Became Member: 28th July 1999
Left House: 11th July 2022 (Retired)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Harrison, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
First reading took place on 16 May. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2013-14 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to amend the law on marriage to permit the Registrar General to permit certain charitable organisations to solemnise marriages
First reading took place on 16 May. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled. A bill to amend the law on marriage to permit the Registrar General to permit certain charitable organisations to solemnise marriages.
Lord Harrison has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Government expects to publish a consultation document shortly on plans for transposition of this Directive, most of whose provisions are already reflected in UK reporting requirements. A full impact assessment, including an assessment of the impact on SMEs, will be made available alongside the consultation document.
Government has no intention of imposing any arrangements for the next round of JEREMIE-style funds that do not carry local support. The Government remains committed to the Northern Powerhouse, and in that context is continuing, with the British Business Bank, to look at how best to help SMEs across the north access the investment they need.
The Government welcomes this report and the serious work by members of the Cole Commission. It contains much invaluable analysis and we will consider its recommendations very carefully.
Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term.
We have already set out our four key growth ambitions: creating the most competitive tax system in the G20, making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business, encouraging investment and exports, and creating a more educated workforce. And through our industrial strategy, the whole of government is taking a long-term strategic approach to working in partnership with businesses to increase global competitiveness, support innovation and maximise export potential.
The right tax environment is vital to help businesses flourish so we have cut the main rate of Corporation Tax from 28% to 21% and announced further cuts to 20% by 2015 – the joint lowest rate in the G20 major economies. We have helped businesses with the cost of hiring staff by introducing a new Employer Allowance which cuts £2,000 from the National Insurance bills of small firms. To support small businesses in local communities, the ‘high street discount’ for around 300,000 shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants will go up from £1,000 to £1,500, from April 2015 to March 2016. This is in addition to doubling Small Business Rate Relief for a further year which means 380,000 of the smallest businesses will pay no rates at all.
R&D Tax Credits are the single largest Government support for business investment in R&D. They are designed to encourage greater R&D spend by business leading, in turn, to greater investment in innovation and improved products and processes. The rate of relief under the SME scheme is one of the most competitive rates in the world and, at Autumn Statement 2014, was increased from 225% to 230% of qualifying R&D expenditure from April 2015. Innovate UK is the Government’s prime channel for supporting business-led technology innovation. It delivers a range of programmes in support of businesses undertaking R&D including Collaborative R&D, Smart and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Innovate UK also provides opportunities for innovative businesses through the growing network of Catapult centres. Under the Coalition Government, Innovate UK, with partner and business contributions, has invested around £3.5 billion in innovation projects across the UK.
More businesses are getting access to the finance they need to start up and grow with Start-Up Loans offered to over 25,000 businesses; so far lending over £129 million. The British Business Bank has facilitated £890m of new lending and investment to over 21,000 small businesses in the year to the end of September 2014. And we have facilitated over £1.67 billion of lending to over 16,000 small businesses since May 2010, through our Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk, where the ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline. Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including Growth Accelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance.
Small businesses have less regulation to follow with a £10 billion cumulative net saving to businesses as a result of our deregulation work. Through the Red Tape Challenge, we have reviewed over 5,600 regulations and identified 3,000 to scrap or improve. We are on track to surpass our target of saving business £850 million per year.
And around 48,000 businesses have been helped by our UKTI support – of which 90% were small businesses. This support helped generate additional sales of over £49 billion and created or safeguarded over 220,000 jobs over the last year.
Negotiations in the European Council are nearing completion. The proposal was discussed at the Competitiveness Council of Ministers on 4 December and a General Approach was agreed by Member States’ Ministers. We expect final agreement to be achieved in the New Year following the completion of the next stage in the negotiation; discussions between the Presidency of the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission.
The definition of Assisted Travel Arrangements in the text agreed at Council is:
'assisted travel arrangement' means at least two different types of travel services purchased for the purpose of the same trip or holiday, not constituting a package within the meaning of paragraph 2(b), resulting in the conclusion of separate contracts with the individual travel service providers, if a trader facilitates:
(a) on the occasion of a single visit or contact with its point of sale, the separate selection and separate payment of each travel service by travellers, or
(b) in a targeted manner, the procurement of additional travel services from other traders where contracts with such other traders are concluded not more than 48 hours after the confirmation of the first travel service.
