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449851

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Health Professions: Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nationals of (a) the EEA, excluding the UK and (b) non-EEA countries who are (i) doctors, (ii) dentists, (iii) other dental care professionals and (iv) nurses have been (A) suspended and (B) brought before a fitness to practise panel by their professional regulator as a result of poor English language skills in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
tabling member printed	Charlotte Leslie
uin	25540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2016 answer text <p>The information requested is not held by the Department. The nine <a href="http://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/regulators/statutory-regulators-directory" target="_blank">health and care professional regulatory bodies</a> within the United Kingdom are responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of their statutory duties including fitness-to-practise (FtP) investigations against their registrants. Relevant information provided by the General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Dental Council (GDC) is included below.</p><p> </p><p>The GMC reports that four European Economic Area (EEA) doctors and no non-EEA doctors have appeared at a FtP tribunal <del class="ministerial">and been suspended</del> due wholly or partly to lack of English language skills, since its legislation changed in June 2014 to introduce inadequate English language skills as a grounds for finding a doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired. <ins class="ministerial">Of the four, two were suspended and two had conditions imposed on their registration. Conditions restrict a doctor’s practice or require them to take remedial action. In these cases, the purpose of conditions is to help protect patients while allowing the doctor to remedy any deficiencies in their practice or knowledge of English. </ins>In addition, since the GMC was given new powers in relation to the language skills of doctors, it has dealt with 3,289 registration applications from EEA doctors. 1,970 of them were able to demonstrate that they met the English language requirements as part of their application and were granted registration with a licence to practise. 1,319 doctors were registered but have not been granted a licence to practise either because they did not provide any evidence of their English language skills or the evidence they provided was insufficient. Doctors cannot practise in the UK without a licence to practise.</p><p> </p><p>The NMC reports that until legislative change took effect in January 2016, it did not record poor English language skills as a case type within FtP. Previously all cases were recorded under an umbrella category of ‘Lack of competence – communication issues’. This category covered a range of communication topics including failure to delegate appropriately. Since the new language control power was introduced in 2016 the NMC has been coding English language skills as a separate code.</p><p> </p><p>The GDC reports that following an update to its Standards in 2013, it takes the requirement to be sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English into account when assessing FtP cases. Since this change there have been no suspensions and one EEA Dentist has been struck-off the GDC register where the category of ‘not fluent in English’ was recorded as a consideration. The GDC notes that as a result of recent legislative change, it is taking forward associated changes to registration processes and FtP rules, which will result in further language control requirements being introduced by the end of summer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 08/02/2016 14:54:34 question first ministerially corrected 01/03/2016 17:55:31 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer previous answer version 44025 answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	3933 label Biography information for Charlotte Leslie

449853

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Hospitals: Infectious Diseases
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for measures to reduce rates of hospital-acquired infections.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	25407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>There is no simple solution to reducing infections in hospitals or the wider health economy. Thus as part of implementation of the UK 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 – 2018, a wide ranging programme of work is already underway to reduce the incidence of infections. The Strategy is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>Plans are in hand to strengthen local leadership and reporting to support the drive to reduce healthcare associated infections. There are national evidence based guidelines for preventing healthcare associated infections and local and national surveillance to help us identify areas where more focused attention and effort is needed are part of this programme. Our expert scientific advisory committee is currently evaluating relevant data to identify interventions that can be used to reduce infections such as <em>Escherichia coli</em> blood stream infections.</p><p> </p><p>In addition a new indicator will bring together data into one website to help the National Health Service understand that cleanliness, infection prevention and control and antibiotic usage are linked issues which require urgent coherent action. This will support our aim of ensuring local delivery and more information will be in the second Strategy progress report due to be published in the spring.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer grouped question UIN 25382 25408 question first answered 05/02/2016 12:24:42 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

449854

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	E. coli
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to address increases in the rate of E.coli infection.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	25408
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>There is no simple solution to reducing infections in hospitals or the wider health economy. Thus as part of implementation of the UK 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 – 2018, a wide ranging programme of work is already underway to reduce the incidence of infections. The Strategy is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>Plans are in hand to strengthen local leadership and reporting to support the drive to reduce healthcare associated infections. There are national evidence based guidelines for preventing healthcare associated infections and local and national surveillance to help us identify areas where more focused attention and effort is needed are part of this programme. Our expert scientific advisory committee is currently evaluating relevant data to identify interventions that can be used to reduce infections such as <em>Escherichia coli</em> blood stream infections.</p><p> </p><p>In addition a new indicator will bring together data into one website to help the National Health Service understand that cleanliness, infection prevention and control and antibiotic usage are linked issues which require urgent coherent action. This will support our aim of ensuring local delivery and more information will be in the second Strategy progress report due to be published in the spring.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer grouped question UIN 25382 25407 question first answered 05/02/2016 12:24:43 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

