Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the National Institute for Health Research about commissioning research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Office for National Statistics about commissioning research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake a “deep dive” study into drug-related deaths and suicides in order to establish the number of people with terminal illnesses who die as a result of suicide.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what help and support they are providing to authorities in Norfolk dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak at a meat processing plant in Watton.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Regional officials worked closely with the local and district authorities, the Director of Public Health for Norfolk and the company in Watton to support the Incident Management Team’s (IMT) meetings and facilitate the deployment of mobile testing units (MTU) to enable testing of the workforce to take place.
The outbreak was escalated by the Norfolk local authorities to the Joint Biosecurity Centre Regional Lead for the East of England and to the Escalation and Response Unit.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set up an animal welfare cell as part of the IMT to mitigate the impact of the public health measures on animal welfare where possible. The factory is being supported to participate in the lateral flow testing scheme. This will allow the company to carrying out routine testing and help reduce the risk of further workforce outbreaks at the factory.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government to publish their current assessment of the relative impact of different risk factors including (1) age, (2) gender, (3) ethnicity, and (4) specific health conditions, on the (a) incidence, and (b) increased risk, of serious illness from COVID-19 for individuals; and what plans they have to develop an individual risk analysis tool to aid (1) Government, and (2) personal, decision making in relation to the virus. [T]
Answered by Lord Bethell
To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Science of COVID-19 which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of reference and timescale for the review of travel vaccinations being undertaken by Public Health England.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Public Health England is currently scoping the request from NHS England to review the travel vaccinations provided on the National Health Service, as contained in its consultation Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A Consultation on guidance for CCGs. A copy of the consultation is attached.
This will be an initial assessment of the need and value of a more in-depth look at the policy and public health issues involved.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Verma on 19 October (HL Deb, col 438), whether they will publish a risk assessment on the threat to "the safety of the British public" which would be posed by the resumption of direct flights from the United Kingdom to Sierra Leone.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Public Health England’s latest published risk assessment to the United Kingdom population posed by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was on 24 June 2015 and is attached. The Government continually assesses the risk and any proposals to resume direct flights will be considered by the Government in the context of these assessments.