Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what scientific evidence informed the recommendation of the level for vitamin D supplementations.
Answered by Jo Churchill
United Kingdom vitamin D recommendations are based on advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). The SACN is an advisory committee of independent experts that advises the Government on nutrition-related matters.
In its 2016 report on vitamin D and health, the SACN carried out an extensive and robust assessment of the evidence on vitamin D and a wide range of musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal health outcomes, including infection. The SACN report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-vitamin-d-and-health-report
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people with settled status need to prove their status before they can receive the covid-19 vaccine.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Entitlement to free National Health Service treatment is generally based on ordinary residence in the United Kingdom. A person who can show they have taken up ordinary residence in the UK can access all NHS services immediately, including COVID-19 vaccinations, based on clinical need. This will be on a free of charge basis. They can apply to register with a general practitioner practice near where they now live.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to prioritise people in care home settings with learning disabilities for covid-19 vaccination; and if he will take steps to ensure that those people are vaccinated with higher priority than priority level six in the context of the covid-19 mortality rate among adults with learning disabilities.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advise the Government on which vaccine(s) the United Kingdom should use and provide advice on prioritisation.
As the highest risk of mortality increases with age, the JCVI advise that care home residents, their staff and those over 80 years old should be the first group to receive the vaccine. Adults with Down's syndrome and people with a severe and profound learning disability are also prioritised to receive the vaccine; they are within the fourth and sixth vaccine prioritisation groups respectively.
With regards to prioritising vaccines for people in care home settings with learning disabilities higher than in their current group six category, we will continue to review the evidence and advice from the JCVI as it emerges to determine if this is required.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of mental health hubs in the community.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The NHS Long Term Plan set out a vision for providing integrated mental health support across primary and community services to ensure people can access the care, treatment and support at the earliest point of need.
All local areas have received funding to develop and deliver these new models of integrated care by 2023-24. The Government has not prescribed the form these should take though they may take the form of community mental health hubs.