Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 ability of low-income families to access the NHS Healthy Start scheme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Healthy Start scheme helps to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies and young children under four from low-income households who are in receipt of qualifying benefits. In December 2023, uptake for the Healthy Start scheme was 73%.
Systems are in place to help eligible families apply for and access the scheme. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is committed to increasing uptake of the Healthy Start scheme as much as possible to ensure all children have a healthy start in life. NHSBSA actively promotes the Healthy Start scheme through its digital channels and has created free tools to help stakeholders promote the scheme. There is an online application process, allowing for quick outcomes to applications, as well as a helpline to assist with the application process or general questions.
The eligibility criteria for the Healthy Start scheme are kept under continuous review.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of social prescribing; and whether her Department issues guidance on which models provide the most effective treatment.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As a relatively new programme, the evidence base around nationally linked social prescribing is still evolving and robust quantitative evidence is limited. However, a growing body of work is suggestive of positive effects. The Department continues to work to understand the effectiveness of social prescribing to enhance physical and mental health and wellbeing, building on existing positive local evidence.
The Department of Health and Social Care works on the Green Social Prescribing programme established with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to increase the use and connection to the natural environment to tackle mental ill health. The Department of Health and Social Care funds the evaluation and research element including research studies into angling and outdoor swimming.
The Department funds via grant the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP). Their role is to support and promote social prescribing at a local and national level and develop the evidence base. A range of research into the effectiveness of social prescribing published by NASP is available at the following link:
https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/read-the-evidence/
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will list the 18 NHS acute trusts where Op RESTORE: The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service are located; and for what reason those trusts were selected.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Op RESTORE provides support to veterans with service-related physical health needs using existing National Health Service clinical pathways from clinicians who understand the military context. Clinically, Op RESTORE finds the best pathway and clinician to manage the veteran’s physical health need. This may not be local to the veteran or be with a military consultant, but it will be the most appropriate clinical support.
Op RESTORE has consultants in 21 NHS trusts across England and includes NHS Major Trauma Centres. Consultants supporting Op RESTORE are either serving, have served or have an understanding of the military environment, which means that Op RESTORE is able to access specialist clinical knowledge coupled with military contextual awareness to support veterans.
The list of trusts with Op RESTORE consultants is below:
- St Bartholomew’s Health NHS Trust;
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust;
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust;
- Guys & St Thomas' NHS Trust;
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust;
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust;
- Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust;
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- North Bristol NHS Trust;
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust;
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust;
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust;
- Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust;
- South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust;
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust;
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust; and
- Northumbria Hospitals NHS Trust.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to make (a) Orkambi, (b) Symkevi and (c) Kaftrio available for everyone with cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since 2019, patients in the National Health Service have been able to access Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio through an interim access agreement between NHS England, the company (Vertex), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
The agreement makes the medicines available for a limited time at a reduced price, while further information has been collected to inform a NICE appraisal. On 15 November 2023, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved a new licence extension and children as young as two years old with cystic fibrosis are now eligible to receive Kaftrio through the interim access agreement.
NICE is currently consulting on its draft recommendations on the use of Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio and has not yet published its final recommendations. NICE continues to work with stakeholders to address the issues highlighted by the committee in the draft guidance. Under the terms of the interim access agreement for the cystic fibrosis medicines, Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio, eligible children and adults with cystic fibrosis can continue to receive ongoing treatment and be initiated onto treatment with these medicines, as clinically appropriate, while NICE concludes its evaluation.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to involve pharmacists in the care of people with heart failure; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (a) NHS waiting lists and (b) pressures on NHS staff.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made, however, pharmacists working in different settings across the NHS will be involved in the care of patients with heart failure. For example, in community pharmacy, patients with heart failure who are prescribed a new medicine to manage their condition are eligible for the New Medicines Service under which they receive extra support with their new medicines to increase compliance. Under the Discharge Medicines Service, hospitals can refer patients with heart failure who have recently been discharged from hospital to a community pharmacy for extra support with their medicines to increase compliance and prevent readmission. In addition, the Blood Pressure Check service commissioned in community pharmacy makes it easier for patients to have their blood pressure checked and will refer patients with high blood pressure for treatment to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help ensure that interpreters used by the NHS are on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We have not made a specific assessment as the Department does not make policy in relation to interpretation services in the National Health Service. This also includes issuing guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters and their registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.
The Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Team in NHS England is completing a scoping and options review of the most effective and appropriate national interventions to facilitate improvements in community language translation and interpretation services to meet the needs of communities and support equitable access, experience and outcomes for all. NHS England aims to agree recommendations in March 2024.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 potential impact of the use of unregistered interpreters in the NHS on maternity outcomes.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
It is the responsibility of trusts to provide services that meet the needs of their local populations, paying particular attention to health inequalities. This includes ensuring access to interpreter services as set out in the three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. NHS England commissions the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme to undertake reviews of adverse outcomes in maternity and neonatal services. These reviews consider whether interpreting services may have had an impact upon outcome.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 implications for his policies of the prevalence of the use of unregistered interpreters in the NHS.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We have not made a specific assessment as the Department does not make policy in relation to interpretation services in the National Health Service. This also includes issuing guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters and their registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.
The Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Team in NHS England is completing a scoping and options review of the most effective and appropriate national interventions to facilitate improvements in community language translation and interpretation services to meet the needs of communities and support equitable access, experience and outcomes for all. NHS England aims to agree recommendations in March 2024.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department issues guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters working in the NHS.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We have not made a specific assessment as the Department does not make policy in relation to interpretation services in the National Health Service. This also includes issuing guidance to NHS trusts on the qualifications required for interpreters and their registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.
The Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Team in NHS England is completing a scoping and options review of the most effective and appropriate national interventions to facilitate improvements in community language translation and interpretation services to meet the needs of communities and support equitable access, experience and outcomes for all. NHS England aims to agree recommendations in March 2024.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to commission an independent evaluation of the delivery plan for the recovery of the urgent and emergency care system.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England are developing ongoing plans for evaluating the initiatives in the recovery plan.