Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 ensure adequate access to maternity care for people in West Dorset constituency, in the context of the closure of Yeovil’s maternity unit.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government will ensure that trusts failing on maternity care are robustly supported into rapid improvement, and we will continue to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal delivery plan to ensure women receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.
Responsibility for the delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services ultimately rests with the appropriate NHS commissioner. The Department is aware of temporary changes to services at Yeovil District Hospital, which have been made in response to a number of factors, including a recent Care Quality Commission inspection and temporarily not being able to meet the staffing levels required to provide safe services for babies and families. The South West NHS England regional team, integrated care board, and trust are working collectively to review the situation and develop proposals to ensure the safe future service provision of maternity services.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to defibrillators in rural communities; and whether he has considered providing additional support for the (a) installation and (b) maintenance of publicly accessible defibrillators in these areas.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To improve patients' survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the Government committed to improving access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. Following the depletion of the existing AED fund, launched in in September 2023, the Government approved a further £500,000 in August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the fund.
Applications to the fund were allocated where there is the greatest need, for instance remote communities with extended ambulance response times, places with high footfall and high population densities, hotspots for cardiac arrest including sporting venues and venues with vulnerable people, and deprived areas.
There are no plans to undertake further work on improving access or providing additional support for AEDs, in light of the rapid expansion of AEDs across the United Kingdom.
There are now over 100,000 defibrillators in the UK registered on The Circuit, which represents an increase of 30,000 since September 2023. 58.6% of the over 100,000 defibrillators are accessible on a 24/7 basis.
The Circuit is operated independently by the British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, and the National Health Service.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 potential impact of repatriating patients with antimicrobial resistance from conflict zones on (a) UK citizens and (b) the NHS.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises conflict as a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), posing significant risks to populations in fragile and conflict-affected states, the wider global community, and the United Kingdom. In response, the Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to raise global awareness and understanding of this growing threat. The Government does not routinely repatriate patients from conflict zones, and where these have taken place, it has been under exceptional circumstances, or at the individual's expense to reduce avoidable burdens on UK taxpayers.
Evidence indicates that inward migration from countries with a high prevalence of AMR is likely contributing to the rising AMR burden in the UK, which includes the risk of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB). To address this risk, there is a UK pre-entry screening programme for migrants coming for more than six months from countries with high incidence of TB. This will include countries with high incidence of MDR disease. Further information on the evidence is available at the following link:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6032478/
The UK Health Security Agency does not currently undertake routine surveillance of AMR specifically in patients repatriated from conflict zones, but remains committed to strengthening surveillance of drug-resistant infections more broadly regardless of source, to ensure early detection and to enable a rapid response to emerging threats
The National Health Service is a residency-based system, which means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care. However, some of the most vulnerable people arriving in the UK, including refugees and some asylum seekers, do not pay for NHS treatment.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 35851 on Stellantis: Luton, if he will publish details of the package of measures to support all workers facing redundancy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The full package of support for workers facing redundancy was agreed directly between Stellantis and Unite the Union as the recognised trade union; as such Government cannot publish these details as it was not party to the negotiations.
In addition to the support being provided by Stellantis, Government is ensuring workers are fully aware of the options available to them, including through the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service – further information on this service is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights/get-help-finding-a-new-job
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 31113 on Stellantis: Luton, what his Department's definition of appropriate support is.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are supporting affected workers at Stellantis’ Luton plant by making sure they are fully aware of the options available to them and have access to services they need to assist them in taking forward these options e.g. the Job Centre Plus Rapid Response Service.
We have been engaging with the company, trade unions, Luton council and across government throughout the process to ensure that a package of measures is being put in place to support all workers at Luton facing redundancy. This includes tools and services to find new employment.
Asked by: Yuan Yang (Labour - Earley and Woodley)
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 potential implications for his policies of shortages of ADHD medication.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As a result of intensive work, some issues with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines have resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.
However, whilst supply of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets has improved, issues persist. We are continuing to work to resolve these remaining issues by engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to build further capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. The Department is also working with new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to improve supply and resiliency for the United Kingdom market.
We are supporting an ADHD taskforce established by NHS England to examine ADHD service provision. The taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education and justice, to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we plan to combine modelling for future growth forecasts, which will be shared with industry to improve demand forecasting for ADHD medicines.
