Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to monitor and report on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy; and whether she plans to publish progress updates, including milestones, performance measures and outcomes relating to the strategy's commitments.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Page 86 of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets out the central means by which we will measure its success over the short, medium, and long-term, including through a series of clearly measurable objectives, such as reducing the time women spend on gynaecology elective waiting lists. The strategy also sets out the action we are taking to address workforce pressures in roles that are critical for our women’s health objectives, and this will be reinforced in our upcoming 10 Year NHS Workforce Plan.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of trends in the effectiveness of waiting times for gynaecological care relative to other elective specialties; and what steps her Department is taking to improve access to diagnosis and treatment for women with gynaecological conditions.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Page 86 of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets out the central means by which we will measure its success over the short, medium, and long-term, including through a series of clearly measurable objectives, such as reducing the time women spend on gynaecology elective waiting lists. The strategy also sets out the action we are taking to address workforce pressures in roles that are critical for our women’s health objectives, and this will be reinforced in our upcoming 10 Year NHS Workforce Plan.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of current workforce pressures in obstetrics and gynaecology; and whether the forthcoming NHS Workforce Plan will include specific measures to support the recruitment, retention and wellbeing of the obstetrics and gynaecology workforce.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Page 86 of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets out the central means by which we will measure its success over the short, medium, and long-term, including through a series of clearly measurable objectives, such as reducing the time women spend on gynaecology elective waiting lists. The strategy also sets out the action we are taking to address workforce pressures in roles that are critical for our women’s health objectives, and this will be reinforced in our upcoming 10 Year NHS Workforce Plan.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS South East London ICB.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Two hubs have been established in NHS South East London Integrated Care Board. One serves Lambeth while the other serves Bexley and Greenwich. More information is available at the following link:
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the maternity disparities taskforce (a) last met and (b) is next scheduled to meet.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Maternity Disparities Taskforce brings experts from across the health system, governmental departments, and the voluntary sector to explore and consider evidence-based interventions to tackle maternal disparities. The taskforce last met on 31 January 2024, and is due to meet again in the coming months in spring.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much capital funding NHS England plans to make available for housing for people with a learning disability and autism in the 2024-25 financial year; and if she will make an estimate of the number of people who will be provided housing through this funding.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
NHS England’s 2024/25 Learning Disability and Autism Housing Capital Programme plans to support up to 85 people with learning disabilities or autism who need housing to be discharged from a mental health hospital or to avoid hospital admission. This estimate is based on an expected £13 million capital allocation for 2024/25. Please note that this includes housing schemes that were initiated in 2023/24, as well as schemes that will continue into 2025/26.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to set targets from April 2024 on reducing the number of people in inpatient settings with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a commitment to reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. NHS England will publish their Operational Planning Guidance for 2024/25, which will set out the planning expectations for National Health Service systems to support delivery of NHS services next year.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help tackle variations between Integrated Care Boards in levels of adults in mental health hospitals with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Each integrated care board (ICB) produces a five-year joint forward plan with partner trusts and foundation trusts. This will encompass the needs of the entire local population, including people with a learning disability and autistic people.
NHS England will continue to work with regional teams and local systems to identify and share areas of good practice, where services have been successful in reducing avoidable admissions to hospital, and helping people to leave hospital when they are clinically ready for discharge.
We expect ICBs, as set out in NHS England statutory guidance published 9 May 2023, to assign an executive lead role for learning disability and autism to a suitable board member. The named lead will support the board in planning to meet the needs of its local population of people with a learning disability and autistic people and to have effective oversight of, and support improvements in, the quality of care for people in a mental health, learning disability and autism inpatient setting.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Building the Right Support Delivery Board will continue beyond March 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
While we have made progress on reducing the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in mental health inpatient settings, we recognise that there is more to be done. The Building the Right Support (BtRS) Delivery Board will continue to work collectively to oversee the implementation of remaining BtRS action plan commitments, and to consider what next step actions are required.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8607 on Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists, if she will provide this data by NHS provider.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The information requested is shown in the attached tables.