Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the rationale for the rule that normally only third parties can pay top-up fees for care and not the individuals using the care homes themselves where they are financially able.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Anyone who has assets above the upper capital limit of £23,250 is a self-funder and is expected to meet the full cost of their care. Top-up fees are generally used when someone has assets below £23,250 and falls within the means test.
Payment of top-up fees must be sustainable. Limiting the circumstances in which a first party top-up is allowed ensures those with lower wealth are protected from the negative consequences of no longer being able to afford the top-up, such as having to move to an alternative care home.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of shortages of tubular steel, what arrangements they plan to put in place to ensure that the NHS has enough supplies of rehabilitation equipment including (1) walking frames, (2) four-wheeled walkers, and (3) rollators.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Walking frames, four-wheeled walkers and rollators are largely made of tubular aluminium for lightweight purposes and therefore no impact of the reported steel shortages is expected.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of the NHS neurological workforce to meet the care needs of those living with neurological conditions.
Answered by Lord Bethell
No assessment has been made. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The UK signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in 2012, signalling its strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), and this Government remains committed to ratifying it.
The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017 requires Ministers to publish annual reports on their progress towards being able to ratify the Convention. The most recent report was published on 22 October 2020 and can be found here: Ratification of the Council of Europe convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence - progress report 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next stage of the NHS People Plan will be published.
Answered by Lord Bethell
In 2021-22 our focus is on supporting the immediate recovery of National Health Service staff and services. We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and systems and employers to determine our future workforce and people priorities. This will feed into the development of a longer term strategy, overseen by the National People Board.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the £500 million for mental health services announced in the Spending Review 2020, published on 25 November 2020, to provide mental health services to those with Parkinson's.
Answered by Lord Bethell
On 5 March, we announced £79 million of the funding from the Spending Review that will be used to significantly expand children’s mental health services.
Further details about how the remainder of the funding will be allocated will be given in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the £500 million for mental health services announced in the Spending Review 2020, published on 25 November 2020, will be allocated.
Answered by Lord Bethell
On 5 March, we announced £79 million of the funding from the Spending Review that will be used to significantly expand children’s mental health services.
Further details about how the remainder of the funding will be allocated will be given in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many services have been commissioned through Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for People with Long-term Physical Health Conditions for people with (1) Parkinson's, and (2) neurological conditions.
Answered by Lord Bethell
No Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for Long Term Condition services have been commissioned specifically for people with Parkinson’s or neurological conditions.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the outcome of the pilot for family members to be tested regularly to enable safer care home visits in Cornwall, Hampshire and Devon, carried out in November.
Answered by Lord Bethell
A full pilot evaluation report will be published shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to appoint a commissioner for older people in England.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Opposition Whip (Lords)
There are no plans to appoint a Commissioner for older people in England.