Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take legislative steps to allow pubs to designate outdoor smoking and vaping areas.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced to Parliament on 5 November 2024, and passed its second reading in the House of Commons on 25 November 2024. The bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce approximately 80,000 preventable deaths and reduce the burden on the National Health Service and on the taxpayer.
The bill contains powers to extend the ban on smoking indoors to certain outdoor settings, to reduce the harms of second-hand smoking, particularly around children and vulnerable people. In England, we are considering extending smoke-free outdoor places to outside schools, children’s playgrounds, and hospitals, but not to outdoor hospitality settings such as pub gardens. The bill also has powers to make most public places and workplaces that are smoke-free, vape-free.
Exactly which settings should become smoke-free and vape-free will be a matter for secondary legislation, with all proposed reforms subject to a full consultation.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of his Department's spending relates to medical negligence and claims (a) nationally and (b) in Warrington North constituency.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England.
In NHSR’s annual report and accounts, published on 23 July 2024, reports that the total of payments made by NHSR for clinical negligence claims in 2023/24 was £2,821,200,000. This is approximately 1.6% of the NHS resource budget.
Regarding the specific cost of clinical negligence claims in the Warrington North Constituency, NHSR has advised that it does not record the cost claims in the format requested.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what treatments are (a) available and (b) due to become available in the next 12 months on the NHS for people who have experienced adverse side effects to Covid-19 vaccines.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the very rare event where an individual may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, care and treatment will be best met and managed by National Health Service local specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice. Individuals will be treated and managed through existing healthcare services, with any treatment dependent on the individuals’ clinical needs.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase funding for the children's mental health to (a) reduce waiting times for and (b) increase access to support.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is unacceptable that too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. That is why we will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across both adult and children and young people’s mental health services. We are discussing our future investment in children and young people’s mental health services.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Education to consider how to deliver our manifesto commitment of accessing a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents, and carers. This includes considering the role of existing programmes of support with evidence of a positive impact, such as Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.
Alongside this we are working toward rolling out Young Futures hubs in every community, offering open access mental health services for young people.
The Mental Health Bill currently before Parliament will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983, so that it is fit for the 21st century. The Bill will amend the Act, which applies to England and Wales, and give patients detained under the Act greater choice, autonomy, rights, and support.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what level of indemnity is required for each NHS job category.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
All regulated healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom are legally required to hold appropriate clinical negligence cover for the costs of claims and damages awarded to patients. This is set out under Section 44 of the Medical Act 1983.
Most staff at National Health Service trusts and NHS general practices in England and Wales benefit from state indemnity, in respect of NHS clinical negligence. These state indemnity schemes are the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts, the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice, and the Existing Liabilities Scheme For General Practice, with further information about all three schemes available, respectively, at the following three links:
Clinical negligence claims under these schemes are administered by NHS Resolution on behalf of the Government. Where regulated healthcare professionals undertake work not covered by a state scheme, for instance doctors working in private practice, dentists, and general practitioners in Scotland and Northern Ireland, they must purchase their own cover.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to enable Integrated Care Boards to draw on surge capacity from auxiliary organisations such as St John Ambulance to help support NHS emergency preparedness.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The independent investigation into National Health Service performance, published on 12 September, is helping to inform a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS and build a health service that is more resilient and fit for the future.
It is for local integrated care boards, in partnership with providers and stakeholders, to take decisions on how NHS services, including those delivered by the voluntary and charitable sectors, can best meet the needs of their local populations, and help improve patient outcomes.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings of Lord Darzi's Independent investigation of the NHS in England, published on 12 September 2024, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen NHS resilience; and whether he plans to collaborate with auxiliary support partners such as St John Ambulance to help (a) reduce NHS pressures and (b) improve health outcomes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The independent investigation into National Health Service performance, published on 12 September, is helping to inform a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS and build a health service that is more resilient and fit for the future.
It is for local integrated care boards, in partnership with providers and stakeholders, to take decisions on how NHS services, including those delivered by the voluntary and charitable sectors, can best meet the needs of their local populations, and help improve patient outcomes.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether automated external defibrillators installed on Government buildings are registered onto The Circuit national defibrillator network.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed on Government buildings, or whether those AEDs are registered on the Circuit. The Circuit is a national defibrillator and ambulance service database, operated independently by the British Heart Foundation in collaboration with the National Health Service.
The Government is committed to improving access to AEDs in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply, and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs.
Once installed, these AEDS are required to be registered on the Circuit. Upon registration, contact details are provided for the nominated AED guardian, or guardians, who are local to the defibrillator’s location and conduct checks when required. The registered guardian receives an automatic email or text notification if the defibrillator has potentially been used, therefore prompting the guardian to conduct a check on the AED.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage community organisations in (a) Warrington and (b) the rest of England to register their automated external defibrillators onto The Circuit national defibrillator network.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed on Government buildings, or whether those AEDs are registered on the Circuit. The Circuit is a national defibrillator and ambulance service database, operated independently by the British Heart Foundation in collaboration with the National Health Service.
The Government is committed to improving access to AEDs in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply, and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs.
Once installed, these AEDS are required to be registered on the Circuit. Upon registration, contact details are provided for the nominated AED guardian, or guardians, who are local to the defibrillator’s location and conduct checks when required. The registered guardian receives an automatic email or text notification if the defibrillator has potentially been used, therefore prompting the guardian to conduct a check on the AED.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) help increase survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and (b) increase the availability of defibrillators in Warrington.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed on Government buildings, or whether those AEDs are registered on the Circuit. The Circuit is a national defibrillator and ambulance service database, operated independently by the British Heart Foundation in collaboration with the National Health Service.
The Government is committed to improving access to AEDs in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply, and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs.
Once installed, these AEDS are required to be registered on the Circuit. Upon registration, contact details are provided for the nominated AED guardian, or guardians, who are local to the defibrillator’s location and conduct checks when required. The registered guardian receives an automatic email or text notification if the defibrillator has potentially been used, therefore prompting the guardian to conduct a check on the AED.