Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to estimate the additional costs disabled people incur as a result of their conditions or impairments.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Modernising Support for Independent Living: The Health and Disability Green Paper looks at different options to reshape the current welfare system so that we can provide better targeted support to those who need it most. Chapter 3 ‘PIP – What do we provide support for?’ explores the types of extra costs disabled people or people with long-term health conditions have, recognising each individual has different costs and experiences.
We are gathering information through our 12-week consultation which was published on Monday 29 April and will close on Monday 22 July at 11:59pm.
We encourage everyone to respond to the consultation which can be found here, so that we are able to hear from as many disabled people, people with health conditions, their representatives, and local stakeholders as possible on these important issues.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) optimum management of prosthetic infection in primary care.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
General practitioners (GP) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up to date, including for prosthetic joint infection, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.
All United Kingdom registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Good Medical Practice. In 2012 the GMC introduced revalidation, which supports doctors in regularly reflecting on how they can develop or improve their practice, giving patients confidence that doctors are up to date with their practice, and promoting improved quality of care by driving improvements in clinical governance. The training curricula for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners, and must meet the standards set by the GMC.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a social tariff in the energy market.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
A social tariff is fundamentally about supporting the most vulnerable with the cost-of-living, including energy bill costs, and this is what we have delivered. Between 2022-25 we are delivering a package of support worth £108 billion, or £3,800 per household on average.
Energy prices have fallen significantly, and the Quarter 2 2024 price cap has dropped by nearly 60% since the 2023 peak. We are also continuing to support eligible low-income households through the Warm Home Discount, providing an annual £150 rebate off energy bills until 2025-26.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) optimum management of prosthetic infection in all healthcare settings.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Ensuring that healthcare staff have the requisite skills and training to implement and improve infection prevention and control (IPC) practices is the responsibility of each employer. The NHS England National Infection Prevention and Control manual (NIPCM), is an evidence-based practice manual that seeks to promote a common understanding, leading to improved knowledge and consistency of application of IPC practices. The manual supports the system in implementing IPC improvements aimed at minimising infection risk and meeting the ambitions set out in the United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 antimicrobial resistance national action plan across England.
In general, the management of prosthetic infection in all healthcare settings consists of surgery and antimicrobial therapy, with the approach depending on the timing and microbiology of infection, implant condition, soft tissue envelope quality, and individual patient circumstances.
Getting It Right First Time is an improvement programme within the National Health Service led by frontline clinicians designed to improve the quality of care within the NHS by reducing unwarranted variations. By sharing best practice nationally, it identifies changes that will help improve care and patient outcomes and delivers efficiencies such as the reduction of unnecessary procedures and cost savings.
The UK Health Security Agency manages the national Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Service (SSISS). This service enhances the quality of patient care by providing hospitals with a framework for collection and comparison of their rates of SSI against national benchmarks. The information is used to review and guide clinical practice to reduce the risk of infection following surgery. There are 17 categories of surgery under surveillance by hospitals, which include hip and knee replacement. For all NHS hospitals undertaking orthopaedic surgery, mandatory surveillance is carried out in at least one orthopaedic surgical category each quarter of the financial year, with hip and knee replacements being the most numerous. The service also encourages voluntary surveillance, which includes limb amputation.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of adopting the (a) Infection & Orthopaedic Management (INFORM), (b) British Orthopaedic Association and (c) other guidelines for the treatment and management of prosthetic joint infections.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency manages a national surveillance programme, the Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Surveillance Service, which enhances the quality of patient care by providing hospitals with a framework for collection and comparison of their rates of SSI against national benchmarks. This information is used to review and guide clinical practice, to reduce the risk of infection following surgery. Hip and knee replacements are two of the 17 categories of surgery under surveillance by hospitals. Surveillance in at least one orthopaedic surgical category per quarter, per financial year is mandatory for all National Health Service hospitals undertaking orthopaedic surgery, with hip and knee replacements being the most numerous.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the holistic care approach for cancer (a) care and (b) delivery to (i) prosthetic infection and (ii) other clinical conditions.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the merits of expanding the holistic approach, used for cancer, to prosthetic infection and other clinical conditions, however the National Health Service is working towards a holistic approach in infection prevention and control, and in long-term conditions. This includes improving perioperative care for surgical clinical care pathways, including for prosthetic infections, whereby patients receive proactive, personalised support to optimise their health before surgery.
The NHS works hard to deliver care to meet people’s needs as far as possible, given this can have a significant impact on their experience and quality of life. Cancer Alliances across England are working to ensure that every person receives personalised care and support from cancer diagnosis onwards. This involves holistic need assessments to ensure people's physical, practical, emotional, and social needs are identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity. It also involves accessible information about emotional support, coping with side effects, financial advice, getting back to work, and making healthy lifestyle choices, before, during, and after treatment.