Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to support a funded pilot project aimed to create a national blueprint for the provision of Autism Assistance Dogs.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department of Health and Social Care has no current plans to fund a pilot project aimed to create a national blueprint for the provision of Autism Assistance Dogs.
It is for local commissioners to ensure that the appropriate provision is available to meet the health and care needs of the local population, including considering whether they provide Autism Assistance Dogs as part of their provision. NHS England is developing a framework of best practice to assist commissioners to improve outcomes for autistic people.
Integrated care boards and National Health Service trusts should have due regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines ‘Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management’ and ‘Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management’. These evidenced guidelines set out how health and social care professionals can provide support for autistic people.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to reduce health inequalities.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
No decisions have been taken in relation to the Health Disparities White Paper.
The Department continues to review how health disparities can be addressed and further information will be available in due course.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
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 financial effect of the fallow times required between dentistry appointments on a dentist's total funding from the Government, in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Jo Churchill
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
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 effect on health of missed dental appointments as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jo Churchill
No such assessment has been made.
Dental practices have been able to open for face to face care from 8 June, with urgent provision backed up by over 600 urgent dental care centres across the country. The Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Chief Dental Officer for England to increase levels of service, as fast as is safely possible.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have set out guidance that dentists should focus on care that is urgent, care to vulnerable groups and then overdue routine appointments. In circumstances where patients are unable to access an urgent dental appointment directly through a National Health Service dental practice, they should contact NHS 111 for assistance.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
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 effect on public health of the closure of gyms as a result of covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The Government considers the impact restrictions may have on public health.
Whilst we recognise that exercise is important for people’s mental and physical health, gyms are high risk settings for spreading COVID-19.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his funding plans are for future adult social care provision.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
As part of the 2020 Spending Review the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government will provide councils with access to an additional £1 billion for social care next year. In addition, we expect to provide councils with estimated funding of around £3 billion to help manage the impact of COVID-19 across their services, including in adult social care, and to compensate for income losses.
This funding will support local authorities to maintain care services while keeping up with rising demand and recovering from the impact of COVID-19.
Asked by: James Grundy (Conservative - Leigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made in setting up a commission to determine the future of adult social care.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Government is committed to sustainable improvement of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals in 2021. The long-term reform of social care is a complex topic, which requires full and thorough consideration, particularly in light of the current circumstances.
The Department has recently held detailed discussions with stakeholders about social care and the impact of COVID 19 on reform priorities, including a roundtable with workforce representatives. We will continue to work with and listen to stakeholders as reform plans develop.