449866

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Pregnancy: Screening
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make the test for levels of fetal fibronectin to assist in detecting likely premature births available through the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	25261
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>In November 2014, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommended that screening for pre-term birth should not be offered as the available screening test is not reliable. Further research is also needed to better understand the use of fetal fibronectin as a screen indicator in an antenatal screening programme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK NSC concluded that based on the published peer reviewed evidence preterm birth should not be offered for the following reasons:</p><p> </p><p>― The available tests for identifying which asymptomatic women were at risk of preterm labour, including the measurement of cervical length, are not reliable enough to meet the UK NSC’s criteria for use as a screening tool. Screening would identify many women as at risk when they are not, leading to unnecessary preventive treatment;</p><p>― The measurement of cervical length has no agreed measurement for establishing which pregnancies are at risk and which are not; and</p><p>― There is not enough evidence to suggest that the most effective treatment from preventing preterm labour, vaginal progesterone provides any overall benefit or reduced the likelihood of a baby dying.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 10/02/2016 15:32:29 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

449972

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Infectious Diseases: Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve infection control in primary health trusts.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	25382
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>There is no simple solution to reducing infections in hospitals or the wider health economy. Thus as part of implementation of the UK 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 – 2018, a wide ranging programme of work is already underway to reduce the incidence of infections. The Strategy is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-antimicrobial-resistance-strategy-2013-to-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>Plans are in hand to strengthen local leadership and reporting to support the drive to reduce healthcare associated infections. There are national evidence based guidelines for preventing healthcare associated infections and local and national surveillance to help us identify areas where more focused attention and effort is needed are part of this programme. Our expert scientific advisory committee is currently evaluating relevant data to identify interventions that can be used to reduce infections such as <em>Escherichia coli</em> blood stream infections.</p><p> </p><p>In addition a new indicator will bring together data into one website to help the National Health Service understand that cleanliness, infection prevention and control and antibiotic usage are linked issues which require urgent coherent action. This will support our aim of ensuring local delivery and more information will be in the second Strategy progress report due to be published in the spring.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer grouped question UIN 25407 25408 question first answered 05/02/2016 12:24:42 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

449974

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Infectious Diseases
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the most effective way to implement the use of rapid diagnostic technology for the purpose of accurately diagnosing infections in hospitals.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	25383
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>An expert group has been looking at how we can improve access to rapid diagnostic testing as part of the implementation of the UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy. The group is currently formulating its conclusions and intends to start working with stakeholders to implement improvements across the system from 2016; a part of this work will include an economic analysis to support the rapid adoption of new tests.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been feeding this work into the Accelerated Access Review, which will make recommendations to Government on speeding up access to transformative new medicines and technologies, including diagnostics, for National Health Service patients. The review is due to report in April 2016.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 10/02/2016 15:34:19 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

449975

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Doctors: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the application-to-place ratio prior to interview is for ST1/CT1 posts starting in August to December 2016 at each specialities national recruitment office.
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Norman Lamb
uin	25389
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>Health Education England (HEE) is responsible for the management of medical specialty recruitment on behalf of the four United Kingdom countries.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested for 2016 is not yet available.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>HEE publishes application to place ratios in October on an annual basis. The August to December 2016 data will be published in October 2016.</p><p> </p><p>Competition ratios for 2015 can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/specialty-recruitment/competition-ratios/2015-competition-ratios/" target="_blank">http://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/specialty-recruitment/competition-ratios/2015-competition-ratios/</a></p><p> </p><p>To note: The data used to determine the competition ratios for is drawn from the initial recruitment round and does not include re-advertisements.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 10/02/2016 15:37:46 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb

449976

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings have taken place between NHS Improvement and NHS trusts to agree plans to improve their financial position since 15 January; which providers have had such meetings with NHS Improvement; and when each such meeting took place.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Heidi Alexander
uin	25603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) (becoming NHS Improvement from 1 April 2016) engage with National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts on a daily basis and staff regularly meet with these organisations to review and support their plans to improve their financial positions.</p><p> </p><p>Since 15 January, senior representatives have met with seven trusts for face to face meetings and have also attended events, with a number of trusts represented, to discuss the 2015/16 financial year and financial planning for 2016/17. In addition, senior representatives have also met with NHS Providers to discuss these issues and fed into their communications to the provider sector on these topics.</p><p> </p><p>All trusts will be submitting draft financial plans for 2016/17 to Monitor and the NHS TDA in due course. Monitor and the NHS TDA will continue to engage further with trusts as appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 05/02/2016 12:29:49 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4038 label Biography information for Heidi Alexander

449979

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Hospitals: Infectious Diseases
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he made of the potential merits of expanding the monitoring of healthcare-associated infections.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	25411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>Public Health England undertakes monitoring of healthcare associated infections, which includes the mandatory healthcare associated infections surveillance system. These arrangements are regularly reviewed and changes introduced in 2015 include enhanced surveillance for very antibiotic resistant infections (carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae).</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 05/02/2016 12:22:18 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

449984

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	William Mead
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the national recommendations outlined in NHS England's report on the death of William Mead are implemented.
tabling member constituency	Chesham and Amersham
tabling member printed	Mrs Cheryl Gillan
uin	25551
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>The (NHS England South) Regional Quality Surveillance Group is responsible for ensuring that all the national recommendations outlined in NHS England’s report on the death of William Mead are implemented.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will be keeping track of progress on this front.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 05/02/2016 12:27:36 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
tabling member	18 label Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan