Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

100036

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Accident and Emergency Departments
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the impact since 2009 of the closure of accident and emergency departments on neighbouring hospitals.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McDonagh
	uin	HL2242
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. All service changes should be led by clinicians and be in the best interests of patients, not driven from the top down.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is for NHS commissioners and providers to work together, with local authorities, patients and the public, in bringing forward proposals that will improve the quality, safety and sustainability of healthcare services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Any changes must be supported by the Government’s four tests for service change, namely:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- support from general practitioner commissioners;</p><p> </p><p>- clarity on the clinical evidence base;</p><p> </p><p>- robust patient and public engagement; and</p><p> </p><p>- support for patient choice.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Once a decision on a local case for change has been made, it is up to the NHS to ensure its local services meet the needs of its population.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More generally, we would expect any local plans for changes to acute services to take full account of the impact on neighbouring hospitals.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 27/10/2014 12:41:26 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	3701 label Biography information for Baroness McDonagh

100194

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	General Practitioners: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government's benchmark waiting time is to see a General Practitioner for a routine appointment; and how that benchmark was set.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
	tabling member printed	Pauline Latham
	uin	211311
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government does not set a benchmark for waiting times to see a general practitioner (GP) for a routine appointment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 48 hour waiting time target was removed because it as seen as too inflexible in meeting the needs of patients. The GP patient survey showed that the proportion of people who wanted to get an appointment within 2 days (and were able to) actually fell between 2008-09 and 2009-10 i.e. when the target was in place.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 16:29:44 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

100195

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to simplify the provision and commissioning of secondary care; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
	tabling member printed	Pauline Latham
	uin	211309
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>In considering the commissioning and provision of secondary care, it is for commissioners and clinicians locally to design and deliver the models of care that are going to provide the best outcomes for patients.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NHS England has published a Five Year Forward View which describes the vision for the future of the NHS, including increasing the involvement of General Practitioners in the provision of services traditionally placed in secondary care through ‘Multispecialty Community Providers’ and ‘Primary and Acute Care Systems’. A copy of the Five Year Forward View is attached.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 27/10/2014 17:11:44 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison attachment 1 file name NHS England- Five Year Forward View.pdf title NHS England- Five Year Forward View
	tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

100196

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Radiotherapy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the signature authorising Individual Funding Requests made to NHS England for Gamma Knife treatment by University College Hospital London, Queen Square, is that of a senior clinician employed by University College Hospital London.
	tabling member constituency	Wells
	tabling member printed	Tessa Munt
	uin	211310
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>We are advised by NHS England that the clinician who authorises Individual Funding Requests for Gamma Knife treatment to be undertaken at the Queens Square Radiology Centre Ltd (QSRC) is a surgeon at the National Hospital for Neurosurgery and Neurology (NHNN), part of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gamma Knife treatment is not undertaken by UCLH but by the private company QSRC, which is based at NHNN but has no formal relationship with UCLH.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 27/10/2014 16:54:23 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	4089 label Biography information for Tessa Munt

100204

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of National Health Service purchasing and promote procurement on a regional or national scale.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
	tabling member printed	Pauline Latham
	uin	211312
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for their own procurement activity and are supported by collaborative procurement organisations working at regional and national level.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department launched a Procurement Efficiency Programme (<em>Better Procurement Better Value Better Care</em>) in August 2013, further details of which can be found at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-procurement-in-the-nhs" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-procurement-in-the-nhs</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This programme focussed on the need to improve local capability, data and leadership in the longer term and the need to drive £1.5-£2 billion of efficiency savings in the immediate term. As part of this efficiency programme the Department is working with NHS trusts and collaborative procurement organisations to determine the most effective procurement approaches going forward.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 16:38:12 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

100402

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Paralysis
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to support University College London in its work to enable people who have been paralysed to regain the ability to walk.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	211576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds 11 biomedical research centres that conduct translational research to transform scientific breakthroughs into benefits for patients. These centres are formed through partnerships between England’s leading National Health Service organisations and universities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NIHR is investing £110 million over five years (2012-17) in the NIHR biomedical research centre at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University College London. The centre is supporting research on the use of cells from the lining of the nose to repair damaged nerves in the spinal cord.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 27/10/2014 16:53:22 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

