Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
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 (a) the (i) Medway Community Healthcare and (ii) other NHS providers, (b) healthcare social enterprises and (c) community interest companies with cyber-resilience.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, we provided technical support to Medway Community Healthcare to help the organisation respond to and recover from a cyber incident. In the past year we have invested £37.6 million across health and social care, building on the £338 million invested since 2017. Through our ambitious Cyber Improvement Programme, we are tackling the changing cyber risk head-on, expanding protection and services to better protect the health and care system.
The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) online self-assessment tool allows organisations to measure their performance against national expectations. Guidance and regular webinars are available via the DSPT website. Further guidance and cyber alerts are published on the NHS England cyber and data security website and via the National Cyber Security Centre. Organisations can report urgent cyber security issues to the National Health Service data security helpline, which is available 24/7. We are currently reviewing our national policy on cyber security for social enterprises and community interest companies.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
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 estimate of the number of people on NHS waiting lists in (a) Chatham and Aylesford, (b) Gillingham and Rainham, (c) Rochester and Strood and (d) Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency in (i) August 2024 and (ii) March 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data at the requested granularity. Tackling waiting lists remains a top priority for the Government. We are working to cut National Health Service waiting lists and to ensure people have the best possible experience during their care. As a first step, we have exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over three million more appointments. We have seen a reduction in the national list of over 219,000 since July 2024.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will be resuming the annual evidence reviews on tobacco-based products previously undertaken by Public Health England.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Public Health England did not previously publish annual evidence reviews on tobacco-based products. However, Public Health England did publish a series of reports on nicotine vaping products over 10 years. They are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/e-cigarettes-and-vaping-policy-regulation-and-guidance
These reports aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. Heated tobacco products were also assessed in two of the reports. The final report in the commission was published in 2022, and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update
The Department continues to monitor emerging data, and we are working closely with stakeholders and experts, including internationally, to ensure we are researching the long-term health impacts of vaping. We are exploring additional research and will set out plans in due course.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue new guidance on the use of (a) Novarapid, (b) Insulin flextouch, (c) Insulatard and (d) Levimir for diabetes patients before March 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In late 2024, the Department issued communications on the discontinuation of both Novorapid Flextouch and Insulatard Penfill cartridges to the National Health Service, advising on suitable alternatives. The Department is working with NHS England and clinical experts to develop management advice for healthcare professionals ahead of the discontinuation of Levemir, in December 2026. This will be communicated at the earliest opportunity. There are no plans to issue guidance on Insulin Flextouch.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
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 potential merits of introducing a statutory food hygiene rating scheme in England.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with local authorities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
We will consider whether the mandatory display of ratings should be introduced in England in due course. In the meantime, the FSA is working with its local authority partners to maintain and improve the impact and benefits of this highly successful public health scheme.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
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 potential merits of mandating the display of restaurant food hygiene ratings in all English licenced premises assessed.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with local authorities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
We will consider whether the mandatory display of ratings should be introduced in England in due course. In the meantime, the FSA is working with its local authority partners to maintain and improve the impact and benefits of this highly successful public health scheme.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's timetable is for making a decision on the development Medway Maritime Trust elective care centre in Chatham.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Presently, there is no Medway elective treatment business case going through assurance with the Department. NHS England has delegated authority for business cases costed at under £25 million, in which case the Department is not the decision maker. This aligns with our approach that local health infrastructure needs are determined by local health system planners, in collaboration with NHS England.