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Written Question
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

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 26 October 2023 to Question 203897 on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs, what recent steps his Department has taken to help ensure an adequate supply of (a) methylphenidate, (b) lisdexamfetamine and (c) guanfacine.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has been working with manufacturers of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to ensure that action is taken to address the supply issues as quickly as possible. As a result of our continued work with the pharmaceutical industry, some issues have now been resolved, including with guanfacine. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, including methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine. We have been informed that these should be largely resolved by April or May 2024.

We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine shortages can be. While we cannot always prevent supply issues from occurring, the Department has a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and help mitigate risks to patients. We work with the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the devolved administrations, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and others operating in the supply chain to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the risks to patients are minimised when supply issues arise.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers' Private Offices
Wednesday 21st February 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11392 on Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers' Private Offices, what the cost was of the refurbishment to ministerial offices in 2023.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The total cost of refurbishment of the ministerial offices in 2023 was approximately £140,000. This answer was previously shared in the answer to the hon. Member for Ilford North on the 20 of September 2023 to Question 198375.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers' Private Offices
Friday 2nd February 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any refurbishments have been made to ministerial offices in her Department in each of the last two years.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There was a refurbishment of ministerial offices in 2023 in the Department. There was no refurbishment of ministerial space in 2022.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Ministerial Boxes
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many ministerial red boxes belonging to her Department have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen in each of the last three years.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No ministerial red boxes have been reported either lost or stolen in the Department within the last three years. If this were to occur, the Departmental security unit records and investigates each reported loss from the Department. Additionally, if appropriate, the police are invited to undertake further inquiries.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Bullying and Harassment
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many settlement payments her Department issued following claims of (a) bullying, (b) harassment and (c) discrimination in the (i) 2019-20, (ii) 2020-21, (iii) 2021-22 and (iv) 2022-23 financial years.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department can confirm that it has made no settlement payments of this nature within the specified timeframe.


Written Question
Midwives
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2023 to Question 4873 on Midwives, how many and what proportion of NHS midwives are (a) UK nationals, (b) nationals of an EU member state, (c) nationals of other states and (d) of an unknown nationality in each age category.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The attached table shows detailed information on the headcount of midwives split by specified nationality groups and age band, in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England, between 30 September 2013 to 30 September 2023.

All staff within NHS trusts and commissioning bodies provide a self-reported nationality which is recorded on the Electronic Staff Record system. This may reflect an individual’s cultural heritage rather than their country of birth, with some individuals choosing not to specify it.

This data includes staff working in hospital trusts and other core organisations, but excludes staff working in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other providers.


Written Question
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Thursday 11th January 2024

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Parliamentary Health and Service Ombudsman.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Ministers do not review any aspect of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) performance. The PHSO reports to Parliament directly as an Officer of the House of Commons and is held to account through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, who, although it cannot adjudicate on individual cases, does hold an annual scrutiny session to evaluate the PHSO's performance.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Power Failures
Tuesday 19th December 2023

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there have been any power cuts on their Department's property in each of the last three years.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There have been no power cuts on the Department’s property in the last three years.


Written Question
Infant Foods
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the value of Healthy Start vouchers for the purchase of baby formula.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The value of the Healthy Start is kept under continuous review. From April 2021, the value of the Healthy Start increased from £3.10 to £4.25, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices.

Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried and tinned pulses, milk and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries are also eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins.

There are currently no plans to increase the value of Healthy Start.


Written Question
Dementia: Health Services
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

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 assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility to people with dementia of the assessment process for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis or condition, or financial means; it is assessed on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of an individual’s needs. This ensures a person-centred approach to CHC, whereby the individual is placed at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process. We continue to work with our partners, including NHS England who is responsible for oversight of CHC delivery, external organisations, and people with lived experience, to seek feedback on CHC policy and implementation.