a new regulatory framework for medical practitioners. The future GMC order relating to the medical profession will be drafted and published for consultation in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many NHS boards have included sustainability in their assurance framework.
Answered by Lord Markham
It is the legal duty for integrated care boards (ICBs) and their partner National Health Service foundation trusts under section 14Z44 of the NHS Act 2006 to consider sustainability when exercising their functions. ICBs and their partner NHS foundation trusts must consider section 1 of the Climate Change Act 2008, concerning United Kingdom net zero emission targets, and section 5 of the Environment Act 2021, concerning environmental targets. ICBs and their NHS foundation trusts must also adapt to any current or predicted impact of climate change identified in the most recent report under section 56 of the Climate Change Act 2008.
NHS England does not collect data on how many ICBs have included sustainability in their assurance framework.