Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many beneficiaries of Healthy Start paper vouchers have not yet re-enrolled via the new online registration system.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The NHS Business Services Authority estimate that as of 18 October 2022, there were 42,954 households previously were in receipt of paper vouchers which have not successfully applied to the NHS Healthy Start prepaid card scheme.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will increase the value of Healthy Start payments to keep in line with food price inflation.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
While there are no current plans to increase the value of Healthy Start, this is kept under continuous review. In April 2021 the value of the Healthy Start increased from £3.10 to £4.25, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices. Due to the increase, eligible families with children aged under one year old receive £8.50 compared to £6.20 previously.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications to Healthy Start payment have been made by parents with No Recourse to Public Funds with British children; and (b) how many beneficiaries are currently in receipt of payments.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Department has received 44 fully completed applications which meet the eligibility criteria for the temporary extension to the Healthy Start scheme. There are currently 31 beneficiaries in receipt of payments from the temporary extension to the Healthy Start scheme.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many eligible Beneficiaries for the Healthy Start voucher scheme there were in (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Wales between April and September 2022.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
This information is not currently held centrally. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the NHS Business Services Authority and the Department for Work and Pensions to obtain this data.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made (a) podiatry vacancy rates in the NHS in South Shields constituency and (b) the impact these vacancies will have on patient treatment for diabetic foot complications.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
No specific assessment has been made and this information is not collected in the format requested.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many households migrating from Healthy Start vouchers to cards were initially informed that they were ineligible for a card but were subsequently found to be eligible and are therefore owed backdated payments.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The information requested is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place a copy of the (a) contract and (b) negotiation terms agreed between the NHS and Dolby Vivisol in the House of Commons Library.
Answered by James Morris
NHS England undertook a central procurement exercise for home oxygen supplies (HOS) on behalf of local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). However, individual contracts are in place between CCGs and suppliers and are not held centrally. All HOS contracts are based on the National Health Service terms and conditions for the procurement of services which is available at the following link:
The North East, South East and South Central NHS regions contracted with Dolby Vivisol.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has guidance in place for families whose disabled relatives require a negative lateral flow test to access respite services but are unable to obtain the necessary testing sample due to the nature of their disability.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Department has published guidance on testing in adult social care settings, including respite services. Individuals accessing respite care through a care home should test before admission, to reduce the risk of bringing infection into the home and given the high-risk nature of these settings and vulnerabilities of residents. Based on public health advice, testing is not required if accessing care through other adult social care services, such as day care centres and domiciliary care.
For individuals who may be unable to test due to a disability, a risk assessment should be undertaken and a decision may determine whether it is in their best interests to be tested. In all instances, guidance on infection prevention and control measures should be followed in all adult social care services where individuals may access respite care to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2022 to Question 1680 on Care Homes: Coronavirus, if she will publish figures on respite care home capacity from March 2020 to the present.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
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 estimate of the number of (a) respite care homes, (b) care homes and (c) nursing homes limiting their patient capacity due to covid-19 restrictions in the latest period for which information is available.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The information requested is not held centrally. Updated guidance for the sector was published on 31 March 2022 to ensure there are sufficient protections for care recipients while safely removing restrictions as far as possible.