Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government assesses complaints made to the NHS by people with learning disabilities.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department is committed to ensuring that all disabled people, including those with a learning disability, have the same opportunities to access high quality healthcare as everyone else. Where necessary, all healthcare services should make reasonable adjustments to ensure this, in line with the requirements of the Equalities Act 2010 and the NHS Information Standard. We have no plans to introduce a national healthcare strategy for disabled people.
In the new year we will consult on the introduction of mandatory learning disability and autism training for health and care staff. This will provide for greater parity of treatment by ensuring that staff understand the needs of people with learning disability or autism and have the skills to deliver the most effective care and support to them.
Learning disabilities and autism are also one of the four clinical priority areas within the National Health Service long-term plan, which will also help to address the inequalities experienced by people with a learning disability or autism.
As of 30 November 2018, 914 reviews of deaths reported to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR) have been completed with a further 185 at the approval stage. The next annual report of the LeDeR programme is currently planned to be published before summer 2019 and will include data from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018. All local areas have access to findings from reviews taking place within them.
The Department does not assess complaints made to the National Health Service by people with a learning disability. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 set out what local organisations must do in respect of complaint handling in the NHS. These regulations are designed to ensure that wherever possible complaints are resolved effectively at local level with lessons learnt to improve services.
As part of the implementation of the Learning Disability Improvement Standards, a data collection is being undertaken by NHS Improvement to better understand the key themes arising for people with learning disabilities accessing NHS care. As part of the data collection, which will close on 31 December, NHS trusts are expected to measure themselves against the Learning Improvement Standards and a number of metrics allied to each Standard. NHS Improvement has shared data from this collection with the Care Quality Commission to help inform their regulatory approach and identify where their support activity is best prioritised.
We have not made a formal assessment of whether the number of avoidable deaths of people with learning disabilities in the NHS has reduced. The aim of the LeDeR programme and the Learning Disability Improvement Standards is to ensure that NHS trusts and commissioners maintain a focus on avoidable mortality so that the deaths of people with learning disabilities thought to be due to problems in care are significantly reduced. The LeDeR programme is taking place within the context of the Government’s Learning from Deaths Programme and all acute, community and mental health trusts are required to review and publish locally the number of deaths thought to be due to problems in care on a quarterly basis, evidence of what they have learned through reviews and the actions taken to prevent such deaths in future on an annual basis.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made on publishing data on case reviews of the death of people with learning disabilities in NHS care, as announced in May 2018.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department is committed to ensuring that all disabled people, including those with a learning disability, have the same opportunities to access high quality healthcare as everyone else. Where necessary, all healthcare services should make reasonable adjustments to ensure this, in line with the requirements of the Equalities Act 2010 and the NHS Information Standard. We have no plans to introduce a national healthcare strategy for disabled people.
In the new year we will consult on the introduction of mandatory learning disability and autism training for health and care staff. This will provide for greater parity of treatment by ensuring that staff understand the needs of people with learning disability or autism and have the skills to deliver the most effective care and support to them.
Learning disabilities and autism are also one of the four clinical priority areas within the National Health Service long-term plan, which will also help to address the inequalities experienced by people with a learning disability or autism.
As of 30 November 2018, 914 reviews of deaths reported to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR) have been completed with a further 185 at the approval stage. The next annual report of the LeDeR programme is currently planned to be published before summer 2019 and will include data from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018. All local areas have access to findings from reviews taking place within them.
The Department does not assess complaints made to the National Health Service by people with a learning disability. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 set out what local organisations must do in respect of complaint handling in the NHS. These regulations are designed to ensure that wherever possible complaints are resolved effectively at local level with lessons learnt to improve services.
As part of the implementation of the Learning Disability Improvement Standards, a data collection is being undertaken by NHS Improvement to better understand the key themes arising for people with learning disabilities accessing NHS care. As part of the data collection, which will close on 31 December, NHS trusts are expected to measure themselves against the Learning Improvement Standards and a number of metrics allied to each Standard. NHS Improvement has shared data from this collection with the Care Quality Commission to help inform their regulatory approach and identify where their support activity is best prioritised.
We have not made a formal assessment of whether the number of avoidable deaths of people with learning disabilities in the NHS has reduced. The aim of the LeDeR programme and the Learning Disability Improvement Standards is to ensure that NHS trusts and commissioners maintain a focus on avoidable mortality so that the deaths of people with learning disabilities thought to be due to problems in care are significantly reduced. The LeDeR programme is taking place within the context of the Government’s Learning from Deaths Programme and all acute, community and mental health trusts are required to review and publish locally the number of deaths thought to be due to problems in care on a quarterly basis, evidence of what they have learned through reviews and the actions taken to prevent such deaths in future on an annual basis.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2018 to Question 199449 on Health Services: Learning Disability, what his policy is on introducing a national disabled people’s healthcare strategy to help ensure parity of treatment for disabled people.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department is committed to ensuring that all disabled people, including those with a learning disability, have the same opportunities to access high quality healthcare as everyone else. Where necessary, all healthcare services should make reasonable adjustments to ensure this, in line with the requirements of the Equalities Act 2010 and the NHS Information Standard. We have no plans to introduce a national healthcare strategy for disabled people.
