Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to setting limits for the consumption of ultra-processed foods served in NHS hospitals.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that patients receive healthy, nutritious food while in hospital.
Nutritional guidelines for patient food is provided by the British Dietetic Association in an online-only format. Portion control and costs are generally agreed by each hospital site or through local food frameworks.
The NHS National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink set out the requirements for more sustainable menus. This includes fewer processed foods high in sugar, salt and fats. A copy of the standards is attached.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to employing refugees who are qualified dentists to help alleviate the backlog in NHS dentistry.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The General Dental Council (GDC), which is responsible for the regulation and registration of dentists, has advised that it is keen to support refugees with their registration applications wherever possible. Dedicated information for refugees can be found on the GDC’s website, in an online only format.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the Royal Osteoporosis Society, and (2) other key stakeholders, about any further research required to address the gaps in knowledge identified by the National Screening Committee in its assessment Screening for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women, published in 2019.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
In 2022 the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) adopted an expanded remit which included establishing a Research and Methodology group (RMG). This group has published guidance on the UK NSC’s GOV.UK webpage around how screening researchers can ask the UK NSC’s RMG for advice and is the best port of call to engage with the UK NSC about research.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Wales about its commitment to provide 100 per cent population coverage of Fracture Liaison Services by September 2024; and what plans they have to introduce a similar commitment for England.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department regularly discusses health matters with the Welsh Government and other devolved administrations.
The Department continues to work with NHS England on the consideration and implementation of musculoskeletal policy, including Fracture Liaison Services.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when, and for what reason, they decided to merge the North East region and the Yorkshire and Humberside region in their statistics on the incidence of COVID-19 and that virus's reinfection rates. [T]
Answered by Lord Bethell
Reporting on COVID-19 is broken down by NHS England’s seven regional teams. The North East and Yorkshire is one of the seven regional teams and so the statistics are merged for the North East and Yorkshire and Humber regions.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, what plans they have to introduce regional strategies to address COVID-19 death and infection rates. [T]
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are currently considering a range of options for addressing future phases of the COVID-19, including the implementation of tailoring containment measures to the regional and local level. As recently announced, each local authority will be given funding to develop local outbreak control plans, working with the local National Health Service, Public Health England and other stakeholders.
Any decisions on how to approach the mid- to long-term strategy to address the pandemic will be led by the science, build on the Government’s test and trace strategy, and be supported by the new Joint Biosecurity Centre.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the British Medical Association and (2) other health sector representatives about the availability of hospital beds for patients needing urgent treatment for something other than COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department regularly engages with the British Medical Association and other health sector representatives such as National Health Service trade unions, including through the Social Partnership Forum (SPF). SPF meetings are now exclusively focused on COVID-19 workforce issues.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure continued access for British citizens to health services in the EU after Brexit, including continued access to the benefits of the European Health Insurance Card.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
The agreement we have reached with the European Union is that until 31 December 2020 there will be no changes to reciprocal healthcare access for pensioners, workers, students, tourists and other visitors, the European Health Insurance Card scheme, or planned treatment.
People who have settled in the EU or United Kingdom before 31 December 2020, will continue to have life-long reciprocal healthcare rights provided they remain covered under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. This means existing healthcare arrangements will not change for those UK nationals who are resident in the EU and EU citizens in the UK before 31 December 2020, for as long as they are living in that country and covered by the agreement.
We want to continue discussing the future of reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the EU as part of the future relationship discussions.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made with the EU for the European Health Insurance Card to continue to be used by British citizens when travelling within the EU.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The current structure of European Union rules and regulations will apply during the implementation period, and this includes cover under the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme.
With regard to EHIC cover under the Withdrawal Agreement, where the United Kingdom, or an EU 27 Member State, is responsible for the healthcare of those within scope of the social security coordination part of the Withdrawal Agreement, such individuals will be entitled to EHIC cover for as long as they remain in scope. We have also agreed to protect the rights of individuals who are in a cross-border situation at the end of the implementation period, and entitled to an EHIC, to continue to benefit from that scheme for as long as that cross-border situation in the State they are in continues.
In the White Paper of July 2018, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the UK Government has stated that it is seeking agreement on reciprocal healthcare including continued participation in the EHIC scheme.
Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the subject of the UK's future participation in the European Health Insurance Card scheme in their Brexit negotiations with the European Commission.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
We have agreed reciprocal healthcare arrangements for the purposes of the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union. The current structure of EU rules and regulations will apply until the end of the implementation period, including the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme.
Individuals in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement will be entitled to reciprocal healthcare cover on the terms laid out under that deal.
Reciprocal healthcare rights for individuals not in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement will be a matter for further negotiation with the EU. We have been clear that we want all current and future United Kingdom EHIC holders to benefit from EHIC rights, subject to a reciprocal deal.
At every step of the negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.