The Government’s consultation on implementing the 2014 EU Procurement Directives took place between 19 September and 17 October 2014. We expect to publish our response early in the New Year.
This information is not held centrally. However, in implementing Lord Young’s recommendations to open up public sector procurement to SMEs, increase transparency and simplify the government market, we are bringing in new measures so that from 2015 all public bodies will be required to publish the interest they have paid due to late payments. From 2016-17 they will have to calculate their liabilities and publish them annually.
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave Lord Beecham on 20 July 2017 (HL801, HL802, HL803, HL804).
The UK’s flexible and effective restructuring and insolvency regime is very much in keeping with the general themes of the EU Recommendation. Following the European Commission’s 2014 Recommendation, the Government conducted a call for evidence seeking the views of stakeholders and submitted a response to the Commission’s survey on how Member States comply with the Recommendation. The Government published the UK’s response in August 2015. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/european-commission-recommendation-on-business-failure-and-insolvency-call-for-evidence
The UK’s flexible and effective restructuring and insolvency regime is very much in keeping with the general themes of the EU Recommendation. Following the European Commission’s 2014 Recommendation, the Government conducted a call for evidence seeking the views of stakeholders and submitted a response to the Commission’s survey on how Member States comply with the Recommendation. The Government published the UK’s response in August 2015. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/european-commission-recommendation-on-business-failure-and-insolvency-call-for-evidence
It is not simple to compare different insolvency regimes. The World Bank methodology for ‘Resolving Insolvency’ uses principally an assessment of speed and amount of returns to creditors but also has introduced more subjective tests of the strength of the framework. In the World Bank’s 2016 Doing Business Report, the UK continues to be 7th in the world for returns to creditors, and is quicker and costs less than the US, Germany and France, but does somewhat less well on the subjective factors, which may understate the strengths of our regime. We keep the UK’s insolvency regime under review to ensure it remains at the forefront of best practice and that possible new features are properly considered.
It is not simple to compare different insolvency regimes. The World Bank methodology for ‘Resolving Insolvency’ uses principally an assessment of speed and amount of returns to creditors but also has introduced more subjective tests of the strength of the framework. In the World Bank’s 2016 Doing Business Report, the UK continues to be 7th in the world for returns to creditors, and is quicker and costs less than the US, Germany and France, but does somewhat less well on the subjective factors, which may understate the strengths of our regime. We keep the UK’s insolvency regime under review to ensure it remains at the forefront of best practice and that possible new features are properly considered.
The process for the recognition of sports in the UK is a matter for the Sports Councils’ Recognition Panel which is made up of Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Scotland, Sport Northern Ireland and UK Sport.
The games of bridge and chess are not recognised as sports by any of the UK sports councils.
There are no plans currently to revisit the question of recognition for either chess or bridge.
The designation of a European Capital of Culture is a matter for the independent selection panel and the national authority of the Member State participating in a particular year.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
The Climate Change Risk Assessment, published in 2012, identified the impact on investment funds from climate change. It found that impacts would be indirect but could be substantial and that it would be difficult to establish a link between impacts and financial performance. The assessment identified the increasing exposure of insurers due to flood risk.
As part of the current round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is focusing its report on the insurance sector and its role in addressing the increasing exposure of the sector to climate risks. It does not directly supervise pension funds.
The PRA’s report will inform our next national assessment of risk, due in 2017, and the National Adaptation Programme due around 2018.
The Zoo Licensing Act 1981, which sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos, implements the EC Zoos Directive in Great Britain. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities, which have powers to check compliance with zoo licences, to impose conditions and to take action. Ultimately this could mean closing part, or all, of a zoo if the requirements of the legislation are not met. This in turn ensures our compliance with the Directive.
In response to concerns about how local authorities were carrying out this role, Defra commissioned research into local authority implementation of the Act. The 2011 report, which looked at the period 2008-2010, found no serious problems and indeed there was evidence of significant improvements in a number of areas during this time.
The report made suggestions for further improvements, such as updating guidance and zoo inspection report forms. These, together with the majority of the suggestions, have been actioned and we continue to work to make further improvements.
British ministers have discussed spring hunting with their Maltese counterparts on several occasions and encouraged them to enforce legislation to combat illegal hunting. It is for the Maltese Government to investigate any reports of illegal hunting activity, such as shooting of rare and protected species, which are alleged to be taking place in violation of Malta’s permitted hunting regime. We support the European Commission’s efforts to ensure compliance with the EU Wild Birds Directive and the Maltese Government’s efforts to address this issue.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) had made significant improvements in this area prior to the publication of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman’s report.
