Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures his Department is taking to improve the access people experiencing homelessness have to health and social care services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have access to appropriate health and social care services. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline 214, titled Integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness, sets out clear expectations for services to be accessible and tailored to individual needs, and is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214/chapter/Recommendations#intermediate-care

We are exploring how best to encourage integrated care boards to adopt and embed this guidance within their commissioning processes.

People experiencing homelessness are considered as an inclusion health group. Inclusion health groups are a key cohort within the locally identified priority ‘PLUS’ populations in NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework to reduce healthcare inequalities. Further information on NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/equality-hub/national-healthcare-inequalities-improvement-programme/core20plus5/

Integrated care boards are responsible for implementing this approach, aiming to reduce inequalities in health outcomes and improve equitable access to healthcare treatments and services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Housing First interventions for people experiencing homelessness on (a) health outcomes and (b) costs to the NHS.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to improving health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support those experiencing homelessness with multiple and complex needs.

The Government published an evaluation of the Housing First pilots, including their impact on health outcomes, a copy of which is attached. However, Housing First is not a Department of Health and Social Care policy, therefore the National Health Service has not undertaken analysis of its effectiveness and costs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of implementing the recommendations of the report by the Association of Optometrists entitled Key Interventions to Transform Eye Care and Eye Health, published in October 2024, relating to a national-roll out of (a) Community Urgent Eye Service and Minor Eye Conditions Service, (b) the Integrated Glaucoma Pathway, and (c) the Integrated Cataract Pathway for pre and post assessments on costs to the NHS.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.

NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Minor Eye Conditions Service and (b) Community Urgent Eyecare Service on (i) patient outcomes and (ii) unnecessary referrals to secondary care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.

NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of a Minor Eye Conditions Service in every part of the country.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.

NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Minor Eye Conditions Service and (b) Community Urgent Eyecare Service.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.

NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements with union safety representatives during (a) insolvency and (b) restructuring on the ability of aviation workforces to raise collective safety concerns with the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures are in place to ensure the Civil Aviation Authority retains operational independence when it holds a (a) financial and (b) commercial interest in an aviation organisation undergoing (i) insolvency and (ii) restructuring.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of aviation safety assurance arrangements when an approved maintenance organisation becomes insolvent.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Aviation safety is a government priority.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), in its capacity as a regulator, does not hold any financial or commercial interest in aviation organisations. The CAA remains independent in its actions, including during any period of insolvency or restructuring.

If an approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the UK CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, that organisation will need to demonstrate to the UK CAA that the Accountable Manager has the necessary funding allocation for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. If an organisation cannot meet these requirements, approval is suspended immediately.

To address concerns raised on the potential impact of non-disclosure agreements in the aviation sector, the aviation workforce has multiple means of raising collective safety concerns. The UK CAA has established a range of reporting channels, including mandatory and voluntary incident reporting and dedicated whistleblowing routes.

Staff working for industries regulated by the CAA can also use the Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) service at any time to raise concerns confidentially.

Found: Current membership Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat; Oxford West and Abingdon) (Chair) Danny Beales (Labour

Found: Parliamentary testimony highlights the real-life significance: ○ Labour MP Danny Beales stated in a debate

Found: Q88 Danny Beales: Good morning.

Found: Wednesday 30 October 2024 Virtual meeting Members present Layla Moran, in the Chair 1 Danny Beales