Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department collects data on the number of NHS complaints that remain unresolved after (a) six months, (b) nine months and (c) twelve months; and what action is taken where NHS trusts exceed those timescales.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:
The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department collects data on the time taken by NHS trusts to respond to complaints relating to inpatient mental health services; and what steps she is taking to reduce delays in the resolution of such complaints.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:
The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
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 of the adequacy of current NHS complaints procedures in cases where bereaved families have waited more than nine months for a final response from a trust, and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing maximum response times for complaint investigations.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:
The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a diagnosis of cancer during (a) pregnancy and (b) maternity leave on a mother's physical health, mental wellbeing and access to treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or maternity leave can have a significant impact on women and their families.
The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will provide support to people with cancer before, during, and after their treatment, including for pregnant or postnatal women. Everyone should get a personalised needs assessment and personal cancer plan that takes into account their wider psychological and social needs, including the impact of pregnancy where relevant.
Health professionals should provide integrated care for pregnant women facing serious physical illnesses and mental health challenges. Significant progress has been made across England in recent years to transform and increase access to specialist perinatal mental health services.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield 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 is taking to improve awareness and understanding of the health impact of fibre among younger adults.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government recommends that adults consume 30 grams of fibre every day and that this should come from a variety of food sources. This is reflected in the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, which is a visual representation of Government advice on a healthy, balanced diet, and applies to most people from the age of two years old. The Eatwell Guide shows that we should base our diets on foods which are sources of fibre, for instance vegetables, fruit, and wholegrain or higher fibre starchy carbohydrate foods, as well as beans and pulses. The Eatwell Guide is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide
The Eatwell Guide principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the NHS.UK website and the Department’s social marketing campaigns Better Health, Better Health Families, and Best Start in Life. For example, the NHS.UK website features a page with advice on the health benefits of dietary fibre and how to get more fibre into your diet, with further information available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, is funding research into the health effects of diet on children and adults, including the effects of fibre. This includes a study which seeks to understand how the diet of children in the UK influences their health in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
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 of the potential implications for her policies of the Care Quality Commission's inspection report on North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, published on 28 March 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Following the publication of the inspection report on 28 March 2024, the Care Quality Commission continues to closely monitor the trust, and hold regular engagement meetings with senior managers. The trust is in segment 3 of the NHS Oversight Framework, which means they are receiving mandated regional support from NHS England. This process involves a diagnostic stocktake to identify the key drivers of the concerns that need to be resolved, understanding their support needs, and agreeing improvement actions. The trust’s leadership team and board are examining their processes and practices to improve them, and to deliver further improvements for staff, patients, and the local community.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans her Department has to improve the Care Quality Commission rating of North Middlesex University Hospital.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Following the publication of the inspection report on 28 March 2024, the Care Quality Commission continues to closely monitor the trust, and hold regular engagement meetings with senior managers. The trust is in segment 3 of the NHS Oversight Framework, which means they are receiving mandated regional support from NHS England. This process involves a diagnostic stocktake to identify the key drivers of the concerns that need to be resolved, understanding their support needs, and agreeing improvement actions. The trust’s leadership team and board are examining their processes and practices to improve them, and to deliver further improvements for staff, patients, and the local community.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how her Department plans to support North Middlesex University Hospital on the areas of the improvement listed in their Care Quality Commission report, published on 28 March 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Following the publication of the inspection report on 28 March 2024, the Care Quality Commission continues to closely monitor the trust, and hold regular engagement meetings with senior managers. The trust is in segment 3 of the NHS Oversight Framework, which means they are receiving mandated regional support from NHS England. This process involves a diagnostic stocktake to identify the key drivers of the concerns that need to be resolved, understanding their support needs, and agreeing improvement actions. The trust’s leadership team and board are examining their processes and practices to improve them, and to deliver further improvements for staff, patients, and the local community.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with North Middlesex University Hospital on their Care Quality Commission report, published on 28 March 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Following the publication of the inspection report on 28 March 2024, the Care Quality Commission continues to closely monitor the trust, and hold regular engagement meetings with senior managers. The trust is in segment 3 of the NHS Oversight Framework, which means they are receiving mandated regional support from NHS England. This process involves a diagnostic stocktake to identify the key drivers of the concerns that need to be resolved, understanding their support needs, and agreeing improvement actions. The trust’s leadership team and board are examining their processes and practices to improve them, and to deliver further improvements for staff, patients, and the local community.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to provide additional services in GP surgeries in Enfield North constituency.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
Practices are able to provide Directed Enhanced Services and Enhanced Services by opting in, and will receive payment for these services separately to global sum payments. As commissioners of primary care, integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.