The DVLA worked closely with doctors and other medical professionals to improve the guidance for medical professionals to use when assessing fitness to drive. The revised guidance was published in March 2016 and has been very well received by medical professionals. Revised guidance for the general public on the medical standards for driving was published in October 2015
The DVLA has re-written customer facing letters to make them clearer and easier to understand. Officials have also reviewed and re-written letters to medical professionals to make them as clear as possible, helping to ensure that the DVLA receives the information it needs as quickly as possible.
The DVLA has also carried out a pilot which saw posters introduced into around 100 GP surgeries in the Birmingham area. The posters emphasise to patients the importance of speaking to their doctor about whether they should declare a medical condition to the DVLA. Doctors were also provided with letters to give to patients if they had discussed declaring a medical condition to the DVLA.
The DVLA has a dedicated team responsible for continuous improvement of communications and services, including an ongoing review of customer facing literature.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) had instigated a significant programme of improvements to the services offered to medical customers in 2014, prior to the publication of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO)’s report. Significant progress has been made and the DVLA continues to concentrate efforts in this area.
The government accepted four of the six recommendations made by the PHSO. The DVLA’s Chief Executive has apologised and paid appropriate compensation to the eight customers upon whom the PHSO based its report. More staff and medical advisers have been recruited, which has led to significant improvements in the time taken to deal with medical licensing applications. The DVLA has also introduced a service which allows motorists to notify certain medical conditions online. This system will continue to be developed and improved over time.
The DVLA has also significantly improved communications in this area. Letters to medical professionals and customers have been re-written to make them clearer and officials have worked closely with doctors and medical professionals to publish revised online guidance.
The government does not accept the PHSO’s recommendation to put in place arrangements so that others affected by the issues identified can seek financial redress. The DVLA has a well established compensation scheme which conforms to HM Treasury guidelines. The PHSO’s report was based on only eight cases dating back to 2009 and the DVLA has dealt with more than four million medical applications since then, the vast majority of which have been handled efficiently and without issues. The government does not believe that it is proportionate to introduce further arrangements in this area.
The government also does not accept the PHSO’s recommendation relating to medical standards for driving. The existing medical standards for driving are based in law and are devised and agreed by medical experts. The legislation underpins the actions DVLA takes in relation to driver licensing decisions. The DVLA also takes advice from six medical advisory panels composed of relevant experts to inform decisions about the health standards required for safe driving.
Network Rail is the relevant safety duty holder with responsibility for ensuring that risks are controlled so far as reasonably practicable on its infrastructure and the stations it manages.
The Department does not hold information about when the lifts at Euston railway station were last inspected and operational issues such as these are a matter for Network Rail with oversight from the Office of Rail and Road in its role as the independent railway safety regulator.
The European Commission’s proposal for a new Package Travel Directive expands the scope of the definitions to potentially include a range of holidays currently covered as flight-plus arrangements under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme, and some holidays sold by airlines.
On 18 March 2013, the European Commission published a Communication on Passenger Protection in the Event of Airline Insolvency. The Commission committed to closely monitor the application of a range of measures, and after two years, review their performance and effectiveness and assess whether a legislative initiative is needed to guarantee the protection of passengers in the case of airline insolvency. We anticipate that the Commission’s review will commence next year.
We will carefully consider the outcome of these matters as part of our review of ATOL reform.
The European Commission’s proposal for a new Package Travel Directive expands the scope of the definitions to potentially include a range of holidays currently covered as flight-plus arrangements under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme, and some holidays sold by airlines.
On 18 March 2013, the European Commission published a Communication on Passenger Protection in the Event of Airline Insolvency. The Commission committed to closely monitor the application of a range of measures, and after two years, review their performance and effectiveness and assess whether a legislative initiative is needed to guarantee the protection of passengers in the case of airline insolvency. We anticipate that the Commission’s review will commence next year.
We will carefully consider the outcome of these matters as part of our review of ATOL reform.
The Government is committed to ensuring greater transparency for pension savers.
