Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in what circumstances are General Practices unable to charge a fee for the issuing of letters confirming an individual's health condition.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The circumstances in which general practices must not charge for issuing medical certificates confirming an individual’s health condition are set out in Schedule 2 of the National Health Services (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015 and Schedule 1 of the National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2015. The inclusion of a medical certificate in this Schedule is subject to consultation with the British Medical Association’s general practitioners committee.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will make an estimate of the number of GP appointments there were in Brentford and Isleworth constituency in (a) the last 12 months and (b) in 2013.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
This information is not collected in the format requested.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Government's policy on NHS pension taxation on workforce numbers in NHS England.
Answered by Will Quince
Tax policy is a matter for the Chancellor, and the annual and lifetime allowances apply to all industries and occupational pension schemes.
The vast majority of NHS staff are able to build pensions tax-free. However, the generosity of the scheme and well-remunerated careers means that some senior clinicians exceed their allowances for tax-free saving.
The Government has previously delivered a manifesto commitment to solve the taper issue in doctors’ pensions, by increasing the tapered annual allowance thresholds by £90,000 to exclude 98% of GPs and 96% of consultants from the scope of the taper based on NHS earnings. Pension tax should not impact on take home pay and the Scheme Pays facility allows members to meet a tax charge from the value of their pension pot.
We are working with NHS England to ensure that NHS employers are able to offer local solutions to address pension tax issues for their clinicians, including the option of employer pension contribution recycling.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 review the policy of permitting General Practices to charge individuals for letters confirming a patient's health condition.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
There are no current plans to do so. The General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services Regulations sets out those medical evidence letters, certificates or reports which practices may charge for. While there is no statutory limit to the level of such a fee, NHS England would expect practices to charge a reasonable sum appropriate for the workload involved. The British Medical Association’s Professional Fees Committee publishes guidance for practices on setting these fees. Where it is necessary for general practitioners to provide medical evidence and charge for that evidence, charges should be clear, fair and consistent.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Government's policy on trends in the level of early retirement of GPs.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
A GP's decision to retire can be influenced by many factors. We are working to support and grow the general practice workforce, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice.
The updated GP Contract Framework for 2020/21 announced a number of new retention schemes, and continued support for existing schemes, to retain more GPs.
We are also working with the NHS and profession to understand how we can continue to help GPs and improve their working environment, particularly in light of the pressures from the pandemic.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 increase the retention of GPs in London.
Answered by Will Quince
We are working with NHS England and Health Education England on measures to increase general practitioner (GP) recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice.
The updated GP Contract Framework in 2020 announced new schemes, in addition to continued support for existing recruitment and retention schemes for the general practice workforce. This includes the GP Retention Scheme, the GP Retention Fund, the National GP Induction and Refresher, the Locum Support Scheme, the New to Partnership Payment and the Supporting Mentors Scheme.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of cancelled operations in Brentford and Isleworth constituency in the past 12 months.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
This information is not collected in the format requested.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will make an estimate of the number of full-time equivalent fully qualified GPs, excluding GPs in a training grade, that were practicing in the London Borough of Hounslow on (a) 14 October 2022 and (b) in 2013.
Answered by Will Quince
This information is not collected in the format requested.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to ensure that there is an adequate supply of monkeypox vaccinations.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has procured over 150,000 doses of the vaccines used for monkeypox. Further doses are expected to arrive in the United Kingdom by the end of October 2022.
There have been global issues with the ongoing supply of the vaccines due to availability and the necessary time needed for manufacturers to produce the vaccines. In order to maximise the number of people who can be vaccinated, more clinics will offer the vaccine using intradermal administration, a safe and clinically approved approach. The UKHSA is monitoring demand and remains in discussions with the manufacturer to procure further doses as required.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Brentford and Isleworth constituency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Will Quince
This information is not held in the format requested.