Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to devolve policy on the medicinal use of cannabis to the Scottish Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and, in its raw form, currently has no recognised medicinal benefits in the United Kingdom. It is therefore listed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
There is a clear regime in place, administered by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, to enable medicines (including those containing controlled drugs such as cannabis) to be developed, licensed and made available for medicinal use to patients in the UK. It is important that all medicines containing controlled drugs are thoroughly trialled to ensure they meet rigorous standards so that doctors and patients are sure of their efficacy and safety. This is important to ensure fulfilment of all established and necessary regulations for approving medicines in the UK.
There are no plans to devolve policy on the medicinal use of cannabis to the Scottish Parliament.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policy on the use of medicinal cannabis of the findings in The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and, in its raw form, currently has no recognised medicinal benefits in the United Kingdom. It is therefore listed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
There is a clear regime in place, administered by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, to enable medicines (including those containing controlled drugs such as cannabis) to be developed, licensed and made available for medicinal use to patients in the UK. It is important that all medicines containing controlled drugs are thoroughly trialled to ensure they meet rigorous standards so that doctors and patients are sure of their efficacy and safety. This is important to ensure fulfilment of all established and necessary regulations for approving medicines in the UK.
There are no plans to devolve policy on the medicinal use of cannabis to the Scottish Parliament.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS has a standard procedure for booking British sign language interpreters; whether that guidance is publicised to NHS staff; and whether such staff can use it confidentially.
Answered by David Mowat
Information is not collected centrally on the number of fulfilled requests by patients for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter; the number of appointments postponed where a BSL interpreter was not provided, or on the number of staff providing social care who have received bespoke BSL and deaf awareness training.
The Accessible Information Standard, which was formerly known as SCCI1605 Accessible Information, was published by NHS England in July 2015. It sets out a series of requirements that organisations that provide National Health Service care or publicly funded social care in England must follow. These include arranging for support to be provided by communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, where this is needed to support effective communication. The Standard also provides direction around appropriate qualification and professional registration status of communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, as well as providing other guidance in this regard. However, the Standard does not direct how such support should be arranged or funded, as this is a matter for local decision.
Compliance with the Standard is a legal duty and all organisations that provide NHS care, including general practice, or adult social care were required to implement the Standard in full by 31 July 2016, and then ensure ongoing compliance thereafter.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many appointments have had to be postponed due to a British sign language interpreter (a) not being booked and (b) being unavailable in the last five years.
Answered by David Mowat
Information is not collected centrally on the number of fulfilled requests by patients for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter; the number of appointments postponed where a BSL interpreter was not provided, or on the number of staff providing social care who have received bespoke BSL and deaf awareness training.
The Accessible Information Standard, which was formerly known as SCCI1605 Accessible Information, was published by NHS England in July 2015. It sets out a series of requirements that organisations that provide National Health Service care or publicly funded social care in England must follow. These include arranging for support to be provided by communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, where this is needed to support effective communication. The Standard also provides direction around appropriate qualification and professional registration status of communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, as well as providing other guidance in this regard. However, the Standard does not direct how such support should be arranged or funded, as this is a matter for local decision.
Compliance with the Standard is a legal duty and all organisations that provide NHS care, including general practice, or adult social care were required to implement the Standard in full by 31 July 2016, and then ensure ongoing compliance thereafter.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaf people who have requested a British sign language interpreter at medical appointments have had their request fulfilled in the last five years.
Answered by David Mowat
Information is not collected centrally on the number of fulfilled requests by patients for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter; the number of appointments postponed where a BSL interpreter was not provided, or on the number of staff providing social care who have received bespoke BSL and deaf awareness training.
The Accessible Information Standard, which was formerly known as SCCI1605 Accessible Information, was published by NHS England in July 2015. It sets out a series of requirements that organisations that provide National Health Service care or publicly funded social care in England must follow. These include arranging for support to be provided by communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, where this is needed to support effective communication. The Standard also provides direction around appropriate qualification and professional registration status of communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, as well as providing other guidance in this regard. However, the Standard does not direct how such support should be arranged or funded, as this is a matter for local decision.
Compliance with the Standard is a legal duty and all organisations that provide NHS care, including general practice, or adult social care were required to implement the Standard in full by 31 July 2016, and then ensure ongoing compliance thereafter.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) staff in social care settings and (b) people providing care in people's own home have received bespoke British sign language and deaf awareness training in the last five years.
Answered by David Mowat
Information is not collected centrally on the number of fulfilled requests by patients for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter; the number of appointments postponed where a BSL interpreter was not provided, or on the number of staff providing social care who have received bespoke BSL and deaf awareness training.
The Accessible Information Standard, which was formerly known as SCCI1605 Accessible Information, was published by NHS England in July 2015. It sets out a series of requirements that organisations that provide National Health Service care or publicly funded social care in England must follow. These include arranging for support to be provided by communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, where this is needed to support effective communication. The Standard also provides direction around appropriate qualification and professional registration status of communication professionals, including BSL interpreters, as well as providing other guidance in this regard. However, the Standard does not direct how such support should be arranged or funded, as this is a matter for local decision.
Compliance with the Standard is a legal duty and all organisations that provide NHS care, including general practice, or adult social care were required to implement the Standard in full by 31 July 2016, and then ensure ongoing compliance thereafter.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff involved in end of life care have received bespoke British sign language and deaf awareness training for their work in the last five years.
Answered by David Mowat
This information is not collected or held centrally.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaf people have received end of life care in the last five years.
Answered by David Mowat
The information requested is not collected or held centrally in the format requested.
However NHS Digital has provided the attached data on discharged patients receiving palliative care with a primary or secondary diagnosis of hearing loss.