The Department has worked with NHS specialists to develop advice on prescribing alternative ADHD medications. We expect that ADHD service providers should follow this guidance and offer rapid responses for urgent advice, especially for high-risk patients. To aid decision-making at the point of prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medicines, we continue to update a list of available ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what funding is available from his Department to support (a) Welsh companies making redundancies, (b) Welsh employees at risk of redundancy and (c) Welsh companies in retaining employees.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government aims to respond to any job losses from company distress cases swiftly and coherently, to reduce the local impact and support people back to work.
Through the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS), part of the Insolvency Service, employers can access funding for redundancies, if required. For employers who are considering making 20 or more employees redundant at any one site, the RPS also notify the appropriate government departments and agencies, in confidence. This includes Jobcentre Plus and other service providers in their local area who will reach out with offers of assistance during the notification/consultation period.
The Department for Work and Pensions locally deploy the Rapid Response Service to provide support to people affected by redundancy, regardless of whether they are receiving benefits. The aim is to help people into new employment as quickly as possible. The service supports people during their notice period and up to 13 weeks after they leave work.
Additionally, the Welsh Government directly delivers services supporting redundant workers. ReAct Plus is a grant programme, offering tailored support to those trying to re-enter the labour market by removing barriers and providing grant support for vocational training, travel costs and care (including childcare) related to training.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle shortages of ADHD medication.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The resilience of the United Kingdom’s supply chains is a key priority, and we are committed to helping build long term supply chain resilience for medicines. The Department works in partnership with industry, the National Health Service, and the wider health system to help ensure the continuity of the supply of medical products, including for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines. These issues are often global in nature. We monitor and manage medicine supply issues at a national level, so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand, and therefore there are no specific measures for the West Midlands.
As a result of intensive work, some issues with ADHD medicines have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.
However, whilst the supply of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets has improved, issues still persist. We are continuing to work to resolve these remaining issues by engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support the continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. The Department is also working with new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to improve supply and resiliency for the UK market.
We are supporting an ADHD taskforce that NHS England has established to examine ADHD service provision. The taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we plan to combine modelling for future growth forecasts, which will be shared with industry to improve demand forecasting for ADHD medicines.
The Department has worked with NHS specialists to develop advice on prescribing alternative ADHD medications. We expect that ADHD service providers should follow this guidance and offer rapid responses for urgent advice, especially for high-risk patients. To aid decision-making at the point of the prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medicines, we continue to update a list of available ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
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 tackle (a) supply chains issues and (b) shortages of ADHD medication in the West Midlands.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The resilience of the United Kingdom’s supply chains is a key priority, and we are committed to helping build long term supply chain resilience for medicines. The Department works in partnership with industry, the National Health Service, and the wider health system to help ensure the continuity of the supply of medical products, including for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines. These issues are often global in nature. We monitor and manage medicine supply issues at a national level, so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand, and therefore there are no specific measures for the West Midlands.
As a result of intensive work, some issues with ADHD medicines have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.
However, whilst the supply of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets has improved, issues still persist. We are continuing to work to resolve these remaining issues by engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support the continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. The Department is also working with new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to improve supply and resiliency for the UK market.
We are supporting an ADHD taskforce that NHS England has established to examine ADHD service provision. The taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we plan to combine modelling for future growth forecasts, which will be shared with industry to improve demand forecasting for ADHD medicines.
The Department has worked with NHS specialists to develop advice on prescribing alternative ADHD medications. We expect that ADHD service providers should follow this guidance and offer rapid responses for urgent advice, especially for high-risk patients. To aid decision-making at the point of the prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medicines, we continue to update a list of available ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website.
Asked by: Anna Dixon (Labour - Shipley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 on Enzyme Replacement Therapy: Drugs, what progress his Department has made in tackling shortages of (a) ADHD medication, (b) Creon and (c) other medications used in the management of (i) enzyme deficiency disorders and (ii) cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has continued to work hard with industry and NHS England to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. As a result of intensive work, some issues have been resolved. All strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available.
We are continuing to work to resolve medicine supply issues, where they remain, for some strengths of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We are engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term.
In parallel, the Department has worked with specialist clinicians, including those within the National Health Service, to develop management advice for NHS clinicians to consider prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged release tablets or available alternative ADHD medicines. We would expect ADHD service providers and specialists to follow our guidance, which includes offering rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice or opinions for the management of patients, including those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.
The Department is also continuing to engage with suppliers of Creon and other pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERT) to boost production to mitigate the supply issue. The supplier of Creon expects to receive increased quantities for 2025. Suppliers of alternative PERT and specialist importers of unlicensed medicines continue to supply increased volumes to assist in covering the gap in the market. In December, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public facing page to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice, including advice on preserving the available stock of alternative PERT for certain patient cohorts.