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100183

	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP practices have (a) closed and (b) opened in (i) England, (ii) Greater London and (iii) Wales in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	211216
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>Figures for NHS England and the NHS London area are shown in the following table. Figures for Wales are not collected centrally.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is important to note that these figures also include practice mergers and takeovers and do not provide an accurate representation of activity or service provision. For example, the merger of three practices would show as three practices closing and one opening. In many cases, practices listed in these figures as having closed will have in fact merged, and will continue to see patients.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>NHS England</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>NHS London area</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Closed</p></td><td><p>Opened</p></td><td><p>Closed</p></td><td><p>Opened</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p>194</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>79</p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>21</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>111</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>124</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>126</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>39</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 (to 30 September)</p></td><td><p>92</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 28/10/2014 17:47:07 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

105975

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS: Interpreters
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on interpreters in hospitals in England and Wales in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	212950
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 October 2014 to Question <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-09/208666/" target="_blank">208666</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 10/11/2014 16:58:50 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

105976

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS: Compensation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what strategy his Department has to reduce compensation claims within the NHS.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	212951
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>In March 2014, my Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health issued a call to action to make the National Health Service the safest healthcare system in the world and achieve a three-year goal to halve avoidable harm and save 6,000 lives. The Sign up to Safety campaign embodies the ambition of the NHS to build a culture of safety, bringing together individuals and organisations with a contribution to make towards the patient safety goal. Elements of this campaign will focus on a reduction in avoidable harm that can lead to compensation claims. Organisations that sign up are setting out what they will do to strengthen patient safety, including a safety improvement plan which shows how their organisation intends to save lives and reduce harm for patients over the next three years. The NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA) will support those organisations which have patient safety improvement plans that demonstrate a reduction in their higher volume, higher value claims.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NHS LA also provides a safety and learning service to its members, sharing information on the learning from claims with individual trusts and across the NHS to support learning and improvements in safety, and reduce harm. It also incentivises members to reduce claims by rewarding safer organisations with fewer, less costly claims through reduced contributions.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 10/11/2014 11:58:40 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

105977

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Strokes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of support services for stroke survivors.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	212948
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, run by the Royal College of Physicians and funded through the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, aims to improve the quality of stroke care by auditing stroke services against evidence based standards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We know that when stroke survivors leave hospital, it is important that the right services are in place to ensure they have the support they need to make the best possible recovery. The audit shows that about 40% of stroke survivors are discharged with plans for on-going rehabilitation from a specialist team and that progress continues to be made in terms of the intensity of therapy provided by all of the disciplines (occupational, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>However, there is still progress to be made and the cardiovascular disease Strategic Clinical Networks continue to work with commissioners and providers to improve stroke rehabilitation services.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 10/11/2014 16:50:48 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

156297

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	NHS: Research
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage and enhance research and development within the NHS.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	214869
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>There are a number of ways in which research and development is encouraged and supported in the National Health Service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The enactment of the Health and Social Care Act was a milestone for research in the NHS, recognising the need to promote research and the use of research evidence, and creating unprecedented powers and duties at all levels to meet that need.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s Mandate to NHS England requires it: “to ensure that the new commissioning system promotes and supports participation by NHS organisations and NHS patients in research funded by both commercial and non-commercial organisations, most importantly to improve patient outcomes, but also to contribute to economic growth. This includes ensuring payment of treatment costs for NHS patients taking part in research funded by Government and Research Charity partner organisations.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) was established in April 2006 following publication of a five-year strategy ‘Best Research for Best Health’. The goal of the NIHR is to create a health research system in which the NHS supports outstanding individuals, working in world class facilities, conducting leading edge research focussed on the needs of patients and the public. Aims and measures for achieving the vision of the NIHR are set out in regularly-updated briefing documents that are published on the NIHR website.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Health research remains a Government priority; the Department’s revenue spend on research has increased from £885 million in 2009-10 to planned investment of £1,077 million in 2014-15. The Department’s research and development budget funds the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Department’s Policy Research Programme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NIHR’s approach has generated widespread support for research from the NHS, academia and industry. This includes:</p><p> </p><p>- investment in research infrastructure and increasing the attractiveness of the United Kingdom as a site for life science industry investment - through NIHR Biomedical Research Centres, Units and the Clinical Research Network;</p><p> </p><p>- speeding up the translation of advances in basic science into tangible benefits for patients - through NIHR Clinical Research Facilities for Experimental Medicine;</p><p> </p><p>- increasing the capacity and the capability of the NHS to support research funded by research councils and charities - through the NIHR Clinical Research Network;</p><p> </p><p>- supporting clinicians at all stages of their careers – through the NIHR Integrated Academic Training programme;</p><p> </p><p>- increasing the quality and volume of applied health research focused on the needs of patients and the public - through NIHR Research Programmes; and</p><p> </p><p>- transforming the health research system to be transparent, competitive, and based on quality and relevance - by embedding research as a core function of the NHS.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 25/11/2014 17:36:53 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

