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Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Fraud and Maladministration
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

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 entitled Cross-Government Fraud Landscape: Annual Report 2022, published on 21 March 2023, what the basis is of the increase in detected error in her Department from £0.5m in 2019/20 to £43.2m in 2020/21.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The increase in reported error in 2020/21 was due to the NHS Business Services Authority commencing the reporting of errors identified as part of their NHS Provider Assurance activity.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Domicil
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any non-executive directors employed in her Department are non-domiciled.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The personal data of non-executive directors, including those relating to personal taxation or status, are protected by the UK General Data Protection Regulation. Collection of personal data on non-domiciled status is not routinely collected and is generally not required for making public appointments. If any such data was held it could only be published if doing so followed data protection law. Non-executive board members are not employees of the Department and act in an advisory capacity. Data relating to public appointments are covered by the Public Appointments Privacy Statement, which is available at the following link:

https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/privacy


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Recruitment
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much her Department spent on external recruitment consultants in the (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23 financial year.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. External recruitment agencies and search firms are an important resource which support the Civil Service's ability to recruit, particularly to find talented people, in the right places, with the right capabilities to deliver for the people of the United Kingdom. The Civil Service has developed several commercial frameworks which provide transparency, high quality services and value for money.


Written Question
Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: Health Services
Thursday 19th October 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing care to those with (a) PANS and (b) PANDAS who have (i) been hospitalised and (ii) left with enduring and life-changing symptoms after receiving in-effective healthcare treatment.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Department has made no such estimate as the number of patients affected in this way is currently unknown.


Written Question
Medical Treatments: Children
Tuesday 19th September 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

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 potential cost of providing (a) anti-inflammatory and (b) immunomodulatory treatment to young people where the potential merits of doing so outweigh the potential harms.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

We have no plans to make such an estimate.


Written Question
Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Thursday 14th September 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

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 recognising PANS and PANDAS as a condition eligible for personalised NHS treatment.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

No assessment has been made.


Written Question
Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: Children and Young People
Tuesday 12th September 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that children and young people living with PANS and PANDAS receive effective, patient-centred care.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)

are an emerging area of research and clinical interest for professionals working with children and young people. Should the evidence base develop further, we would look to organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to update clinical policy. NHS England would then consider the development of care pathways for those living with relevant these conditions.

In the meantime, integrated care systems are responsible for planning care for their populations affected by these conditions and healthcare professionals will want to take account of any new research and developments in guidance to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to their patients.


Written Question
Diseases: Children and Young People
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholders on the development of care pathways for children and young people living with (i) Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), (ii) Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and (iii) associated immune mediated/post-infective neuro-behavioural disorders.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

No such discussions have taken place recently.


Written Question
Obesity: Drugs
Tuesday 13th June 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish further details on his Department's plans for evaluating the potential impact of making new obesity drugs accessible to patients living with obesity outside of hospital settings on (a) employment outcomes and (b) health-related benefit caseloads.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Department and NHS England are working with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to ensure that a robust evaluation of the weight loss drug pilots takes place. Exact details of the evaluation will be determined once the pilot design is finalised.


Written Question
Employment Schemes: Disability
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish further details on the expansion of the Individual Placement and Support scheme in England announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Spring Budget 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

As set out in the Budget, the Government will further embed tailored employment support within mental health services in England, by expanding the Individual Placement and Support scheme. Further information will be made available in due course.