From April this year, workplace schemes are required to report on the value delivered by costs and charges in their scheme for the first time. Building on this, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Financial Conduct Authority ran a joint Call for Evidence ‘Transaction Cost Disclosure: Improving Transparency in Workplace Pensions’, considering how transaction costs could be disclosed in a standardised way. This is the first phase of work required to meet duties under Section 44 of the Pensions Act 2014 to require transaction costs to be disclosed to members and others; and transaction costs and administration charges to be published. The Government is currently considering responses to the Call for Evidence.
Transparency is not just about costs and charges. Earlier this year the Government consulted on changes to the Occupational Pension Schemes Investment Regulations requiring trustees to report how they take financial and non-financial factors into account when investing, and their schemes stewardship policy. The Government is currently considering responses to the consultation.
The Government intends to consult on any secondary legislation required following these exercises later this year, and will consider what further proposals may be needed to ensure greater transparency for pension savers including consideration both of its duties under the Pensions Act 2014 and the remarks made in debates on 7 January.
The information requested regarding interventions is not currently available.
Information on claims made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) broken down by condition is not available. By 21 October 2014, 1,535 people classified as having a movement disorder as their primary condition were in receipt of PIP.
The Department has robust processes in place to assure the quality of Personal Independence Payment assessments and decisions about benefit entitlement, through regular audit and quality checks by specialist teams. We continue to review processes to ensure they remain appropriate and effective.
The information requested regarding interventions is not currently available.
Information on claims made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) broken down by condition is not available. By 21 October 2014, 1,535 people classified as having a movement disorder as their primary condition were in receipt of PIP.
The Department has robust processes in place to assure the quality of Personal Independence Payment assessments and decisions about benefit entitlement, through regular audit and quality checks by specialist teams. We continue to review processes to ensure they remain appropriate and effective.
The information requested regarding interventions is not currently available.
Information on claims made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) broken down by condition is not available. By 21 October 2014, 1,535 people classified as having a movement disorder as their primary condition were in receipt of PIP.
The Department has robust processes in place to assure the quality of Personal Independence Payment assessments and decisions about benefit entitlement, through regular audit and quality checks by specialist teams. We continue to review processes to ensure they remain appropriate and effective.
The information requested regarding interventions is not currently available.
Information on claims made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) broken down by condition is not available. By 21 October 2014, 1,535 people classified as having a movement disorder as their primary condition were in receipt of PIP.
The Department has robust processes in place to assure the quality of Personal Independence Payment assessments and decisions about benefit entitlement, through regular audit and quality checks by specialist teams. We continue to review processes to ensure they remain appropriate and effective.
The Government has made no assessment of the benefit of playing chess and bridge for older people, those with mental health problems or children.
The information is not available in the format requested. Referral to treatment data are collected by 18 treatment functions and are not condition or procedure specific. Cataract surgery is included in the ophthalmology treatment function. The attached table sets out the median waiting time for completed admitted pathways for the ophthalmology treatment function, by primary care trust and clinical commissioning group, for the years that full data is available, 2007-08 to 2015-16.
The Government supports the aims of the UK Vision Strategy of improving eye health, preventing avoidable sight loss, improving services for those who do lose sight, and maximising social inclusion and opportunities for blind and partially sighted people.
Improving the commissioning of services is a key priority for the National Health Service and social care services, and this is one way that we expect to see improvements for patients.
The Public Health Outcomes Framework is an online only data tool which examines indicators that help us to understand trends in public health. It includes an indicator on preventable sight loss which will track three of the most common causes of preventable sight loss: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The open availability of data provide a resource for commissioners and local health and wellbeing boards to identify what is needed in their areas and for comparisons to be made with other areas. The online data tool is available on the Public Health England website.
Our public health programmes tackling smoking and obesity will also help prevent sight loss by addressing some of the key risk factors in the development of eye disease.
Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning cataract surgery for their local populations. Patients have the right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral for non-urgent conditions, or alternatively have the right to ask for an alternative provider who can see them sooner. All patients should be treated without unnecessary delay and according to their clinical priority.
Where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance does not exist on a particular treatment, it is for local National Health Service commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient’s clinical circumstances. However, in light of concerns about lengthy waits for treatment and unacceptable variations in care, the Secretary of State has asked NICE to bring forward its guidance on cataracts from 2018 to 2017. This will provide NHS commissioners with evidence based guidance from NICE and ensure patients have access to the most effective treatment as early as possible.
