Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
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 potential merits of appointing a UK Maternity Commissioner.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no current plans to appoint a Maternity Commissioner. The Government has commissioned an independent National Investigation into maternity and neonatal care, chaired by Baroness Amos, which is expected to make recommendations this spring. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to address the recommendations and develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
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 help ensure newly qualified paramedics can access appropriate NHS job opportunities.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on the employment of newly qualified paramedics are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are working closely with NHS England, employers, and educators to improve transition into the workforce.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure patients living near the England-Wales border receive timely care after a cross-border referral.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment and it is imperative that the elective waiting list is a top priority.
We have committed to closer working with the Welsh Government as a step towards sharing more insights and practice so that we can cut waiting lists across the UK and build a National Health Service that is fit for the future.
There are special cross-border arrangements for patients who live on the English-Welsh border to make sure they receive healthcare without confusion or delay, and that patient data can be accessed by relevant professionals. We will continue to ensure these arrangements support high-quality care for patients in both England and Wales.
To support these arrangements, NHS England and the Welsh Government have also published two sets of data on cross-border care as a starting point for greater transparency and closer working relations across the Devolved Governments.
Together we aim to deliver faster, improved and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, helping patients to get the care they need, in a timely manner.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
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 ensure the adequacy of the supply of GLP1 medication.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has worked intensively with the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and others in the supply chain to largely resolve the supply issues with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). Currently, all GLP-1 RA medicines are available for NHS patients. We are aware of a short-term supply issue with one strength of Wegovy FlexTouch injection for private patients which is expected to resolve in mid-September 2025.
We continue to monitor the supply of GLP-1 RAs closely to ensure these medicines remain available. Any patient concerned about their condition, or access to these medications, should speak to their prescriber in the first instance.