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Written Question
Sports: Medicine
Thursday 19th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to bring forward legislative proposals on regulating sports therapists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has no plans to extend statutory regulation to sports therapists at this time.


Written Question
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: Diagnosis and Medical Treatments
Wednesday 18th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is managed through cardiovascular services, and is managed by specialised cardiologists, linking with expertise from other specialties according to individual patients’ needs. Specialised Cardiology is one of the services which is being delegated to integrated care boards. Improvements in diagnosis and treatment are for local determination within national frameworks and NICE guidance and standards.

As of the end of October 2024, there were 412,017 patient pathways waiting for Cardiology Service, with 59.6%, or 245,532 patient pathways, waiting within 18 weeks. This is far below the 92% 18-week Referral-to-Treatment NHS Constitutional Standard. It is unacceptable that people cannot access the care they need, when they need it.

We have committed to getting back to the 18-week standard by the end of this Parliament. Funding announced in the Autumn Budget will support delivery of an additional 2 million operations, scans, and appointments during our first year in Government, which is equivalent to 40,000 per week, as a first step towards achieving this.

As part of this package, £1.5 billion of capital funding in 2025/26 will enable new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners to build capacity for over 30,000 additional procedures and over 1.25 million diagnostic tests as they come online.

Dedicated and protected surgical hubs will transform the way the National Health Service provides elective care, improving outcomes for patients and reducing pressures on hospitals. Some hubs offer cardiology treatments and procedures, which could include treatment for PoTS.


Written Question
Health Professions: Dismissal
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other medical professionals were struck off from practicing in the NHS in 2022-23; and if he will publish the country of origin of their baseline medical qualifications.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. All groups of healthcare professionals have their own regulatory bodies, for example, the General Medical Council is the regulator of all medical doctors practising in the United Kingdom, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council is the regulator of all nurses and midwives in the UK, and nursing associates in England. Healthcare professional regulators are independent of the Government, are directly accountable to Parliament, and are responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of their statutory duties. Regulators will hold data on professionals removed from their registers, and may be able to share this information upon request.

Any general practitioner, optometrist, or dentist offering National Health Service primary care services must also be registered on the NHS England Performers Lists. NHS England will hold data on professionals removed from the Performers Lists.

The Department does not intend to publish the country of origin of the baseline medical qualifications held by healthcare professionals removed from regulators’ registers or the Performers Lists.


Written Question
NHS: Negligence
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 ensure NHS Trusts admit early liability and compensate victims of medical negligence whilst under NHS Care.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR has a responsibility to settle claims fairly and promptly, and defend unmeritorious claims to secure NHS resources. Each case must be considered on its own merits, and it is important that a proper investigation is undertaken.

NHSR is committed to the use of dispute resolution interventions, including increased mediation and resolution meetings. Consequently, the percentage of cases settling before formal court proceedings are required has continued to increase. In 2023/24, 81% of the 13,382 clinical claims settled were resolved without formal court proceedings being commenced.


Written Question
Dental Services: Employers' Contributions
Friday 13th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 impact of the proposed increase in the rate of employers' National Insurance contributions on dental practices which provide NHS dentistry.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year in due course.


Written Question
Epilepsy: Drugs
Thursday 12th December 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 sufficient supplies of (a) lamotrigine, (b) Epilim Chronosphere and (c) other epilepsy medication.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is working hard with industry to help resolve intermittent supply issues with some epilepsy medications. As a result of ongoing activity and intensive work, including directing suppliers to expedite deliveries, some issues, including with some carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine presentations, have been resolved.

There was a supply issue with all strengths of lamotrigine tablets, used to manage epilepsy, due to manufacturing issues. The supply issue has recently resolved, and supply is expected to return to normal levels through early December 2024.

We are aware of an ongoing supply issue with all strengths of topiramate tablets with the resupply date to be confirmed. Other manufacturers of topiramate tablets can meet the increased demand during this time. We have confirmed with the supplier of Epilim Chronosphere that there are currently no issues with supply.

The Department continues to work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock.


Written Question
Medical Records
Wednesday 27th November 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to create shared patient records to allow (a) NHS clinical teams and (b) social care providers to access patient health and social care records.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced the intention for there to be a single patient record that both empowers patients, by giving them access to their records, and gives professionals access to the information they need to make the best-informed decisions when delivering care and treatment. We have begun engaging with the public to help shape our plans, including what information they would want to see included in a single record.


Written Question
Respiratory Diseases: The Wrekin
Wednesday 27th November 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help increase the proportion of patients that receive treatment within 18 weeks of referral for a respiratory condition in The Wrekin constituency.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government, including waits for respiratory conditions. We are committed to achieving the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment.

Funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 will support the delivery of an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments during the Government’s first year as a First Step in our commitment to ensuring patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks. Further details regarding the additional appointments will be confirmed in due course.


Written Question
Social Services: Employers' Contributions
Tuesday 26th November 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 impact of the proposed increase in the rate of employers' National Insurance contributions on social care services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is providing at least £600 million of new grant funding for social care in 2025/26, as part of the broader estimated real-terms uplift to core local government spending power of approximately 3.2%. We will continue to work with the adult social care sector to understand the pressures on adult social care delivery and local authority budgets.


Written Question
Health Services: Reciprocal Agreements
Thursday 17th October 2024

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

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 establish new reciprocal healthcare agreements with non-EU countries.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reciprocal healthcare arrangements (RHAs) cover emergency and medically necessary healthcare for United Kingdom nationals or residents on short-term visits. They benefit people with long term, pre-existing conditions, and along with insurance, offer all travellers greater peace of mind when travelling. We recognise the benefits associated with RHAs. We continually review options to update existing arrangements outside of the European Union, as well as the potential to develop new ones.