The Government has not made an assessment of the effect of hospital-initiated postponement of cataract surgery on patients’ sight or of the impact of innovative technologies; we anticipate that these aspects will be considered by NICE in their assessment.
Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning cataract surgery for their local populations. Patients have the right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral for non-urgent conditions, or alternatively have the right to ask for an alternative provider who can see them sooner. All patients should be treated without unnecessary delay and according to their clinical priority.
Where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance does not exist on a particular treatment, it is for local National Health Service commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient’s clinical circumstances. However, in light of concerns about lengthy waits for treatment and unacceptable variations in care, the Secretary of State has asked NICE to bring forward its guidance on cataracts from 2018 to 2017. This will provide NHS commissioners with evidence based guidance from NICE and ensure patients have access to the most effective treatment as early as possible.
The Government has not made an assessment of the effect of hospital-initiated postponement of cataract surgery on patients’ sight or of the impact of innovative technologies; we anticipate that these aspects will be considered by NICE in their assessment.
NHS England and Monitor are working closely together to ensure that the payment system supports service developments in the vanguard sites (including those where integrated diabetes care is a focus) as well as monitoring local innovative approaches to supporting integrated care taken by some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This is to ensure that the payment system keeps abreast with the development of future service models and is not a barrier to the development of new models of care.
During 2016/17, NHS England will look at the current incentives and funding arrangements for diabetes to see how greater alignment could be achieved between the financial incentives for primary and secondary care.
Information on how much money the National Health Service invested in structured education for diabetes patients is not collected centrally.
Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England has a statutory duty to conduct an annual assessment of every CCG. Since April 2013, CCGs have been assessed twice, for the period 2013/14 and for 2014/15.
For 2016/17, NHS England will introduce a new CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework (CCG IAF). This new framework will align with NHS England’s mandate and planning process, with the aim of driving improvements in a number of key areas including the management and care of people with diabetes.
NHS England has been working with Diabetes UK on including diabetes indicators in the CCG IAF. The proposed diabetes indicators are:
- the percentage of diabetes patients that have achieved all three of the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence recommended treatment targets; and
- newly diagnosed diabetes patients referred to, or attending, a structured education course.
Under the proposals, diabetes will also be one of the six clinical priority areas in the CCG IAF that will be overseen by an independent group.
The CCG IAF proposals are subject to the outcome of an engagement process which closed for comments on February 26 2016. More information can be found at:
NHS England and Monitor are working closely together to ensure that the payment system supports service developments in the vanguard sites (including those where integrated diabetes care is a focus) as well as monitoring local innovative approaches to supporting integrated care taken by some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This is to ensure that the payment system keeps abreast with the development of future service models and is not a barrier to the development of new models of care.
During 2016/17, NHS England will look at the current incentives and funding arrangements for diabetes to see how greater alignment could be achieved between the financial incentives for primary and secondary care.
Information on how much money the National Health Service invested in structured education for diabetes patients is not collected centrally.
Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England has a statutory duty to conduct an annual assessment of every CCG. Since April 2013, CCGs have been assessed twice, for the period 2013/14 and for 2014/15.
For 2016/17, NHS England will introduce a new CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework (CCG IAF). This new framework will align with NHS England’s mandate and planning process, with the aim of driving improvements in a number of key areas including the management and care of people with diabetes.
NHS England has been working with Diabetes UK on including diabetes indicators in the CCG IAF. The proposed diabetes indicators are:
- the percentage of diabetes patients that have achieved all three of the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence recommended treatment targets; and
- newly diagnosed diabetes patients referred to, or attending, a structured education course.
Under the proposals, diabetes will also be one of the six clinical priority areas in the CCG IAF that will be overseen by an independent group.
The CCG IAF proposals are subject to the outcome of an engagement process which closed for comments on February 26 2016. More information can be found at:
The Health and Social Care Information Centre provides information on the number of nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in the National Health Service in England but it does not separately identify diabetes specialist nurses.
It is for local NHS organisations with their knowledge of the healthcare needs of their local population to invest in training for specialist skills and to deploy specialist nurses.
NHS England and Monitor are working closely together to ensure that the payment system supports service developments in the vanguard sites (including those where integrated diabetes care is a focus) as well as monitoring local innovative approaches to supporting integrated care taken by some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This is to ensure that the payment system keeps abreast with the development of future service models and is not a barrier to the development of new models of care.