In the new year we will consult on the introduction of mandatory learning disability and autism training for health and care staff. This will provide for greater parity of treatment by ensuring that staff understand the needs of people with learning disability or autism and have the skills to deliver the most effective care and support to them.
Learning disabilities and autism are also one of the four clinical priority areas within the National Health Service long-term plan, which will also help to address the inequalities experienced by people with a learning disability or autism.
As of 30 November 2018, 914 reviews of deaths reported to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR) have been completed with a further 185 at the approval stage. The next annual report of the LeDeR programme is currently planned to be published before summer 2019 and will include data from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018. All local areas have access to findings from reviews taking place within them.
The Department does not assess complaints made to the National Health Service by people with a learning disability. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 set out what local organisations must do in respect of complaint handling in the NHS. These regulations are designed to ensure that wherever possible complaints are resolved effectively at local level with lessons learnt to improve services.
As part of the implementation of the Learning Disability Improvement Standards, a data collection is being undertaken by NHS Improvement to better understand the key themes arising for people with learning disabilities accessing NHS care. As part of the data collection, which will close on 31 December, NHS trusts are expected to measure themselves against the Learning Improvement Standards and a number of metrics allied to each Standard. NHS Improvement has shared data from this collection with the Care Quality Commission to help inform their regulatory approach and identify where their support activity is best prioritised.
We have not made a formal assessment of whether the number of avoidable deaths of people with learning disabilities in the NHS has reduced. The aim of the LeDeR programme and the Learning Disability Improvement Standards is to ensure that NHS trusts and commissioners maintain a focus on avoidable mortality so that the deaths of people with learning disabilities thought to be due to problems in care are significantly reduced. The LeDeR programme is taking place within the context of the Government’s Learning from Deaths Programme and all acute, community and mental health trusts are required to review and publish locally the number of deaths thought to be due to problems in care on a quarterly basis, evidence of what they have learned through reviews and the actions taken to prevent such deaths in future on an annual basis.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that people with learning difficulties are adequately supported to receive medical treatment through the NHS.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
It is the responsibility of local providers and commissioners of NHS services to make the reasonable adjustments required by the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that disabled people, including those with learning disabilities, are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.
Additionally, under the NHS Constitution, National Health Service organisations are required to provide high quality comprehensive services, based on clinical need, which do not discriminate between patients on the basis of disability, including a learning disability.
NHS Improvement has published Learning Disability Improvement Standards for NHS trusts in England to help ensure that trusts monitor and review the care they provide to people with a learning disability or autism. Compliance with these standards will ensure that trusts assure themselves that they have the necessary structures, processes, workforce and skills to deliver the outcomes that people with learning disabilities and autism expect. The Care Quality Commission is working with NHS Improvement to consider how they can encourage trusts to adopt and work to the standards.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
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 ensure that people with learning difficulties are not discriminated against when receiving medical care.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
It is the responsibility of local providers and commissioners of NHS services to make the reasonable adjustments required by the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that disabled people, including those with learning disabilities, are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.
Additionally, under the NHS Constitution, National Health Service organisations are required to provide high quality comprehensive services, based on clinical need, which do not discriminate between patients on the basis of disability, including a learning disability.
NHS Improvement has published Learning Disability Improvement Standards for NHS trusts in England to help ensure that trusts monitor and review the care they provide to people with a learning disability or autism. Compliance with these standards will ensure that trusts assure themselves that they have the necessary structures, processes, workforce and skills to deliver the outcomes that people with learning disabilities and autism expect. The Care Quality Commission is working with NHS Improvement to consider how they can encourage trusts to adopt and work to the standards.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
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 the (a) supply and (b) availability of the drug Methotrexate after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Brine
The United Kingdom’s position on medicines regulation remains clear. We are working to retain a close working partnership with the European Union to ensure that medicines remain available to UK patients in a safe and timely manner. We have been clear that this involves us making sure our regulators continue to work together, as they do with regulators internationally.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of student nurses experiencing financial hardship as a result of travel costs incurred during training placements.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Information on the numbers of students who apply to universities for financial assistance during their studies is not held centrally by the Department.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of payments for NHS England contracts to third party companies go to companies based outside of the Government’s jurisdiction for corporation tax purposes.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Information on National Health Service contracts entered into by NHS England and their local commissioning bodies - clinical commissioning groups - is not held centrally.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS England contracts to third party companies go to companies based outside of the Government’s jurisdiction for corporation tax purposes.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Information on National Health Service contracts entered into by NHS England and their local commissioning bodies - clinical commissioning groups - is not held centrally.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
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 promote the health benefits of eating more fish and incorporating the principles of the Seafood 2040 Strategy into the NHS, care homes, nursing homes and home care.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government recommends eating at least two portions of fish a week, including a portion of oily fish. This recommendation is promoted through a variety of communications including the national healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, Public Health England’s (PHE’s) catering guidance (including for older adults in residential care), and the NHS Choices website.
PHE, together with representatives from the Department, the National Health Service, the Seafish Industry Authority and others, are part of the ‘Plan for the Public Procurement of Food Implementation Taskforce’ that has been established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Encouraging and promoting consumption of fish is a component of this plan through implementation of the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services.