Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 increase the number of resident doctor training positions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.
We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.
This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to build the transformed health service we will deliver over the next decade.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of same-sex female couples are receiving NHS-funded IVF after undertaking six self-funded rounds of Intrauterine insemination as recommended by NICE.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that between 2020 and 2022, the years in which they have the most recently data available, 25% of patients in same-sex female couples in the United Kingdom received National Health Service-funded in vitro fertilization (IVF), after completing six self-funded rounds of intrauterine insemination.
Integrated care boards are expected to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect this review to be published in 2025. The Government will also be receiving advice from NHS England on the eligibility criteria for IVF and on access to treatment, and this will inform the Government’s considerations of future policy options.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will make an assessment of the eligibility criteria for IVF on access to treatment for (a) single patients and (b) same-sex female couples.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that between 2020 and 2022, the years in which they have the most recently data available, 25% of patients in same-sex female couples in the United Kingdom received National Health Service-funded in vitro fertilization (IVF), after completing six self-funded rounds of intrauterine insemination.
Integrated care boards are expected to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect this review to be published in 2025. The Government will also be receiving advice from NHS England on the eligibility criteria for IVF and on access to treatment, and this will inform the Government’s considerations of future policy options.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to help reduce the cost of IVF for female same-sex couples.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has signed secondary legislation into law on 31 October 2024 to update the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, which removes additional screening costs for female same sex couples undergoing reciprocal in-vitro fertilisation.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently reviewing the fertility guideline and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect this review to be published in 2025. NHS England will be providing advice on this issue, and the Government will be considering future policy options soon.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of the current NHS resource allocation formula on more deprived areas.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service resource allocation formula is intended to support equal opportunity of access for equal need, taking account of NHS England’s duty to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities. The formula takes account of factors such as demography, morbidity, deprivation, and the unavoidable cost of providing services in different areas. In addition, a further adjustment to address health inequalities and unmet needs increases the resources directed to deprived areas. The formula is based on independent academic research which is overseen by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, which in turn provides advice to the Chief Executive of NHS England on whether changes to the formula should be considered.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether improving respiratory health will be central to the new NHS 10-year plan.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan will consider the change needed to meet the three health mission goals: a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer; a National Health Service that is there when people need it; and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers. We will carefully be considering policies with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in West Bromwich constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government, as we get the National Health Service back on its feet. Equality of both access to care and outcomes will be at the heart of building an NHS that is fit for the future.
We have committed to achieving the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by the end of this Parliament. As a first step to achieving this, we will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week across the country, and will increase the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests, that are needed to reduce elective and cancer waits.
NHS providers, including those serving the West Bromwich constituency, are focused on reducing waiting lists for planned treatment, and specifically focusing on patients waiting over 65 weeks by the end of September.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 improve patient satisfaction with GP services in West Bromwich constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that despite the hard work of general practice (GP) teams, patients are still struggling to access care from GPs nationally and in local areas such as Bromwich. We also know that while GPs are delivering record numbers of appointments, patient satisfaction has dropped nationally.
We have a plan to fix this, which will require both investment and reform. Firstly, we will increase the proportion of funding for GPs, starting with a commitment to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, secure the future pipeline of GPs, as well as take pressure off those currently working in the system.
Additionally, we will deliver a modern booking system and end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments, which we know impacts patient satisfaction. We will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient to improve care for those with long-term conditions.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 adequacy of access to primary care services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Too many patients are finding it impossible to access care. In May, a staggering 1.4 million patients waited for over a month for an appointment.
That is why we are committed to: fix the front door to the NHS; bring back the family doctor; and shift the focus of care away from hospitals and into the community.