Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement the Department for Work and Pensions has had with organisations representing people with learning disabilities about the Universal Credit managed migration process to ensure that communications are accessible for people with learning disabilities.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are unable to forecast who might need to go through the managed migration processes, as it will apply to those who have not had by that point a change in their circumstances. There will inevitably be a number of claimants currently receiving ESA who will be managed migrated, but we do not have data on the nature of their disability.
We are committed to fully support all of our claimants through our managed migration processes, which we are working with a diverse stakeholders to co-design to ensure that they work for the most vulnerable. In each phase of the design process, we will be working with a broad range of participants representing all of our claimants, including those with learning disabilities. We will ensure through this work that our design is user-centred, and that we use a wide range of insights to collaboratively develop our approach.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what work they have done to ensure that the application process for Universal Credit is accessible for people with a learning disability.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are unable to forecast who might need to go through the managed migration processes, as it will apply to those who have not had by that point a change in their circumstances. There will inevitably be a number of claimants currently receiving ESA who will be managed migrated, but we do not have data on the nature of their disability.
We are committed to fully support all of our claimants through our managed migration processes, which we are working with a diverse stakeholders to co-design to ensure that they work for the most vulnerable. In each phase of the design process, we will be working with a broad range of participants representing all of our claimants, including those with learning disabilities. We will ensure through this work that our design is user-centred, and that we use a wide range of insights to collaboratively develop our approach.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people with a learning disability will be subject to the Universal Credit managed migration process.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are unable to forecast who might need to go through the managed migration processes, as it will apply to those who have not had by that point a change in their circumstances. There will inevitably be a number of claimants currently receiving ESA who will be managed migrated, but we do not have data on the nature of their disability.
We are committed to fully support all of our claimants through our managed migration processes, which we are working with a diverse stakeholders to co-design to ensure that they work for the most vulnerable. In each phase of the design process, we will be working with a broad range of participants representing all of our claimants, including those with learning disabilities. We will ensure through this work that our design is user-centred, and that we use a wide range of insights to collaboratively develop our approach.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average time taken to complete Disclosure and Barring Service applications for employment in the adult social care workforce in (1) 2016, and (2) 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The information requested is not held centrally. The DBS do not hold the information requested by sector.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Disclosure and Barring Service applications for employment in the adult social care workforce took more than (1) 60 days, and (2) 100 days to complete in (a) 2016, and (b) 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The information requested is not held centrally. The DBS do not hold the information requested by sector.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that media allegations of incompetent brain and other surgery at Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust have been investigated.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Patient safety is a critical priority, and a culture that seeks out opportunities for learning and improvement is vital for making care safer for patients.
NHS Improvement is in regular contact with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and has received assurances from the Trust that the allegations relating to neurological surgery are subject to independent review, either through the Royal College of Surgeons or through ongoing coroner’s cases. NHS Improvement is confident that all media allegations have been fully investigated.
NHS Improvement has also taken robust steps in line with their whistleblowing policy to ensure that these matters are looked into thoroughly.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (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) patient safety in the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, and (2) the procedures to ensure that whistle-blowers are protected and that any medical negligence is exposed.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has advised us that it conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Trust in March 2015, a focused inspection in September 2016, and these were followed by the CQC issuing requirement notices regarding breaches of regulations.
The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection of eight core services and two additional services in April 2018 at University Hospital, Coventry, and three core services at Hospital St Cross, Rugby in May 2018, as well as further unannounced inspections in May 2018. The CQC is compiling its report findings with a view to publishing the inspection report in August or September 2018.
The Government supports the right of staff working in the National Health Service to raise concerns and expects all NHS organisations to support staff that wish to do so. All NHS trusts and foundation trusts are required to have Freedom to Speak up Guardians to whom employees can raise concerns about patient safety in confidence.
In May 2018, the Government introduced legislation to further protect prospective employees into the NHS from discrimination if the individual is perceived to have been a whistleblower. This legislation was a recommendation from Sir Robert Francis’ Freedom to Speak Up review, published in February 2015.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the estimate, produced by Mencap, that the Employment Appeal Tribunal decision to backdate pay for sleep-in carers will lead to a funding shortfall of £400 million for care organisations.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Government recognises the pressure that sleep-in back pay liabilities are placing on providers of social care, and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the sector. Any intervention to support the sector would need to be proportionate and necessary.
The Government commissioned market analysis to assess the impact of sleep-ins back pay liabilities across the social care sector. This work forms part of the evidence base that is being used to assess options and is subject to further analysis and refinement. The Department has committed to sharing a summary of the analysis at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any potential threat to the viability of social care providers caused by the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on backdating sleep-in pay.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Government recognises the pressure that sleep-in back pay liabilities are placing on providers of social care, and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the sector. Any intervention to support the sector would need to be proportionate and necessary.
The Government commissioned market analysis to assess the impact of sleep-ins back pay liabilities across the social care sector. This work forms part of the evidence base that is being used to assess options and is subject to further analysis and refinement. The Department has committed to sharing a summary of the analysis at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total number and proportion of direct respondents to their consultation on the Leveson Inquiry Part 2 and section 40 who (1) wrote unique or individual letters or emails, (2) sent in coupons cut out from newspapers, (3) sent in pro-forma, standard or identical email responses, and (4) provided other responses; and for each of those categories, how many were in favour of their preferred options for (a) section 40, and (b) Leveson Part 2.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
The Government received 174,730 direct responses to the consultation and two petitions, offering a variety of views. Of the direct responses, 79 percent were in favour of full repeal, compared to 7 percent who favoured full commencement. A full breakdown of responses can be found in the government response.