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Written Question
General Practitioners: Working Hours
Wednesday 12th October 2022

Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the publication General Practice Workforce, published by NHS Digital on 31 August 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of 23 per cent. of GPs working more than 37.5hrs per week compared to 32 per cent. five years ago; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the funding model for GP practices so that funding is allocated per patient contact.

Answered by Will Quince

Between June 2017 and June 2022, the number of full-time equivalent doctors in general practice grew by 1,340. There are no current plans to assess or amend the funding model for general practitioner practices.


Written Question
Travel: Coronavirus
Wednesday 20th October 2021

Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the equity of international travel rules in relation to covid-19 for UK residents who have (a) received one dose of a covid-19 vaccine in Scotland and one dose of the vaccine in England and (b) participated in the Novavax trial.

Answered by Maggie Throup

NHS Digital has established data flows between England and Scotland which allow United Kingdom residents to obtain a NHS COVID Pass, regardless of which nation their vaccine was administered in. These individuals are able to demonstrate their fully vaccinated status for international travel purposes.

All Novavax trial participants can now access a domestic NHS COVID Pass. The majority of trial participants can also access a NHS COVID Pass for international travel. Discussions are ongoing with other countries, including through bodies such as the G7, G20, the European Union and the World Health Organization to shape a common approach for trial participants around the world.


Written Question
Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Independent Review
Tuesday 6th July 2021

Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm and published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of recommendation five of that report on the rollout of specialist centres.

Answered by Nadine Dorries

There are now eight specialist centres in operation across England to provide services for women with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. NHS England and NHS Improvement will announce the location of a provider in the south west in due course.

The recommendation of the establishment of specialist centres for those impacted by medication taken during pregnancy remains under careful consideration. We will respond to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report in full this year.


Written Question
Nurses: Pay
Monday 11th January 2021

Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of changes to (a) pension contributions and (b) overall pay for nursing staff at the next pay settlement.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The current member contribution structure in the NHS Pension Scheme has been in place since 1 April 2015. The NHS Pension Scheme is a mutual scheme for the benefit of the National Health Service workforce, and the contribution structure is designed to cover the average 9.8% employee contribution towards the cost of the generous benefits provided to members.

The NHS Pension Scheme Advisory Board, a statutory body made up of employer and staff representatives, has been asked to make recommendations on the future structure of employee contributions to be implemented from 1 April 2022. The Department expects to consult on proposals for changes to the employee contribution rate structure during 2021, following consideration of those recommendations.

To protect jobs, pay rises in the rest of the public sector will be paused next year, with the exception of those on lower incomes and NHS workers. The NHS Pay Review Body will report next year and the Government will take their recommendations into account in setting Agenda for Change pay, which includes nurses.


Written Question
Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
Tuesday 7th July 2015

Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to improve support for children and young people with mental health problems.

Answered by Alistair Burt

We are working to develop seamless and integrated mental health services for children and young people through a major transformation programme backed by additional funding. NHS England are expanding the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme to cover all England by 2018 and, with the Department for Education, developing single points of contact for mental health in schools.