Dec. 20 2023
Source Page: Community link workers and Adult Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing fund: FOI releaseFound: of 65FOI 202200396132 Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations Citymoves Dance Agency Dance for Parkinson's
Dec. 16 2023
Source Page: Correspondence in relation to offshore wind: FOI releaseFound: dance centre for health is being launched to help people living with deme ntia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's
Oral Evidence Dec. 13 2023
Committee: Health and Social Care Committee (Department: Department of Health and Social Care)Found: , it has potentially serious consequences for patients with conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson's
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Work Capability Assessment: activities and descriptors, published on 5 September 2023, what estimate he has made of how many and what proportion of people who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease will no longer be deemed as having Limited Capacity for Work Related Activity under the planned reforms to the Work Capability Assessment.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
On 22 November we published our response to the consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) criteria, having carefully considered feedback from disabled people and people with health conditions, as well as the organisations that represent and support them.
The OBR have said that they expect the changes we outlined in this response will mean that 371,000 fewer people will be declared as having Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) by 2028/29 than otherwise would be the case. We will publish an Impact Assessment in due course. HMT have also published the impacts in their policy costing note that accompanies the Autumn Statement.
Estimates are not based on specific conditions because the WCA considers the impact that a person’s disability or health condition has on their ability to work, not the condition itself.
There have been significant changes to the world of work since 2011 when the WCA activities and descriptors were last comprehensively reviewed, particularly increased flexibility, and the availability of hybrid and home working jobs. As such, from 2025, we will be making changes to the criteria for Mobilising and Getting About in the WCA, as well as the Substantial Risk rules. In making these changes, we will continue to protect those with the most severe conditions, while ensuring those who can work are supported in doing so. To ensure those with the most significant mobilising limitations are still protected, we will retain the LCWRA Risk regulations for physical health – this means that where work preparation would lead to a deterioration in a claimant’s physical health they would still meet the eligibility for LCWRA.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the role of informal observations made by PIP assessors in mandatory reconsiderations for PIP where the claimant has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Entitlement to PIP is assessed based on the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability, not the health condition or disability itself. The PIP Assessment Guide, used by health professionals who conduct PIP assessments, sets out how informal observations of functional limitations should be used.
Informal observations can be a way to reveal abilities and limitations not mentioned in the claimant questionnaire, supporting evidence, or history taking during the consultation. However, they are only part of the suite of evidence considered by health professionals during an assessment. They must also consider the invisible nature of some symptoms, such as fatigue and pain which may be less easy to identify through observation.
Informal observations included in a health professional’s advice to DWP are not viewed in isolation; they are considered alongside all other available evidence to determine PIP entitlement.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing each of the recommendations in the report by Parkinson’s UK entitled Every minute counts: Time critical Parkinson’s medication on time, every time, published in September 2023.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Within secondary care, hospital providers are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s disease, receive the appropriate medication on time.
NHS England has published a RightCare toolkit which aims to address challenges in providing services for those with progressive neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. The toolkit provides advice on medicine optimisation, highlighting the importance of timely administration of specific drugs, such as Levodopa, in acute and community health settings.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that people with Parkinson’s receive their medication on time in hospitals.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Within secondary care, hospital providers are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s disease, receive the appropriate medication on time.
NHS England has published a RightCare toolkit which aims to address challenges in providing services for those with progressive neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. The toolkit provides advice on medicine optimisation, highlighting the importance of timely administration of specific drugs, such as Levodopa, in acute and community health settings.
Nov. 28 2023
Source Page: Clinical Impact Awards 2022: personal statementsFound: incurable disease 4) Clinician Neuroscientist working in longitudinal cohort studies and early Parkinson's
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Work Capability Assessment: activities and descriptors, published on 5 September 2023, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the consultation on the (a) financial and (b) mental wellbeing of people with Parkinson's disease.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We have published our response to the consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment criteria, having carefully considered feedback from disabled people and people with health conditions, as well as the organisations that represent and support them.
From 2025, we will make changes to the WCA that continue to protect those with the most severe conditions, while ensuring those that can work are supported in doing so. Most existing claimants that have already been assessed without work-related requirements, will be able to benefit from our Chance to Work Guarantee. This change will in effect abolish the WCA for the vast majority of this group, and they will be able to move towards work without fear of reassessment.
As part of the Autumn Statement, the Government has also announced an expansion in tailored support for disabled people and people with health conditions, including Universal Support and NHS Talking Therapies.
The OBR have said that they expect these changes to mean that 371,000 fewer people will be declared as having Limited Capability for Work Related Activity by 2028/29 than otherwise would be the case. HMT have published the impacts in their policy costing note that accompanies the Autumn Statement.
Estimates are not based on specific conditions because the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) considers the impact that a person’s disability or health condition has on their ability to work, not the condition itself.