100403

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Perinatal Mortality
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the NHS takes to assist mothers of stillborn children to come to terms with their grief.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	211575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The National Health Service locally should ensure that appropriate facilities and services are in place to support bereaved parents following the death of a baby. In line with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Standards of proficiency for pre-registration midwifery education, all midwives should be proficient in providing care for women who have suffered pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal death. Health Education England has agreed to work with partners to ensure that pre and post registration training in perinatal mental health is available to enable specialist staff to be available to every birthing unit by 2017.</p><p>To assist NHS commissioners and providers, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Standards for Gynaecology and Standards for Maternity sets out clear standards for the level of care provided to help women and their partners experiencing pregnancy loss, including the availability of skilled staff to support parents following a stillbirth or miscarriage. A number of trusts now employ specialist bereavement midwives to provide this support.</p><p>To further assist NHS maternity services, NHS Improving Quality published ‘A review of support available for loss in early and late pregnancy’ in February 2014, which highlights areas of good practice and additional sources of support, such as the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, Sands.</p><p>Local NHS maternity care providers are responsible for ensuring parents receive appropriate information on bereavement support and services following the death of a baby. To complement information provided locally, information on support for parents after a stillbirth is available on the NHS Choices website at:</p><p>www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Stillbirth/Pages/Getting-help.aspx</p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 16:51:15 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

100406

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS: Vacancies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that as many staff vacancies in the NHS as possible are filled by citizens of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	211577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>In filling their vacancies, employers across the National Health Service in England are required to comply with employment law and ensure all applicants including citizens of, and others who demonstrate they are eligible to work in, the United Kingdom, are treated fairly and consistently.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Health Education England<sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup> has been tasked with reducing the number of health roles on the Home Office Shortage Occupation List by March 2015. Where roles remain on the list an action plan should be produced to ensure that work is done to ensure that they can be removed.</p><p> </p><br /><p>[1] ”Delivering high quality effective, compassionate care: Developing the right people with the right skills and right values”- A Mandate to Health Education England: April 2014 to March 2015</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 16:47:06 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

100408

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS: Temporary Employment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the staff budgets of NHS trusts and foundation trusts consisted of expenditure on contract and agency staff in each of the last five financial years.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
	uin	211594
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Following the Francis report[1] many trusts increased their spend on temporary staffing to meet safe staffing levels.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department expects trusts to have a strong grip on their finances, and manage their contract and agency[2] staffing spend responsibly through effective and efficient workforce planning and management.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proportion of National Health Service foundation trusts staff budgets that consisted of expenditure on contract and agency staff in each of the last five financial years is set out in the following table:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Proportion</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>5.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>4.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>4.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>4.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>5.0%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The proportion of NHS trusts staff budgets that consisted of expenditure on contract and agency staff in 2013-14 is 6.3%. Previous years are not available as agency and contract staff were not identified separately from other non permanent staff[3].</p><p> </p><br /><p>[1] <a href="http://www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com/" target="_blank">http://www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com/</a></p><p> </p><p>[2]The definition of Contract / Agency staff is: “Agency” employee payments for the employment of staff where the staff remain employees of the agency and “Contract staff” where the NHS trust has control over numbers and qualifications of staff (in contrast to a service obtained under contract) .</p><p> </p><p>[3] non-permanent staff are defined as “others engaged on the objectives of the organisation including staff on inward secondment or loan from other organisations, bank/agency/temporary staff and contract staff.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 16:40:13 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

100409

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Offences against Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the recommendation in the World Health Organisation publication, Investing in children: the European child maltreatment prevention action plans 2015 to 2020, that a public health approach to child maltreatment should be adopted, if the Government will take steps to implement that recommendation in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
	tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
	uin	211629
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the action plan including, in particular, its focus on maximising the gains from evidence-based programmes. The inter-agency statutory guidance <em>Working Together to Safeguard Children</em> places a significant emphasis on preventative, early help. That approach includes the important part played by, among others, health visitors, <strong>family nurses</strong><strong>,</strong> school nurses and the Healthy Child Programme. <strong>In this respect the Government has increased the number of health visitors by 2,206 since 2010 and the number of places on the Family Nurse Partnership programme will increase from 6,500 in 2010 to 16,000 in 2015.</strong><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The <strong>Healthy Child</strong> Programme is the key universal service for improving the health and wellbeing of children, by bringing together the evidence-based actions of those who deliver care to babies and children. It provides health and development reviews, health promotion, parenting support, and screening and immunisation programmes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Note:</em></p><p> </p><p>- health visitor numbers compare May 2010 with end-July 2014</p><p> </p><p>- FNP places – original commitment was to double them, to 13,000 by 2014 (later increased to 16,000 by 2015) – which suggests a 2010 baseline (which we are unable to confirm in a hurry) of 6,500.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 27/10/2014 17:17:34 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger