Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the the adequacy of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) continues to process a significant number of claims, with 11,251 claims related to COVID-19, adult flu, and other diseases processed between 1 November 2021 and 13 December 2024.
The Department is working with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, to take steps to improve the VDPS by modernising operations, improving claimants’ experiences, and processing claims at a faster rate.
Ministers have also met with the families of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination, many of whom raised the need for reform of the VDPS. Whilst any changes to the VDPS may need to be a cross-Government decision, ministers have agreed to look closely at the issues raised.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the School and Public Health Nurses Association on the number of school nurses in schools in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The child health workforce, including school nurses, who lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme for five to 19-year-olds, is central to how we support children, young people, and families.
We are also committed to training the staff we need to ensure everyone receives care from the right professional, when and where they need it. We will need to do this in the context of the 10-Year Plan.
Local authorities are best placed to determine local workforce needs, as they know their communities best. Determining the skills and workforce requirements should be underpinned by a local plan, and led by the area’s identified health needs.
The Chief Public Health Nurse Office has established a programme of work which aims to improve the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, which includes school nursing.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a 21-day diagnosis-to-treatment pathway for people with pancreatic cancer.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale on 24 October 2024 to Question 10063.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of palliative care services available to people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
Additionally, NHS England has developed a palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end of life care needs of those their local population, including the ability to filter the available information, such as by deprivation, thereby enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities.
The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure that patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle gambling-related suicide in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to tackling suicide. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health workers, and these new staff will be specially trained to support people at risk from suicide. The five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England identifies gambling as a common risk factor, lists actions to reduce suicides as a result of gambling, and will explore opportunities to go further.
The Government is committed to reducing gambling-related harms through regulatory reform to strengthen protections. Through the Health Mission, we are supporting people to live healthier lives for longer, with a greater emphasis on the prevention of avoidable health harms. We continue to work closely with Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to consider how best to achieve this. The Department of Health and Social Care is focused on ensuring that those experiencing gambling-related harms can access the right care at the right time. We are working closely with NHS England to capitalise on opportunities to improve and expand treatment and support services.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help improve men's health; and if he will use the upcoming Men's Health summit to commission a new men's health strategy consultation.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government's mission is getting the National Health Service back on its feet, so that it is there for everyone. The Government looks forward to its discussions with everyone interested in men’s health, to hear views and ideas on how to improve outcomes for men. We are developing a 10-Year Health Plan so that we are better able to meet the needs of the population, including men.
The forthcoming men’s health summit will help inform the Department on future actions.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support for (a) children and (b) adults with cystic fibrosis in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (ii) Staffordshire.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of support for children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.
NHS England commissions 47 specialised cystic fibrosis centres for adults and children across England, in addition to supporting the optimal monitoring of patients with cystic fibrosis at home, and supporting best practice in remote consultations. Service specifications published by NHS England clearly define the standards of services, care, and outcomes that people can expect from these centres. Service specifications aim to deliver improvements to life expectancy and quality of life for adults and children with cystic fibrosis.
Services for children and adults with cystic fibrosis in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire are provided by multi-disciplinary teams at the North West Midlands Cystic Fibrosis Centre. Further information is available at the following link:
NHS England recently produced the RightCare Cystic Fibrosis Toolkit which is supporting service improvement and better care for patients with cystic fibrosis. The toolkit is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/rightcare-cystic-fibrosis-toolkit/
The Midlands region will be undertaking a review of local services over the coming months, based on the recommendations in the toolkit.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the School and Public Health Nurses Association on the adequacy of school nursing provision.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government officials meet regularly with the School and Public Health Nurses Association and have attended two recent roundtable events, as well as the launch event for their report entitled The Forgotten Frontline.
We are committed to creating the healthiest generation of children ever and recognise the critical role that school nurses play in supporting children, young people, and families. Our Chief Public Health Nurse Office has recently established a programme of work which aims to improve the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, which includes school nursing. This will include a review of the school nursing workforce data in England, which then can be considered as part of our longer-term workforce planning.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to tackle (a) poor indoor air quality and (b) its impact on the health and wellbeing of people in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) England.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Air pollution has reduced significantly since the 1980s, but remains one of the most significant environmental risks to public health in the United Kingdom. Improving the environment in which we live, work, and play is critical to supporting people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department continues to work collaboratively across Government on ways of improving both indoor and outdoor air quality.
The UK Health Security Agency supports the development of evidence on the health impacts of indoor air quality on health. Its Cleaner Air Programme includes efforts both to build the evidence base and to raise awareness of indoor air quality and its health impacts, especially in settings such as homes, schools, and public places.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published guidance on indoor air quality at home, designed to raise awareness of the importance of good air quality in people's homes and advise on how to achieve this. We will continue to work across Government on air quality as part of the Health Mission.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to ensure that improving respiratory health of people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England is central to the NHS Long-term Plan.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Ten Year Health Plan will consider the change needed to meet the three health mission goals: a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer; a National Health Service that is there when people need it; and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers, including respiratory diseases. We will carefully consider policies with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.