Mentions:
1: None , Martlesham Heath, Saxmundham, Southwold and Woodbridge; further that the petitioners believe that rural - Speech Link
2: None Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital - Speech Link
3: None Firms will trial customer liaison services and Saturday openings, and have also committed to keep services - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) and it is at the centre of negotiations, which the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural - Speech Link
2: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) We are waiting for the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which we expect to hear about - Speech Link
3: Brendan O'Hara (SNP - Argyll and Bute) Indeed, he has previously acknowledged that UNRWA has a vital role to play in providing aid and services - Speech Link
4: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) We will look at the Office of Internal Oversight Services report and the UNRWA reaction to it. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Gray, Neil (SNP - Airdrie and Shotts) complexity of GP appointments and the nature of demand so that we can reform and support delivery of better services - Speech Link
2: Mochan, Carol (Lab - South Scotland) Does the cabinet secretary accept that, by not adequately funding GP services, this Government has overseen - Speech Link
3: Gray, Neil (SNP - Airdrie and Shotts) are looking to learn about how that investment is working, to ensure that GPs continue to arrive in rural - Speech Link
4: Gulhane, Sandesh (Con - Glasgow) accept that the GP contract has failed to be implemented in its entirety and that it has disadvantaged rural - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Haughey, Clare (SNP - Rutherglen) That includes an individual’s right to access or to provide abortion services. - Speech Link
2: Minto, Jenni (SNP - Argyll and Bute) services, or is reckless as to whether it does those things. - Speech Link
3: Mochan, Carol (Lab - South Scotland) Women accessing sexual health services, specifically abortion services, could be going through an extremely - Speech Link
4: Lennon, Monica (Lab - Central Scotland) deliver the services. - Speech Link
5: Minto, Jenni (SNP - Argyll and Bute) I represent a rural constituency, and I can understand and reflect on the importance of safe and confidential - Speech Link
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many community pharmacies in rural areas closed in (1) 2019, (2) 2020, (3) 2021, (4) 2022, and (5) 2023.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The below table shows the total number of community pharmacies that have closed and opened in rural areas in England, as defined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Guide to applying the Rural Urban Classification to data, each year from 2019 to 2023:
Year | Number of rural pharmacies closed | Number of rural pharmacies opened |
2019 | 13 | 3 |
2020 | 6 | 1 |
2021 | 8 | 8 |
2022 | 8 | 3 |
2023 | 13 | 8 |
Community pharmacies are private businesses, contracted to provide National Health Service pharmaceutical services. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is responsible for ensuring that patients can access medicines, and the Department is monitoring changes to the market closely. In areas where there are fewer pharmacies, the Pharmacy Access Scheme provides financial support to the pharmacies that are present.
Every three years, local authorities in England undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments for their areas, to ensure provision continues to meet their population’s needs. Integrated care boards have regard to those assessments when commissioning services, and where a pharmacy closure impacts access to services, a new contractor can apply to open a pharmacy in the area.
When a local pharmacy closes, patients can choose to access pharmaceutical services through any alternative pharmacy, including any of the over 400 distance selling pharmacies that are required to deliver medicines to patients free of charge. In some rural areas, doctors are permitted to dispense medicines.
Asked by: Keir Mather (Labour - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on the adequacy of the provision of postal services in rural areas.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom, as the independent regulator, is responsible for the provision of a universal postal service. Its regulatory framework requires Royal Mail to ensure that, for the UK as a whole, the premises of not less than 98% of users of postal services are within half a mile of a post box and, in all postcode areas, the premises of 95% of users of postal services are within 3 miles of an access point (such as a post box, a Post Office or a Customer Service Point within a Delivery Office).
As part of its 2022 review of postal regulation, Ofcom considered accessibility of the service, including for rural users, and decided to maintain the existing regulations.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term financial viability of community pharmacies in rural areas.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The below table shows the total number of community pharmacies that have closed and opened in rural areas in England, as defined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Guide to applying the Rural Urban Classification to data, each year from 2019 to 2023:
Year | Number of rural pharmacies closed | Number of rural pharmacies opened |
2019 | 13 | 3 |
2020 | 6 | 1 |
2021 | 8 | 8 |
2022 | 8 | 3 |
2023 | 13 | 8 |
Community pharmacies are private businesses, contracted to provide National Health Service pharmaceutical services. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is responsible for ensuring that patients can access medicines, and the Department is monitoring changes to the market closely. In areas where there are fewer pharmacies, the Pharmacy Access Scheme provides financial support to the pharmacies that are present.
Every three years, local authorities in England undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments for their areas, to ensure provision continues to meet their population’s needs. Integrated care boards have regard to those assessments when commissioning services, and where a pharmacy closure impacts access to services, a new contractor can apply to open a pharmacy in the area.
When a local pharmacy closes, patients can choose to access pharmaceutical services through any alternative pharmacy, including any of the over 400 distance selling pharmacies that are required to deliver medicines to patients free of charge. In some rural areas, doctors are permitted to dispense medicines.
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