Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Evri and other delivery companies on the potential impact of unreliable parcel delivery on small businesses.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The proper functioning of postal services is vital for small businesses. Delivery companies must provide a good service to their customers and reduce the number of lost, delayed or improperly delivered parcels. However, Evri and other delivery companies are independent businesses, the government has no role in their operational decisions.

Ofcom is the independent regulator of postal services. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance is currently issued to NHS trusts on post operative assessment following lower limb surgery, and whether this includes consideration of referral to podiatry or orthotics services.

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

It is recommended that all patients receiving surgery, including lower limb surgery, benefit from a structured perioperative care programme, which includes postoperative assessment as a key component. Our Elective Reform Plan commits to enhancing perioperative care, to reduce cancellations, shorten patients’ length of hospital stay, and minimise postoperative complications.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, part of NHS England, works with stakeholders to develop standardised best practice pathways for routine surgical procedures. GIRFT, along with a cross-specialty, multidisciplinary working group, has developed guidance on early screening, triaging, risk assessment, and health optimisation in perioperative pathways. This is available on the NHS England website along with further guidance for trusts on perioperative care covering clinical and operational improvement guide.

GIRFT has also produced best practice pathways for primary knee and hip replacements. Guidance is offered on best practice from patient presentation through to post-discharge care and follow-up. Podiatry and orthotics referrals are not currently included in the pathways provided. However, GIRFT regularly engages with trusts to help gain insight and understanding into care delivery across England.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, available on their website, include Perioperative Care in Adults guideline, reference code NG180, and orthopaedic standards including joint replacement (primary): hip, knee and shoulder guideline, reference code NG157.

Found: Q391 Melanie Onn: It is interesting, though.

Found: Q391 Melanie Onn: It is interesting, though.