Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 the supply of HRT products in Kent.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within Kent is not held centrally.
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, and the vast majority are in good supply. Previously there has been issues with the supply of a limited number of these products, primarily driven by very sharp increases in demand. Following the Department’s intensive engagement with industry, the supply position has improved considerably. As part of this we have met with suppliers on a very regular basis and have held seven HRT supply roundtables since April 2022, with the most recent in September 2024, with suppliers, wholesalers, and community pharmacists, to provide updates on the supply position and actions being taken to address them, to share data, and to discuss relevant policy developments and potential impacts.
We are aware of the supply issues affecting Estradot (estradiol) 50 microgram/24 hour, 75 microgram/24 hour, and 100 microgram/24 hour patches, for which we have issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service, including Serious Shortage Protocols allowing community pharmacists to supply the equivalent strength patch of an alternative brand without the need for a new prescription. Alternative brands of estradiol patches remain available. There are also shortages for Indivina® 1mg/2.5mg and 1mg/5mg tablets until mid-April and a discontinuation of Tridestra® tablets which we have also communicated to the NHS. Alternative combined continuous and cyclical preparations of oral HRT products remain available.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 potential merits of ensuring that adults aged over 60 with pre-existing conditions are included in the respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) keeps all vaccine programmes under review and will continue to update its advice as new evidence emerges. In October 2024, the JCVI agreed that it would need to formally review, in detail, the evidence for a potential extension to the programme for the very elderly and risk groups in those aged less than 75 years old. This review would be undertaken by the JCVI respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) sub-committee.
The Department will consider any future JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV immunisation. Once published, minutes of JCVI meetings are available on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 accident and emergency waiting times in hospitals in East Kent.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service during the winter period and the impact this is having on accident and emergency waiting times, including in hospitals in East Kent.
We are committed to supporting the NHS to improve performance and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution but must be clear that there are no quick fixes.
However, we are determined to turn things around through investment and reform. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £25.6 billion of additional healthcare funding over the next two years, and we will set out an urgent and emergency care improvement plan shortly, as well as a 10-Year Health Plan to radically reform the NHS and build a health service that is fit for the future.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 12 December 2024 to Question 18797 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, how many of the claims relating to Covid-19 vaccination that have gone to tribunal have resulted in the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme Payment being awarded to the applicant.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As of 1 December 2024, 49 appeals linked to COVID-19 vaccinations have been escalated to tribunal. Eight of these appeals have now concluded, with zero resulting in a payment being awarded.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent defending Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme appeals linked to Covid-19 vaccinations since 2021; and how many Vaccine Damage Payment Schemes appeals linked to Covid-19 vaccinations have been escalated to tribunal since 2021.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Between 1 November 2021 and 1 December 2024, the total spent by the NHS Business Services Authority on behalf of the Department to defend against appeals within the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was £104,005.05. As of December 2024, 49 appeals linked to COVID-19 vaccinations have been escalated to a tribunal.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all integrated care boards meet the mental health investment standard.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2024/25 makes clear that integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of mental health specialists in the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To fix the chronic workforce shortages in the mental health workforce we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers, across both child and adult mental health services, to reduce waiting times and provide faster treatment across all areas of England, including Kent and Medway.
We are working to consider options to deliver this expansion of the mental health workforce, including where they should be deployed to achieve maximum effect. NHS England is also working to improve retention through clearer career progression pathways.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 adequacy of social care capacity in Ashford constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for such services and consider how providers might meet that demand.
The Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund includes grant conditions which require each local authority to submit an adult social care capacity plan. These were submitted to the Department in June 2024. The member’s local authority, Kent, submitted their 2024/25 capacity plan, which is currently undergoing processing and quality assurance.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to enable GP surgeries to provide additional services in Ashford constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Practices are able to provide additional services by opting in and will receive payment for these services separately to global sum payments. As commissioners of primary care, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning additional services locally, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to dental services in Ashford constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. ICBs are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment. For the Ashford constituency, this is the NHS Kent and Medway ICB.