Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department plans to remove certain targets for (a) hospitals and (b) general practices.

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

Targets for hospitals and general practices (GPs) are regularly reviewed. Existing targets for the National Health Service are set out in several places, including in legislation, in the Government’s mandate to NHS England and in the ‘2023/24 priorities and operational planning guidance’. Targets for hospitals and GPs are further set out within the ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’, the ‘Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care’ and the ‘Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care’.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many clinical service incidents were caused by estates and infrastructure failure in (a) all hospitals and (b) hospitals containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Will Quince

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

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 potential merits of publishing hospital level NHS performance data.

Answered by Will Quince

We are not aware of official assessments made in relation to merits of publishing hospital level NHS performance data. However, our Department is committed to transparency and quality of health data in the public domain and makes a frequent assessment of trust level data availability, though recognises the need to balance quality, public value, disclosure and sensitivity of publishing more granular data in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Hospital Episode Statistics data is also published containing details about admissions, accident and emergency attendances and outpatient appointments at National Health Service hospitals in England. This is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-tools-and-services/data-services/hospital-episode-statistics

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 improve mental health hospitals.

Answered by Will Quince

The Government has committed to build 40 new hospitals by 2030. The announced schemes include new mental health hospitals.

There are currently two mental health hospitals in the New Hospital Programme. An updated secure facility at Northgate Hospital in Morpeth, has received £43.09 million and a specialist facility in the new hospital scheme at St Ann’s, Dorset has received £2.37 million to date. In addition, the Department is also investing in the eradication of mental health dormitories to replace with single en-suite rooms. We have also provided £150 million to the National Health Service to improve mental health facilities connected to accident and emergency and enhance patient safety in mental health units.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to publish on a monthly basis the number of patients waiting 12 hours or more from their time of arrival at hospital.

Answered by Will Quince

Data on the proportion of patients spending more than 12 hours in an emergency department is available for operational use by trusts to understand patient flows through emergency departments. The objectives in the ‘2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance’ include reducing 12 hour waiting times and remains in place. The data is published annually by NHS Digital and NHS England is considering arrangements for further publication of this data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to remain in contact with patients who have attempted to book procedures via their GP but have been refused as a result of slots not being available at hospitals.

Answered by Will Quince

The information requested is not held centrally. Referrals are made from general practitioners (GPs) using the electronic referral system (eRS). If there is no availability on the eRS for a particular provider, the referrer uses the ‘defer to provider’ function to send the referral to the provider of choice, with an appointment made directly with the patient. There are no restrictions on a GP referring the patient to a particular provider. Following a referral to a hospital, the patient will be contacted when an appointment becomes available and will be managed in order of clinical priority.

Hospitals are required to validate patients on waiting lists at intervals to determine whether it remains appropriate for that patient. NHS England has also developed the ‘My Planned Care’ national patient platform, which is communicated to patients. This contains waiting time information updated weekly at provider and specialty level. In addition, clinical guidelines are developed to enable patients to manage their condition and optimise their health while waiting for treatment. Information is also provided on voluntary sector organisations which can support patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will publish the information her Department holds on instances of GPs attempting to book procedures but are refused as a result of slots not being available at hospitals at hospital trusts in England in the last 12 months.

Answered by Will Quince

The information requested is not held centrally. Referrals are made from general practitioners (GPs) using the electronic referral system (eRS). If there is no availability on the eRS for a particular provider, the referrer uses the ‘defer to provider’ function to send the referral to the provider of choice, with an appointment made directly with the patient. There are no restrictions on a GP referring the patient to a particular provider. Following a referral to a hospital, the patient will be contacted when an appointment becomes available and will be managed in order of clinical priority.

Hospitals are required to validate patients on waiting lists at intervals to determine whether it remains appropriate for that patient. NHS England has also developed the ‘My Planned Care’ national patient platform, which is communicated to patients. This contains waiting time information updated weekly at provider and specialty level. In addition, clinical guidelines are developed to enable patients to manage their condition and optimise their health while waiting for treatment. Information is also provided on voluntary sector organisations which can support patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussion has he had with the (a) NHS Confederation, (b) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (c) Care Quality Commission and (d) British Medical Association on engaging outside sponsors managing under-performing hospitals.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We have had no specific discussions. At present we have no plans to introduce a reform trust class of hospital, although we keep emerging developments under review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussion he has had with relevant stakeholders on engaging outside sponsors managing under-performing hospitals.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We have had no specific discussions. At present we have no plans to introduce a reform trust class of hospital, although we keep emerging developments under review.