Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 a royal commission on social care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to tackle the challenges facing adult social care. We want everyone to live an independent, dignified life, which is why we are committed to reform and will take steps to create a National Care Service.
We will be setting out more detail of our priorities for adult social care in due course.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 accelerate the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan targets to recruit more NHS staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Domestic training places have not kept pace with increases in demand for workforce and bringing in the staff we need will take time. We have committed to delivering the Long Term Workforce Plan to ensure that the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We also recognise the importance of having a robust and well-supported healthcare workforce, and will ensure that the NHS can attract and retain the necessary staff across all roles.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Right Care, Right Person on ambulance services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an assessment of the impact of Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) on ambulance services. The resourcing required to implement RCRP will vary depending on local agreements between multi-agency partners. As part of the preparations for implementation, the Department asked all integrated care boards to estimate the resource requirements it would take for them to deliver RCRP earlier in the year. NHS England guidance also asked all local areas to conduct an Impact Assessment with partner organisations when implementing RCRP.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to support NHS trusts which are seeking a new hospital in the next 10 to 15 years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is concerned by the condition of hospital infrastructure across the National Health Service estate and acknowledges there was significant interest among NHS trusts to join the New Hospital Programme (NHP). We recognise that change is desperately needed to deliver an NHS fit for the future and provide patients across the country with the care they need.
Strategic, value for money investments in capital projects are critical to achieving these missions. This may be in new hospitals, significant upgrades, or other targeted capital investments. The Department is currently reviewing capital requirements in line with the Government’s missions and as part of our internal Spending Review preparations.
Any support for NHS trusts seeking new hospital infrastructure beyond 2030 will follow the Government setting out its priorities and funding at the Spending Review in Autumn 2024.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of capacity in secure and forensic mental health facilities; and whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of increasing the number of prisoners moved into such facilities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such recent assessment has been made. However, NHS England has advised that work is currently underway with the 15 Adult Secure Provider Collaboratives across England to speed up the safe and timely transfer of appropriately assessed people from prison. This includes identifying existing capacity, including workforce estates and location, that can be reconfigured at pace; identifying where additional capacity, including workforce and estates, may be required; and, scoping at pace, the creation of alternative clinically safe service models.
Decisions about transferring people with severe mental health needs from prison to secure hospital are made on the basis of a robust clinical assessment to ensure that people in prison get the care they need in the right setting.
Ministers have not yet had any such discussions. My colleague, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Women's Health and Mental Health, will be meeting with her Ministerial counterparts in the Ministry of Justice in due course to discuss matters relating to offender health and how our departments can work together.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 educate the drug using community on the risks of (a) nitazine and (b) fentanyl.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is monitoring the threat that the synthetic opioids nitazenes and fentanyls pose, and is working with partners across Government to respond to this threat. Educating the drug using community of the risks these drugs pose is vital. In 2018, the Department issued Guidance for local areas on planning to deal with potent synthetic opioids, which was updated in 2023, and explains how local commissioners and service providers can prepare for and respond to incidents involving potent synthetic opioids, as well as how local areas can communicate this threat to drug users. The guidance includes specific messaging for people who use drugs, and was developed with people who use drugs. Further information is available at the following link:
The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by providing awareness to young people and to parents. Information on synthetic opioids and the danger of their misuse is available at the following link:
https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/synthetic-opioids
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of illicit drug deaths.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is actively working to reduce the number of drug-related deaths, investing over £300 million into drug and alcohol treatment this year, which will help prevent drug-related harm and save lives. This includes funding over 50,000 additional treatment places, which we know protects against drug deaths.
We are working to expand access to naloxone, a life-saving medicine that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The Government laid legislation on 29 July 2024, which, subject to passage through Parliament, will enable more services and organisations to provide take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription. These changes will mean naloxone can be given to a family member or friend of a person who is known to be using opiates, and to professionals working with people who use these drugs, to save lives in the event of an overdose.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has an action plan to prevent a greater number of drug and alcohol-related deaths. The plan has five priorities around improving: treatment practice; local systems; toxicology and surveillance; stigma; and poly-drug and alcohol use. Some specific elements include improving the integration of treatment services with mental and physical healthcare, expanded specialist inpatient detoxification, and guidance on drug and alcohol death review processes.
The Office for Life Sciences is also running a £5 million fund to tackle fatal drug deaths across the United Kingdom, which is investing in research projects that are developing technologies aimed at improving detection, response, or intervention in potential drug-related deaths. Further information on this fund is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/5-million-fund-to-tackle-fatal-drug-deaths-across-the-uk
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of banning the sale of alcohol before 11am on use by people who have an alcohol dependency.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Preventative public health measures are vital in supporting people to live longer, healthier lives. The Government will continue to consider the most effective interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms across society.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will produce an alcohol strategy in this Parliament.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has set out its ambition to create a National Health Service that is fit for the future, which includes prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Government will continue to consider how best to address and reduce alcohol-related harms
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a Major Conditions Strategy.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of July 2024, work on the Major Conditions Strategy has been paused. As we develop our plans to rebuild the National Health Service, we will consider how we incorporate the findings from the Major Conditions Strategy into our plans.