Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to update reimbursement tariffs to incentivise a transition to adaptive radiotherapy.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The NHS Long Term Plan set out NHS England and NHS Improvement’s commitment to review the national tariff, in particular to ensure that appropriate incentives are in place to encourage providers to deliver modern techniques and to upgrade and replace equipment. This work has been delayed due to the pandemic.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to reduce the number of visits needed to complete a full course of radiotherapy treatment.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), which can be delivered over fewer treatments than standard radiotherapy, is now available as a treatment for lung cancer patients in every radiotherapy provider. Over 3,600 patients benefited from this treatment in 2020-21 and work is ongoing to complete the SABR expansion programme.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to support cross-Government working on older people’s housing and care.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Government will invest in supported housing, as well as exploring other innovative housing solutions to support more people to live independently at home for longer. The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase both the supply and quality of supported housing. We are engaging closely with both the sector and a range of other stakeholders including considering the merits of different engagement and delivery models such as proposals for a cross-Government taskforce.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to establish a cross-government task force on housing with care.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Government will invest in supported housing, as well as exploring other innovative housing solutions to support more people to live independently at home for longer. The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase both the supply and quality of supported housing. We are engaging closely with both the sector and a range of other stakeholders including considering the merits of different engagement and delivery models such as proposals for a cross-Government taskforce.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve the primary health care estate.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department and NHS England and Improvement will discuss the need for improvements in the NHS estate, including primary health care, ahead of the next Spending Review. Further infrastructure funding, and how it will be allocated, will also be confirmed.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 role of radiotherapy in tackling the cancer backlog induced by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No formal assessment has been made of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Radiotherapy’s report and we have no plans to adopt these recommendations. Action Radiotherapy’s flash survey will be taken into consideration alongside existing programmes of work. Health Education England’s Cancer Workforce Plan commits to the expansion of capacity and skills across six professions by 2021, including clinical radiology.
During the pandemic, the National Health Service has significantly increased the use of new radiotherapy methods to deliver targeted treatment in fewer hospital visits. Maximising capacity and minimising patient time in hospital, particularly through the use of fewer fractions, remain important in the recovery of cancer services. In addition, £32 million has been made available from the Spending Review 2020 to support the replacement of radiotherapy equipment in 2021-22.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the findings of Action Radiotherapy’s flash survey on radiotherapy and the radiotherapy workforce from May 2021; and whether he plans to use those findings to inform his Department’s work on radiotherapy.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No formal assessment has been made of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Radiotherapy’s report and we have no plans to adopt these recommendations. Action Radiotherapy’s flash survey will be taken into consideration alongside existing programmes of work. Health Education England’s Cancer Workforce Plan commits to the expansion of capacity and skills across six professions by 2021, including clinical radiology.
During the pandemic, the National Health Service has significantly increased the use of new radiotherapy methods to deliver targeted treatment in fewer hospital visits. Maximising capacity and minimising patient time in hospital, particularly through the use of fewer fractions, remain important in the recovery of cancer services. In addition, £32 million has been made available from the Spending Review 2020 to support the replacement of radiotherapy equipment in 2021-22.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Radiotherapy’s report entitled Catch Up With Cancer - The Way Forward; whether he plans to adopt those recommendations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No formal assessment has been made of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Radiotherapy’s report and we have no plans to adopt these recommendations. Action Radiotherapy’s flash survey will be taken into consideration alongside existing programmes of work. Health Education England’s Cancer Workforce Plan commits to the expansion of capacity and skills across six professions by 2021, including clinical radiology.
During the pandemic, the National Health Service has significantly increased the use of new radiotherapy methods to deliver targeted treatment in fewer hospital visits. Maximising capacity and minimising patient time in hospital, particularly through the use of fewer fractions, remain important in the recovery of cancer services. In addition, £32 million has been made available from the Spending Review 2020 to support the replacement of radiotherapy equipment in 2021-22.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland; and whether he has plans to publish a similar strategy for England.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department of Health Northern Ireland is currently finalising a new cancer strategy. The Department of Health and Social Care engages in sharing best practice between the devolved administrations and will review the new strategy when it is published. The Department of Health and Social Care’s cancer strategy is incorporated as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether EU nationals living in the UK before 31 December 2020, who go on to be granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, will be (a) liable for chargeable healthcare as set out in NHS Charging Regulations Guidance or (b) entitled to free healthcare.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Citizens of a European Union country, and their family members who were lawfully residing in the United Kingdom by 31 December 2020 will keep their right to healthcare on the same basis as UK residents, as long as they meet the ordinary residence test. From 1 July 2021, they must have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
An individual who is eligible to apply to the EUSS but who has not submitted an application by 30 June 2021 will be chargeable. If they receive and pay for relevant services, and then later make a late application which is granted, they will not be refunded for the earlier treatment.