Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Accident and Emergency department at Calderdale Royal Hospital to treat additional patients from the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary catchment area in the event that the proposed closure of the Accident and Emergency department at the Royal Infirmary goes ahead.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The reconfiguration of front line health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. Services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population, and proposals for substantial service change must meet the four tests of reconfiguration which are: (i) support from GP commissioners; (ii) strengthened public and patient engagement; (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base; and (iv) support for patient choice.
All commissioners proposing reconfiguration must include an analysis of travelling times and distances in their Pre-Consultation Business Case.
All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients. We expect the local NHS to undertake robust analysis of the impact of any proposed significant changes to services as part of the case for change.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 1 December (HL3716), what legal redress is available to patients denied access to mental health care by public health authorities that fail to comply with the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on equal priority for mental and physical health.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government is committed to achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health and we expect people to have access to appropriate care and treatment based on their needs. We have implemented the first waiting times for mental health to improve access to mental health services. If individuals are dissatisfied with the services they are receiving, they may raise their concerns using local complaints procedures and if necessary with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to ensure equality of treatment for mental and physical illness.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
We have put into legislation through the Health and Social Care Act 2012 that mental health should have equal priority to physical health. We have also committed NHS England through the NHS Mandate to achieve parity of esteem between mental and physical health.
We are implementing the first waiting times targets for mental health services to ensure more people have timely access to care in the same way they do for treatment for physical health. We have also increased access to talking therapies through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.