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Written Question
Health Services: Disadvantaged
Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to use schools and nurseries as hubs for delivering health services to support families and meet the health needs of children and young people, especially within disadvantaged communities.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government supports the use of place-based services and integrated delivery, particularly where this will improve access for more disadvantaged communities. The Government is investing approximately £300 million through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to deliver a step change in outcomes for babies, children, parents and carers in 75 local authorities in England with high deprivation. Through joined up and enhanced universal services delivered through transformed family hubs, the programme will ensure all parents and carers can access the support they need, at the time they need it. We are also continuing to roll-out Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges across England.

Health services should be available and accessible at times and locations that meet the needs of children, young people, and families. Schools and nurseries can function as particularly effective settings. However, decisions concerning the commissioning and location of provider premises are made locally, following engagement with service users and other key stakeholders.


Written Question
Mental Health: Girls
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, whether they will investigate any change in the proportion of female children and young people who are unhappy with their lives as a whole, and in particular their appearance

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.


Written Question
Children: Health
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Children's Society's The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, and what plans they have to implement its recommendations to promote the wellbeing of children.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is grateful for the Good Childhood Report and has noted its findings. The Children’s Commissioner’s Family Review covers similar issues and the Government’s response to this will be published imminently.

The recommendation to create a cabinet level minister for children was addressed in the Government’s response to the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We accept the importance of placing the best interests of the child front and centre in policy and decision making at the highest level of government. This role is already fulfilled through the work of the Secretary of State for Education.

We are implementing the proposals of the Government’s Transforming children and young people’s mental health Green Paper which includes establishing mental health support teams in schools and providing training to Senior Mental Health leads in schools.

The Department for Education publishes an annual State of the Nation report into Children’s wellbeing. The report brings together a range of published information from government, academic, voluntary, and private sector organisations to provide a clear narrative for all those interested in the wellbeing of children and young people in England. It provides a shared evidence base for everyone – in government, services, schools and colleges, parents and families, communities, and employers – to reflect upon and deliver better wellbeing outcomes for all children and young people.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Friday 10th December 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether 14 residents in a dormitory meets the UKHSA recommendations for a COVID-19 compliant environment; and if so, what guidance informed this recommendation.

Answered by Lord Kamall

The UK Health Security Agency does not specify numbers for a COVID-19 compliant environment, but advises on all locations being appropriately risk-assessed with identified risk mitigations put in place to address those risks. Risk mitigations may include: not using a location; fewer people in any given space; use of physical barriers; increased ventilation; testing, tracing and isolation protocols with different approaches for vaccinated/non-vaccinated people if relevant; and face coverings in confined or enclosed spaces.


Written Question
Health Services: EU Nationals
Thursday 8th July 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether EU nationals living in the UK before 31 December 2020 and who go on to be granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme will be liable for chargeable healthcare as set out in NHS Charging Regulations guidance or whether they are entitled to free healthcare.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Citizens of a European Union country, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland and their family members who were lawfully residing in the United Kingdom by 31 December 2020 will keep their right to healthcare on the same basis as UK residents, as long as they meet the ordinary residence test. From 1 July 2021, they must have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). These rights will be subject to any future domestic policy changes which apply to UK nationals.

An individual that has made an application to the EUSS will be considered non-chargeable from the date of their application until an outcome is determined by the Home Office. An individual who is eligible to apply to the EUSS but who has not submitted an application by 30 June 2021 will be chargeable. If they receive and pay for relevant services and then later make a late application which is granted, they will not be refunded for the earlier treatment.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Monday 29th March 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that asylum seekers living in temporary accommodation receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Vaccination against COVID-19 is offered to every adult living in the United Kingdom free of charge, regardless of immigration status. No immigration checks are needed to receive these services and the National Health Service is not required to report undocumented migrants to the Home Office.

An NHS number is not needed to make a booking for a COVID-19 vaccine or when attending a vaccination appointment. If individuals are registered with a general practitioner (GP), their GP will contact them in due course.

For those not registered with a GP, NHS regional teams working with various appropriate local systems will contact unregistered people to ensure they are offered the vaccine, when eligible.


Written Question
General Practitioners: Asylum and Migrants
Friday 19th February 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding has been provided to local authorities (1) to support (a) asylum seekers, (b) refugees, and (c) migrants, to register with a GP, and (2) to ensure that those people are factored into COVID-19 vaccination plans.

Answered by Lord Bethell

The COVID-19 vaccine is available free of charge to anyone living in England, including those here without permission. The terms under which general practices are commissioned to deliver vaccination services enable practices to vaccinate unregistered patients. Individuals who are not registered with a practice will therefore be able to access the vaccine in line with the priority groups outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI). However, we would strongly encourage everyone to register so that they may be more easily invited for vaccination.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with local government, voluntary, community and social enterprise partners and Healthwatch England on a campaign to support all people, particularly those in inclusion health groups, to register with a general practitioner (GP), which supports the identification of those who should be prioritised for the vaccine.

NHS England and NHS Improvement fund health assessment services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for destitute asylum seekers in the six Home Office-commissioned initial accommodation centres in England. In 2020/21, approximately £3.2 million was allocated to those CCGs. These services are in place to avoid disproportionate impact on local GP services and health assessment services may refer individuals for GP registration, which now includes prioritisation for COVID-19 vaccination in line with the JCVI’s advice.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Thursday 18th February 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether NHS staff organising COVID-19 vaccination appointments are required to ask patients for proof of residence in the UK.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a primary care service and is free to everyone living in England, including all overseas visitors, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. This includes anyone living in the United Kingdom without permission. This service is not within scope of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 and as no charges apply, immigration status checks are not required in order to assess eligibility.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Thursday 18th February 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether COVID-19 vaccinations will be made available to EU nationals who have not confirmed their status under the EU Settlement Scheme after the 30 June deadline for applications has passed.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a primary care service and is free to everyone living in England, including all overseas visitors, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. This includes anyone living in the United Kingdom without permission. This service is not within scope of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 and as no charges apply, immigration status checks are not required in order to assess eligibility.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Vaccination
Thursday 18th February 2021

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether migrants who have not paid the International Health Surcharge will be charged for a COVID-19 vaccination; and whether there will be any checks on a person's immigration status before such vaccinations are carried out.

Answered by Lord Bethell

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a primary care service and is free to everyone living in England, including all overseas visitors, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. This includes anyone living in the United Kingdom without permission. This service is not within scope of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 and as no charges apply, immigration status checks are not required in order to assess eligibility.