Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 12 of the Fifth Special Report of Session 2022–23 of the Women and Equalities Committee entitled Black maternal health: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report, published on 30 June 2023, HC 1611, what the outcome was of the scoping exercise undertaking by NHS England on (a) the implications of co-ordinating the Maternal Health Disparities review and (b) assessing how to bring relevant stakeholders together.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The scoping work, to fully understand the implications of co-ordinating this review and determining the best way to bring the relevant stakeholders together, has not yet started.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the average length of time it takes for a person with Dementia to receive a completed care and support plan.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on the average length of time it takes for a person with dementia to receive a completed care and support plan is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 adequacy of funding for Admiral Nurses.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of funding for Admiral Nurses, who are developed and supported by Dementia UK as an independent charitable organisation. Provision of dementia health services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services, which may include Admiral Nurses, based on local population needs.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling shortages of Tegretol 100mg tablets.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We were aware of a shortage of Tegretol (carbamazepine) 100mg tablets which has now been resolved. We issued communications to the National Health Service advising on use of alternative Tegretol preparations. We worked closely with the manufacturer to resolve the issue.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with (a) the Home Office and (b) relevant stakeholders on the supply of Zapain.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of a supply disruption affecting Zapain. The Department is working with the manufacturer to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
The Department works closely with the Home Office and relevant authorities on supply issues concerning drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. We, however, cannot comment on discussions relating to individual licence holders or prospective licensees about applications that may have been made to the Home Office.
We have well-established processes for managing and mitigating medicine supply issues, which involve working with the pharmaceutical industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, the devolved governments and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients have access to the treatments they need.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 increases in service charges on care home residents, in the context of increases in the cost of energy.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the pressures faced by the adult social care sector, including inflation and energy costs, and have made available up to £8.1 billion in additional funding over this year and next to support adult social care and discharge.
There continues to be specific energy support for those on non-domestic contracts, including businesses, charities and public sector organisations such as care homes. Through the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) eligible non-domestic consumers will receive a per-unit discount to their energy bills from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, subject to a maximum discount.
The Government has not assessed the potential impact of increases in service charges on care home residents. Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 contracting NHS neurodevelopmental assessments to private providers; and whether he has had discussions with the NHS on the potential merits of conducting such tests via the NHS.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
NHS England does not collect cost information for neurodevelopmental assessments in its ledgers or system reporting.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to neurodevelopmental assessments.
The NHS Constitution already gives patients the legal right to choose the provider and team who will provide their elective care. These rights extend to any provider in England who holds a contract with an ICB, or NHS England, for the service(s) the patient. This includes independent sector providers. Mental health, learning disability and autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services are already in scope of this legislation.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Lord Markham's keynote speech at London Tech Week 2023 on 12 June 2023, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing the policy framework clarifying the market pathway for digital health technologies.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop a policy framework for Digital Health Technologies. The framework will clarify the market pathway for industry and ensure that well-evidenced technologies reach the hands of patients. The policy is planned for publication in 2024.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on the value of data it collects on long covid clinic (a) waiting lists and (b) patient outcomes.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
No such discussions have taken place. Plans for 2024/2025 will be set out in NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance by the end of this calendar year.
No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the services provided by long COVID clinics.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 effectiveness of the services provided by long covid clinics.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
No such discussions have taken place. Plans for 2024/2025 will be set out in NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance by the end of this calendar year.
No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the services provided by long COVID clinics.