Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government which organisations the Department of Health and Social Care consulted on the Mental Health Bill and their wider mental health policy.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Mental Health Bill reflects the recommendations of Professor Sir Simon Wessely’s Independent Review into the Mental Health Act of 2018, which engaged widely with a number of organisations. The review’s advisory panel brought together a range of stakeholders to serve as a forum for gathering evidence and insight throughout the course of the review. The membership of the advisory panel comprised of individuals with lived experience, advocacy organisations, professionals and representative bodies, and representatives from the statutory system.
Following this, the Government ran an extensive public consultation on the proposals in the Mental Health Act White Paper, which received more than 1,700 responses. A draft bill was then published in 2022 for pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS), during which a range of stakeholders and organisations representing service users, patients, and professionals provided their views on how the draft bill could be improved.
The Mental Health Bill has been further strengthened through recommendations made by the PLS joint committee. Since July 2024, we have further engaged with range of key stakeholders, and we will continue to engage further, and consult widely, on the development of the Mental Health Act Code of Practice, the statutory guidance which will inform practice under the bill.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the waiting lists for gynaecology services.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Gynaecology services will be included within the recovery of elective care. This will be funded by £2 billion this year and an additional £8 billion over the next three years, which could deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million more checks, scans and procedures. The delivery plan for tackling the elective care backlog will be published later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the Women's Health Strategy; and what plans they have to include commitments on menstrual health conditions in that strategy.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
We will publish the Women’s Health Strategy in due course. We are currently analysing the responses to the call for evidence which will inform the priorities, content and actions in the Strategy. Within the call for evidence, the online survey included questions on menstrual health.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the study 'Does Euthanasia Have a Dampening Effect on Suicide Rates? Recent Experiences from the Netherlands', published in the Journal of Ethics in Mental Health on 28 December 2017, and (2) the relationship between the legalisation of assisted suicide and suicide rates in the general population; and what plans they have to address any such relationship as part of their Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Work plan, published in January 2019.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government has made no formal assessment of these studies, nor of the relationship between the legislation of assisted suicide and the rate of suicide in the general population.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 19 February (HL13078), whether the women’s health strategy that is currently in development will make provision for improving patient access to diagnosis and treatment for women-specific health concerns including heavy menstrual bleeding and endometriosis.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The evidence gathered through the call for evidence will inform the priorities, content and actions in the new Women’s Health Strategy for England. The online survey within the call for evidence seeks information on menstrual health and gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they take to ensure that information about disability accessibility at COVID-19 (1) vaccination centres, and (2) testing sites, is made available in accessible formats.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Vaccination centres are subject to the same standards to support people with accessibility needs as all health care services. The national booking letters are sent in size 16 font as standard as defined by RNIB as large print. As well as providing an option to book online, the national booking letters also provide 119 as an option. British Sign Language (BSL) and text relay services are also available from 119. Booking information for vaccination appointments will be available in braille, audio, larger print and easy read shortly. We are currently also translating this booking information into 16 different languages.
NHS Test and Trace have a BSL video relay service for deaf and hearing-impaired people visiting a testing site, so they can receive instructions on how to take a test via a video call with a BSL interpreter, facilitated by a testing assistant. Live BSL translation is also available via 119.
Non digital users can access the service by contacting the 119 call centre and book a test at all sites across the network.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision they have made to ensure that vaccination venues are accessible for disabled people; and how that information is made available when booking tests.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Vaccination centres are subject to the same standards to support people with accessibility needs as all health care services. In addition, marshals and staff will help people attending vaccination centres to navigate safely.
When sent an invitation for vaccination by letter, the public are directed to the location's individual details on accessibility. The letter also provides guidance and advice which can be enlarged on a screen, provided in accessible formats as well as provided in hard copy.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether plans to improve (1) diagnosis, and (2) treatment, of heavy menstrual bleeding will be included in (a) the sexual and reproductive health strategy, or (b) any broader women’s health strategy.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Work on both the sexual and reproductive health strategy and the women’s health strategy was paused due to COVID-19. For both, the work has now restarted. Heavy menstrual bleeding will not be covered in the Sexual and Reproductive Health strategy. However, the Government agrees that it is important for women to have access to support, including on information, diagnosis and treatment, for conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding.
The women’s health strategy will consider priorities for women’s health and further detail regarding the strategy will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a comprehensive women’s health strategy which includes provisions for (1) improving sexual and reproductive health, and (2) menstrual wellbeing.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Work on both the sexual and reproductive health strategy and the women’s health strategy was paused due to COVID-19. For both, the work has now restarted. Heavy menstrual bleeding will not be covered in the Sexual and Reproductive Health strategy. However, the Government agrees that it is important for women to have access to support, including on information, diagnosis and treatment, for conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding.
The women’s health strategy will consider priorities for women’s health and further detail regarding the strategy will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are drafting a sexual and reproductive health strategy separately from a broader women’s health strategy.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government is committed to developing a Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy, which we plan to publish in 2021. Development of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy will be separate from the Women’s Health Strategy. However, Departmental officials are working closely together to ensure coherence between the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Women’s Health Strategies.
Whilst details of the scope of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy will be announced in due course, the topics considered for inclusion are broader than those that only affect women and we will be taking a whole population approach.