Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had discussions with trade unions on the (a) pay and (b) conditions of Emergency Care Assistants at NHS ambulance trusts.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State has not held any direct discussions with trade unions specifically on emergency care assistants’ (ECAs) pay or conditions but did meet the NHS Staff Council in December 2023. We negotiated a fair and reasonable deal with the NHS Staff Council that was accepted by a majority vote of unions. The NHS Staff Council has responsibility for negotiating the pay of staff on Agenda for Change contracts, which includes ECAs. Eligible ECAs will have received a 5% pay rise as a result of the deal as well as two non-consolidated payments. ECAs will also benefit from the non-pay elements of this deal, including further work supporting the career development and wellbeing of National Health Service staff.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had discussions with trade unions on the (a) pay and (b) conditions of Emergency Care Assistants at the South Western Ambulance Service.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State has not held any direct discussions with trade unions specifically on emergency care assistants’ (ECAs) pay or conditions but did meet the NHS Staff Council in December 2023. We negotiated a fair and reasonable deal with the NHS Staff Council that was accepted by a majority vote of unions. The NHS Staff Council has responsibility for negotiating the pay of staff on Agenda for Change contracts, which includes ECAs. Eligible ECAs will have received a 5% pay rise as a result of the deal as well as two non-consolidated payments. ECAs will also benefit from the non-pay elements of this deal, including further work supporting the career development and wellbeing of National Health Service staff.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to make consolidated payments to members of the NHS Professionals National Bank.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding for the 2023-24 consolidated pay uplift for Agenda for Change staff was provided to National Health Service providers through the usual routes.
NHS Professionals Ltd (NHSP), a limited company wholly owned by the Department, is a supplier of clinical and non-clinical temporary workforce to client NHS trusts. NHSP contracts on an arm’s length basis with NHS trusts to provide flexible workforce solutions including managed bank services and its National Bank offering.
NHSP requires approval from its client trusts to implement any pay change for all bank members, including annual consolidated increases. NHSP administers an annual process in line with the NHS Agenda for Change consolidated pay increase process; however, each client trust retains discretion over its implementation. Some NHSP bank members have distinct pay arrangements that do not fall within the regular Agenda for Change framework and again individual trusts determine the pay and conditions for those members of staff.
NHSP has provided guidance to its bank workers on eligibility for the consolidated 2023-24 award.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making consolidated payments to members of the NHS Professionals National Bank.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding for the 2023-24 consolidated pay uplift for Agenda for Change staff was provided to National Health Service providers through the usual routes.
NHS Professionals Ltd (NHSP), a limited company wholly owned by the Department, is a supplier of clinical and non-clinical temporary workforce to client NHS trusts. NHSP contracts on an arm’s length basis with NHS trusts to provide flexible workforce solutions including managed bank services and its National Bank offering.
NHSP requires approval from its client trusts to implement any pay change for all bank members, including annual consolidated increases. NHSP administers an annual process in line with the NHS Agenda for Change consolidated pay increase process; however, each client trust retains discretion over its implementation. Some NHSP bank members have distinct pay arrangements that do not fall within the regular Agenda for Change framework and again individual trusts determine the pay and conditions for those members of staff.
NHSP has provided guidance to its bank workers on eligibility for the consolidated 2023-24 award.
Asked by: Tahir Ali (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential trauma for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children of being housed in hotels.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status.
Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need.
The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat, or completing an email enquiry form, both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.
The information you have requested of the Home Office is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Tahir Ali (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children in temporary accommodation have been provided with healthcare support in the last 12 months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status.
Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need.
The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat, or completing an email enquiry form, both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.
The information you have requested of the Home Office is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that unaccompanied child asylum seekers are provided healthcare.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status.
Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need.
All accommodation providers, including those who were responsible for the unaccompanied asylum seeking children hotels that were previously set up and run by the Home Office, have a contractual duty to assist people in accessing the health care they need.
The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat or completing an email enquiry form both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will request NHS England to permit the prescription of Thiamine capsules as an alternative to tablets.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, considering best prescribing practice and appropriate national and local guidance.
In respect of the prescribing of unlicensed medicines, the National Health Service’s long-established practice is reflected in professional guidance. Individual patient needs should be fulfilled by, firstly, using a licensed medicine within its licensed indication, or if there is nothing suitable, using a licensed medicine outside its licensed indication. If there is still nothing suitable after this, the clinician can consider using an unlicensed medicine.
Thiamine tablets are available as a licensed medicine. Thiamine capsules are not a licensed medicine. Thiamine supplements can be purchased from pharmacies or shops. These include vitamin B complex tablets and multivitamin tablets where thiamine is listed as an ingredient. NHS guidance states that vitamins and minerals should not be routinely prescribed in primary care as there is insufficient high-quality evidence to demonstrate their clinical effectiveness. However, subject to funding, a clinician can prescribe any product on the NHS that they consider to be clinically necessary for the treatment of their patient unless it is listed in Schedules 1 or 2 of the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004. Parts XVIIIA and XVIIIB of the NHS Drug Tariff list the drugs, medicines and other substance that may not be ordered, or may only be ordered on the NHS in certain circumstances under the above regulations.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with NHS England’s Commercial Medicines Unit on appropriately recognising the strategic importance of plasma-derived medicinal products.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is routinely liaising with NHS England on this strategically important work. NHS England holds the budget for the provision of plasma-derived medicines and manage the supply framework. The introduction of medicines sourced in the United Kingdom is already part of the overall strategic direction and is aligned with the Commercial Medicines Unit.
NHS England has taken lead responsibility for the procurement of a fractionator to manufacture UK plasma into medicines. There are now contracts in place with the manufacturer and supplier that will provide England with 25% self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines, rising to 30% in the following years.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Haltemprice and Howden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the value for money of the Federated Data Platform contract and (b) the extent to which FDP procurement complies with the guidance entitled Managing public money.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Federated Data Platform (FDP) business case includes an assessment of the investment, the benefits anticipated, and the return of investment anticipated over the lifetime of the programme. Benefits are provided for cash, non-cash, and societal benefits and throughout the approval process were assessed by several independent assessors from both NHS England, the Department and other Government departments to ensure that investments provide value. The FDP is a Tier A Government Major Projects Portfolio programme and therefore will be required to report on the return on investment and benefits realised throughout the lifetime of the programme, to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
NHS England has conducted a fair, open, and transparent procurement in line with Public Contracts Regulations 2015. They used the Competitive Dialogue Process, which is in line with both Cabinet Office guidance and HM Treasury guidance Managing Public Money. This process was open for any supplier to participate, subject to passing the standard selection criteria and minimum requirements. All bids were evaluated against the same objective evaluation criteria and scoring methodology which was shared with all suppliers. The evaluation criteria were developed to mitigate against unfair incumbent advantage. Over 30 independent evaluators were selected from across the National Health Service with a range of skills and experience relevant to the question they were evaluating.