Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policy of the report entitled, A Hidden Harm: Why healthcare professionals want to stop unfair asthma prescription charges published by Asthma UK with the Royal College of Nursing, Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists and Primary Care Respiratory Society.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has no plans to change the list of medical exemptions from prescription charges. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions for which someone with asthma may qualify.
People on a low income, who do not qualify for an exemption, may be eligible for full or partial help with prescription charges through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme.
To support those with the greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, the cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates has been frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Explanatory Memorandum to The Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2019, 7.12, whether in the event of a Serious Shortage Protocol being issued for immunosuppressant medicines patients would always be referred back to the prescriber for any decision on their treatment before any therapeutic or generic alternative is supplied.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
While Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP) in England have the scope to cover all medicines and appliances that are on a National Health Service prescription in primary care, including immunosuppressant medicines, it is clear that an SSP for therapeutic or generic equivalents will not necessarily be suitable for all medicines and patients. For example, where medicines need to be prescribed by brand for clinical reasons, which may be the case for certain immunosuppressant medicines. In these cases, patients would always be referred back to the prescriber for any decision about their treatment before any alternative is supplied.
Any protocol would however only be introduced if clinicians with expertise in the relevant area think it is appropriate. So, if an SSP for an immunosuppressant medicine was under consideration, this would be agreed with, for example, transplant specialists or other relevant clinicians. Pharmacists will have to use their professional judgment as to whether supplying against the protocol rather than the prescription is appropriate or the patient should be referred to their prescriber.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 9 September 2019 to Question 284706, what advice the Government has issued to UK citizens travelling in the EU that require treatments not routinely covered by travel insurance policies after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The United Kingdom Government has proposed to all Member States that we should maintain existing reciprocal healthcare arrangements until 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal. This includes the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which can support UK residents with long term conditions travelling to the EU who may require needs arising treatment.
The Government understands the concerns of patients with long term conditions and is working to secure the continuation of reciprocal healthcare arrangements, so UK and EU nationals have access to medical treatment in the same way they do now.
Guidance for travelling to the EU after EU exit is available on gov.uk, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-residents-visiting-the-eueea-and-switzerland-healthcare
The UK Government is advising people with pre-existing or long term medical conditions to also check the Money and Pensions Advice Service which has information on their website for people about their options for purchasing travel insurance. Further information is available at the following link:
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/travel-insurance-for-over-65s-and-medical-conditions
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
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 that there will be no shortage of the medicines and consumables needed for dialysis or transplantation following the UK’s departure from the EU.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for leaving the European Union. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical products once we have left the EU.
The Department, as part of our EU exit preparations, continues to implement a multi-layered approach to mitigate potential disruption to supply, which includes medicines and consumables needed for dialysis or transplantation. This approach consists of stockpiling where possible, securing freight capacity, changing or clarifying regulatory requirements, procuring additional warehousing, working closely with industry to improve trader readiness and putting in place the National Supply Disruption Response to manage potential shortages. Further details can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many bids for capital spending (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) NHS Improvement has (i) rejected and (ii) not responded to in each of the last five years; and what the total value was of the bids (A) rejected and (B) not responded to in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested on capital bids received by the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement for capital spending are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
There have been a multitude of capital funds in the last five years varying in value, complexity and outcome objective and NHS England and NHS Improvement are in on-going discussions with trusts about their capital needs and plans.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average length of time was for (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) NHS Improvement to respond to bids for capital spending in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested on capital bids received by the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement for capital spending are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
There have been a multitude of capital funds in the last five years varying in value, complexity and outcome objective and NHS England and NHS Improvement are in on-going discussions with trusts about their capital needs and plans.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Green Paper entitled, Transforming children and young people’s mental health, if he will review the Green Paper consultation processes to improve guidance for people who wish to engage with the process.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Consultation on the Green Paper, ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health’, was carried out in line with the Government’s published set of government consultation principles. These principles give clear guidance to Government departments on conducting consultations and are available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/consultation-principles-guidance
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the effect of silicosis on the NHS budget and resources.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
This information is not held in the format requested.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on whether there is a (a) genetic, (b) socio-economic and (c) ethnic bias to the condition of silicosis.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Information about genetic bias in patients with silicosis is not held centrally.
The following table shows the number of finished admission episodes where there was a primary diagnosis of silicosis, as well as the ethnicity specified by the patient in each episode, over five years.
Ethnicity | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | |
A | British (White) | 17 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 14 |
B | Irish (White) | 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
C | Any other White background | - | - | - | 1 | - |
D | White and Black Caribbean (Mixed) | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 |
H | Indian (Asian or Asian British) | 1 | - | - | - | - |
J | Pakistani (Asian or Asian British) | - | 1 | - | - | - |
M | Caribbean (Black or Black British) | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | - |
N | African (Black or Black British) | - | - | 2 | - | - |
S | Any other ethnic group | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Z | Not stated | - | - | 3 | - | - |
99 | Unknown | - | - | 4 | - | 2 |
Total |
| 23 | 23 | 27 | 14 | 18 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital | ||||||
The following table shows the number of finished admission episodes where there was a primary diagnosis of silicosis, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) decile relating to each episode, over five years.
IMD Decile | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 |
Least deprived 10% | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
Less deprived 10-20% | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | - |
Less deprived 20-30% | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Less deprived 30-40% | - | - | - | 1 | 3 |
Less deprived 40-50% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
More deprived 40-50% | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - |
More deprived 30-40% | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
More deprived 20-30% | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
More deprived 10-20% | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Most deprived 10% | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
Unknown | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Total | 23 | 23 | 27 | 14 | 18 |
Source: HES, NHS Digital |
Note:
Finished admission episodes |
A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period. |
IMD Decile |
This field uses the IMD Overall Ranking to identify which one of ten groups a Super Output Area belongs to, from most deprived through to least deprived. IMD version 2010 is used from 2010-11 onwards. |
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether postgraduate training level seven will be fully funded and mandatory for people working therapeutically with children and young people on mental health issues.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
Health Education England (HEE) is responsible for commissioning of training for the National Health Service workforce and refer to their plan ‘Stepping Forward to 2020/21: Mental Health Workforce Plan for England’.
All Level 7 postgraduate training for people working therapeutically with children and young people commissioned by HEE is fully funded.
HEE cannot mandate training as it is the responsibility of the professional regulators and employers. HEE can define the curriculum for the training but cannot control the practice.
All training commissioned by HEE for people working therapeutically with children and young people has a set of learning objectives that are underpinned by both evidence based practice and practice based evidence as it is overseen and delivered by senior members of professions pertinent to the practice of psychological therapy.