During 2016/17, NHS England will look at the current incentives and funding arrangements for diabetes to see how greater alignment could be achieved between the financial incentives for primary and secondary care.
Information on how much money the National Health Service invested in structured education for diabetes patients is not collected centrally.
Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), NHS England has a statutory duty to conduct an annual assessment of every CCG. Since April 2013, CCGs have been assessed twice, for the period 2013/14 and for 2014/15.
For 2016/17, NHS England will introduce a new CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework (CCG IAF). This new framework will align with NHS England’s mandate and planning process, with the aim of driving improvements in a number of key areas including the management and care of people with diabetes.
NHS England has been working with Diabetes UK on including diabetes indicators in the CCG IAF. The proposed diabetes indicators are:
- the percentage of diabetes patients that have achieved all three of the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence recommended treatment targets; and
- newly diagnosed diabetes patients referred to, or attending, a structured education course.
Under the proposals, diabetes will also be one of the six clinical priority areas in the CCG IAF that will be overseen by an independent group.
The CCG IAF proposals are subject to the outcome of an engagement process which closed for comments on February 26 2016. More information can be found at:
The Department will run a consultation on how the funding reforms for nursing, midwifery and allied health education can be most successfully implemented. We currently expect to consult during March 2016. As part of this, an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment will be published.
Health Education England (HEE) will continue to have a key leading role in the commissioning of nursing, midwifery and allied health courses. It will continue to provide sufficient clinical placement funding for those places needed to meet the workforce planning needs of the National Health Service.
The Department will run a consultation on how the funding reforms for nursing, midwifery and allied health education can be most successfully implemented. We currently expect to consult during March 2016. As part of this, an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment will be published.
Health Education England (HEE) will continue to have a key leading role in the commissioning of nursing, midwifery and allied health courses. It will continue to provide sufficient clinical placement funding for those places needed to meet the workforce planning needs of the National Health Service.
Podiatry services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups working with local partners and based on the need of the local population, resources available and evidence based practice. Treatment decisions should always be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs.
Preventing diabetes and promoting the best possible care for people with diabetes is a key priority for this Government and is part of the 2016/17 Mandate to NHS England. Building on the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, the Department of Health and NHS England are exploring options for ensuring a sustained focus on improving the management and care of people with diabetes.
The new National Diabetes Foot Care Audit, a module of the National Diabetes Audit, aims to establish the extent to which national guidelines on the management of diabetic foot disease are being met. The audit will provide local teams with the evidence needed to tackle any identified differences in practice which will lead to an overall improvement in management and outcomes for patients. Local and national level results will be available in March 2016. However, we do know that there has been an increase in the proportion of Trusts with multidisciplinary diabetic foot care teams, from around 60% in 2011 to over 70% in 2013.
Podiatry services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups working with local partners and based on the need of the local population, resources available and evidence based practice. These commissioning decisions are informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Clinical networks provide opportunity to adopt and disseminate best practice.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard for diabetes, attached, sets out that people with diabetes should receive a structured educational programme. NHS England is statutorily required to have regard to this.
There are a number of national and locally developed patient education programmes available including Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) for Type 1 diabetes, and Diabetes Education and Self-management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) for Type 2 diabetes.
While there is still much room for improvement, the proportion of people with diabetes being offered structured education is improving. 16% of people newly diagnosed with diabetes were offered structured education in 2012/13 compared to 8.4% of those diagnosed in 2009. In the same period the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes offered or attending structured education rose from 11% to 18.4%.
No estimate has been made of the cost over a five-year period of providing group based education courses for all people living with diabetes.
The Department is developing plans to improve outcomes for those with diabetes. This will be announced in due course.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard for diabetes, attached, sets out that people with diabetes should receive a structured educational programme. NHS England is statutorily required to have regard to this.
There are a number of national and locally developed patient education programmes available including Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) for Type 1 diabetes, and Diabetes Education and Self-management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) for Type 2 diabetes.
While there is still much room for improvement, the proportion of people with diabetes being offered structured education is improving. 16% of people newly diagnosed with diabetes were offered structured education in 2012/13 compared to 8.4% of those diagnosed in 2009. In the same period the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes offered or attending structured education rose from 11% to 18.4%.
No estimate has been made of the cost over a five-year period of providing group based education courses for all people living with diabetes.
The Department is developing plans to improve outcomes for those with diabetes. This will be announced in due course.