Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to inform women about the dangers of drinking alcohol whilst pregnant.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department is considering future research in this area and how improvements to the data collected can be made. The Department funds and commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the effect of alcohol on pregnant women and unborn babies. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. The NIHR is currently funding research to improve support for midwifes to discuss harms of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines provide advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England and local commissioners continue to raise awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant and through midwives and health visitors. The Maternity Transformation Programme works with the Royal Colleges and regulatory bodies to raise the profile of the CMOs’ guidelines and recommend it is included in training. The alcohol calorie consultation will seek views on whether the provision of the UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines, including a pregnancy warning, should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase research into the effect of alcohol on (a) pregnant women and (b) their unborn babies.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department is considering future research in this area and how improvements to the data collected can be made. The Department funds and commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the effect of alcohol on pregnant women and unborn babies. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. The NIHR is currently funding research to improve support for midwifes to discuss harms of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines provide advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England and local commissioners continue to raise awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant and through midwives and health visitors. The Maternity Transformation Programme works with the Royal Colleges and regulatory bodies to raise the profile of the CMOs’ guidelines and recommend it is included in training. The alcohol calorie consultation will seek views on whether the provision of the UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines, including a pregnancy warning, should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, at what stage in the process is the post-implementation review of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016; and when that review will be published.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department will publish its response to the post implementation review of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, as well as the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products 2015, early this year. The review reports are currently with the Regulatory Policy Committee and we await the conclusion of their process. Following these reviews, the Department will consider the need for any regulatory changes.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 provide a long-term solution to social care.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Last year, we announced an additional £5.4 billion over three years to begin a comprehensive social care reform programme.
This includes £3.6 billion to reform the social care charging system protecting everybody from unlimited and unfair costs and £1.7 billion to begin major improvements across the social care system.
In December we published a white paper that set out our 10-year vision for reforming adult social care and our priorities for that investment.
This includes at least £500 million investment to support the development and wellbeing of the social care workforce, a £300 million investment in increasing the range of supported housing and £150 million to improve technology and digital records.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of classifying rheumatoid arthritis as a medical condition which provides exemption from the prescription charge.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We currently have no plans to review or extend the prescription charge medical exemptions list to include rheumatoid arthritis. Approximately 89% of prescriptions are already dispensed free of charge and extensive arrangements are in place to help those most in need. To support those who do not qualify for an exemption, the cost of prescriptions can be spread by purchasing a prescription pre-payment certificate. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to increase the amount of money recovered from foreign nationals using the NHS.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department has no current plans to increase the rates charged to overseas visitors for National Health Service care. However, we continue to work with NHS England and NHS Improvement to help trusts improve overseas charging processes and increase debt recovery.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people who have missed cancer appointments as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The National Health Service is focusing on reducing the number of people waiting over 62 days on cancer pathways, particularly rescheduling diagnostic procedures or treatments for those whose care was delayed by the pandemic. An additional £1 billion has been made available to the NHS in 2021/22 to support the recovery of elective activity and cancer services.
The NHS is supporting adults experiencing cancer with access to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) mental health services, which provide evidence-based therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression. The implementation of IAPT-Long Term Condition pathways has been identified as a priority to support integration of mental health and physical health services for people with co-morbid long-term conditions, such as cancer.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to what extent the UK delegation at the forthcoming Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will (a) have its policy positions determined by his Department in advance and (b) have leeway to determine its own policy positions during the Conference.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department’s policy position at the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will be determined in advance of the meeting, in accordance with the 2017 Tobacco Control Plan and our ambition to be smoke free by 2030.
Departmental officials will review the agenda items and papers along with relevant required actions for opportunities to present the United Kingdom’s position, in compliance with the rules of procedure at COP9.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of nurses in the NHS.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are on target to deliver 50,000 more nurses by the end of this Parliament which will be achieved through increased domestic recruitment, increased international recruitment and improved retention.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 protect the elderly and the vulnerable in the run up to winter 2021-22.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to supporting the elderly and the vulnerable in society ahead of winter through offering a free seasonal flu vaccination to those over 65 years old and increased funding for National Health Service and adult social care services. We announced a further £6.6 billion funding for NHS services on 18 March 2021 and councils have access to £1 billion of additional funding for social care in 2021-22.
This year there is continued risk from COVID-19. Everybody in cohorts one to nine, which includes those aged 50 years old and over and the clinically vulnerable, have now been offered a COVID-19 vaccine and the Government has published guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable.