Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2024 to Question 7460 on Chalkwell Station: Construction, for what reason the hon. Member for Southend West has not been notified when work on site is due to commence.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Further to the answer of 8th January 2024, discussions continue to agree a date for the start of work at Chalkwell station. I reaffirm the commitment to notify the hon member when a date has been agreed and hope to be able to provide that information by the start of Spring.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will attend a local transport summit in Southend West constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government regularly engages with bus operators and Local Transport Authorities to deliver better bus services for passengers as set out in the National Bus Strategy. I would welcome the opportunity to attend a local transport summit, either in-person or virtually, in the honourable member's constituency subject to availability.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet the hon. Member for Southend West to discuss NHS dental provision in Southend.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers are always keen to discuss issues regarding National Health Service dentistry.
Our plan for dentistry, to be published shortly, will build upon the first package of reforms agreed in July 2022, which included changes to banding and the introduction of a minimum Units of Dental Activity value. Our plan will include addressing how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make NHS work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver more NHS care.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. These include a 40% increase to dentistry undergraduate training places by 2031/32. To support this ambition, we will expand places by 24% by 2028/29, taking the overall number that year to 1,000 places.
From 1 April 2023, responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment.
The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has put in place initiatives to improve access to dental care for the whole population. The Dental Access Pilot allows dentists to be open outside of their normal working hours to see patients in need, self-referred or referred from NHS 111. Up to 4 December 2023, just under 4,000 additional patients have been seen because of this work. The pilot will continue until March 2025.
Patients who are struggling to find a local dentist can contact NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre for assistance or contact NHS 111 if seeking urgent care.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the capacity of NHS dentists in Southend.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers are always keen to discuss issues regarding National Health Service dentistry.
Our plan for dentistry, to be published shortly, will build upon the first package of reforms agreed in July 2022, which included changes to banding and the introduction of a minimum Units of Dental Activity value. Our plan will include addressing how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make NHS work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver more NHS care.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. These include a 40% increase to dentistry undergraduate training places by 2031/32. To support this ambition, we will expand places by 24% by 2028/29, taking the overall number that year to 1,000 places.
From 1 April 2023, responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment.
The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has put in place initiatives to improve access to dental care for the whole population. The Dental Access Pilot allows dentists to be open outside of their normal working hours to see patients in need, self-referred or referred from NHS 111. Up to 4 December 2023, just under 4,000 additional patients have been seen because of this work. The pilot will continue until March 2025.
Patients who are struggling to find a local dentist can contact NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre for assistance or contact NHS 111 if seeking urgent care.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve dental hygiene in Southend.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers are always keen to discuss issues regarding National Health Service dentistry.
Our plan for dentistry, to be published shortly, will build upon the first package of reforms agreed in July 2022, which included changes to banding and the introduction of a minimum Units of Dental Activity value. Our plan will include addressing how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make NHS work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver more NHS care.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. These include a 40% increase to dentistry undergraduate training places by 2031/32. To support this ambition, we will expand places by 24% by 2028/29, taking the overall number that year to 1,000 places.
From 1 April 2023, responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment.
The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has put in place initiatives to improve access to dental care for the whole population. The Dental Access Pilot allows dentists to be open outside of their normal working hours to see patients in need, self-referred or referred from NHS 111. Up to 4 December 2023, just under 4,000 additional patients have been seen because of this work. The pilot will continue until March 2025.
Patients who are struggling to find a local dentist can contact NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre for assistance or contact NHS 111 if seeking urgent care.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of NHS dental treatment in Southend.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers are always keen to discuss issues regarding National Health Service dentistry.
Our plan for dentistry, to be published shortly, will build upon the first package of reforms agreed in July 2022, which included changes to banding and the introduction of a minimum Units of Dental Activity value. Our plan will include addressing how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make NHS work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver more NHS care.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. These include a 40% increase to dentistry undergraduate training places by 2031/32. To support this ambition, we will expand places by 24% by 2028/29, taking the overall number that year to 1,000 places.
From 1 April 2023, responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment.
The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has put in place initiatives to improve access to dental care for the whole population. The Dental Access Pilot allows dentists to be open outside of their normal working hours to see patients in need, self-referred or referred from NHS 111. Up to 4 December 2023, just under 4,000 additional patients have been seen because of this work. The pilot will continue until March 2025.
Patients who are struggling to find a local dentist can contact NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre for assistance or contact NHS 111 if seeking urgent care.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of when work will begin on the (a) accessible lift and (b) bridge at Chalkwell station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have now completed the design for an Access for All scheme at Chalkwell station. A delivery contractor was appointed on 8 December and the hon member will be notified when work on site is due to commence.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the exemption in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 that allows for the use of pig farrowing crates, in the context of the development of alternative systems.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Legislation sets minimum legal requirements and already allows for development and use of alternative farrowing systems. The UK has a significant outdoor pig sector with 40% of the national sow breeding herd farrowing freely on outdoor units with no option for confinement.
Defra’s 2018 statutory welfare code of practice for pigs confirms that ‘the aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets’. Over the years the Government has funded research into farrowing systems which led to the website Freefarrowing.org. This site provides a variety of information and resources for pig farmers on the different farrowing options available and includes the latest research conducted on them.
We continue to work with the farming industry to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, part of our new domestic agricultural policy, supports farmers to produce healthier, higher welfare animals. The Government’s welfare priorities for the Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an NHS long term service medal.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There has been no such assessment and there is no national system in place for recognising long service in the National Health Service. It is the responsibility of individual employing NHS organisations to recognise any long service by staff members, with most NHS organisations already having their own internal processes in place to do this.
For NHS employees with long term service and who have made an outstanding contribution, the honours system celebrates those who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better. Nominations can be made online via the Cabinet Office website.
Asked by: Anna Firth (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of mobile dental check-up vehicles on children's oral health.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for children and adults in their local area.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published an evidence-based toolkit, ‘Delivering better oral health - an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’, for dental teams to support preventive advice and treatment for their patients, including the prevention of tooth decay in children. This toolkit is available at the following link:
OHID has also published ‘Improving oral health: an evidence-informed toolkit for local authorities’, which has, as one of its recommendations, oral health training for the wider professional workforce. This is available at the following link: