Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether compensation will be available for the families of people who died from covid-19 as a result of people having been moved from hospitals to care homes.
Answered by Maggie Throup
In the recent Gardner and Harris judicial review, the court did not find that any of the people who sadly died in care homes from COVID-19 are entitled to compensation. Therefore, we do not expect to receive compensation claims following this judgement and there are no plans to establish a compensation scheme. The forthcoming public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic will ensure that lessons are learned to inform the response to future public health emergencies.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 adequacy and effectiveness of support given to care homes since the publication of the Government's Living with Covid-19 document in February 2022.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No specific assessment has been made. However, on 31 March 2022 updated guidance for the sector was published to ensure sufficient protections for care recipients remain. Care home residents will continue to be prioritised for vaccinations, the free provision of personal protective equipment remains and testing will continue to be provided to the sector.
We are also investing £5.4 billion over the next three years to begin the reform of adult social care, including £1.36 billion to move towards a fair cost of care.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department will take to ensure adequate supply of (a) PCR and (b) LFT covid-19 testing kit supplies to care homes.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The UK Health Security Agency continues to work with commercial partners to procure sufficient test kits and ensure a continuous supply to care homes. Care homes can order rapid lateral flow device (LFD) tests for regular asymptomatic testing, symptomatic testing of staff and residents and LFD and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in the case of outbreaks. A courier booking service remains available to all care homes for completed PCR test kits in during outbreaks.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set a target for the proportion of care home residents to receive a covid-19 spring booster vaccination.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
While the Government has not set targets for COVID-19 vaccines uptake, we strongly recommend that all those who are eligible should accept the offer for the spring booster dose.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 affordability of covid-19 testing for people who are visiting relatives in care homes.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Visitors are no longer asked to test before entering a care home although they are encouraged to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including staying away from the care home if they are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19. However, free asymptomatic testing is available for visitors providing personal care before entering the care home, up to twice weekly if visiting more than twice. While visitor testing is no longer required, we will continue to ensure that COVID-19 tests are available through the private market for those who wish to purchase them.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure adequate supplies of covid-19 (a) PCR and (b) lateral flow tests for care homes.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 adequacy of support provided to care homes following the publication of the Government's guidance entitled Living with Covid-19 on 21 February 2022.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 adequacy of the sick pay policy for care home staff who are off sick with covid-19.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
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 allowing fourth dose of Coronavirus vaccines to be made available to those with severe physical and/or learning disabilities who have diminished or no capacity to exercise their own judgment.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on offering a further dose as a precautionary measure for those at most at risk of severe disease. As a result, a ‘spring dose’ is being offered to all adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed. The JCVI has not specifically recommended a further dose for those with severe physical and/or learning disabilities, unless they are eligible in these patient cohorts.
If an adult has been assessed as lacking capacity to make their own decisions about vaccination, it may be possible to proceed with immunisation under the principle of acting in their ‘best interests’. Healthcare workers considering immunising under a ‘best interests’ decision have a statutory duty to follow the Code of Practice and checklist set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take urgent steps to enable care homes, that have remained in continuous lockdown on due to staff infections, access to family and friends.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.