156304

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Suicide: Young People
	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 tackle the increasing levels of youth suicide across the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	214835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>Data on suicides is published by the Office for National Statistics. In the most recent data, <em>Suicides in the United Kingdom, 2012 Registrations, </em>there were 5,981 suicides in people aged 15 and over in the United Kingdom in 2012, 64 fewer than in 2011. Only people aged 15 and over are included in suicide data. The statistics are available at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_351100.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_351100.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Statistics on suicide for young people aged 15 to 24 in the UK are in the following table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6"><p>Age-specific suicide rates by five-year age group, United Kingdom<sup>1</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>15-19</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>20-24</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Deaths</p></td><td><p>Rate</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Deaths</p></td><td><p>Rate</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003</p></td><td><p>182</p></td><td><p>4.8</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>436</p></td><td><p>11.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>206</p></td><td><p>5.3</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>393</p></td><td><p>10.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>190</p></td><td><p>4.9</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>390</p></td><td><p>9.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>178</p></td><td><p>4.5</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>365</p></td><td><p>9.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>183</p></td><td><p>4.6</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>364</p></td><td><p>8.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>193</p></td><td><p>4.8</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>399</p></td><td><p>9.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p>4.5</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>388</p></td><td><p>9.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>166</p></td><td><p>4.1</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>428</p></td><td><p>10.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>194</p></td><td><p>4.9</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>427</p></td><td><p>9.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>164</p></td><td><p>4.2</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>407</p></td><td><p>9.4</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><sup>1</sup>The age-specific suicide rate per 100,000 population</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department is responsible for health matters in England only.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Suicide Prevention Strategy, <em>Preventing suicide in England: A cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives</em> is backed by £1.5 million funding, through the Policy Research Programme, which is supporting six projects to help us better understand key aspects of suicide and self-harm, including looking at self-harm in young people and the role of the internet and social media.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Public Health England (PHE) has published a new suicide prevention action plan for local authorities that provides clear guidance on ways to reduce numbers of suicides, particularly amongst at-risk young people. The action plan will help local areas to intervene more effectively and appropriately, including speeding up the provision of support for bereaved families, friends and communities. Working with the Samaritans, PHE will continue to raise the profile of the issues at a national Suicide Prevention Conference early next year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness at the University of Manchester will be setting up a national investigation into suicides by young people under 25, which will be covering antecedents such as bullying, use of social media and contact with services. This investigation will be funded by NHS England and is due to begin in April 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In August 2014, I established the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being Taskforce, which is considering how to improve the way children and young people’s mental health services are organised, commissioned and provided.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department has funded the MindEd e-learning portal that seeks to support any adult working with children and young people. This includes content on dealing with suicide and self-harm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020</em> contains the first waiting time standards for mental health, including a standard for Early Intervention in Psychosis services which will be of benefit to young people and a £30 million increased investment in liaison psychiatry. This will help people including young people presenting in accident and emergency departments with mental health problems.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 25/11/2014 17:42:42 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

156305

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Meningitis: Vaccination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent progress has been made on vaccination for meningitis B.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	214836
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended a national meningococcal B (MenB) immunisation programme for infants, subject to the vaccine, Bexsero<sup>®</sup> being obtained at a cost-effective price.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have accepted the JCVI’s recommendation and the Department is continuing negotiations for the supply of Bexsero<sup>®</sup> with the manufacturer, which will be completed as quickly as practicable.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 25/11/2014 17:32:15 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

164368

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Video Games: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted on links between aggressive teenage behaviour and the use of violent video games.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	215743
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department has not conducted or commissioned research specifically on this topic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department's National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including relationships between health issues and the use of video games. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 01/12/2014 16:57:13 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

164396

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Mental Health Services
	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 reduce NHS waiting lists for psychological treatments and reduce the number of patients who commit suicide while on such lists.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	215745
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>Our 2014-15 Mandate set a target for NHS England to ensure “everyone who needs it has timely access to evidence-based services.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More people than ever before are getting talking therapies thanks to our £400 million investment. Nationally, 62% of people referred for talking therapies are treated within 28 days.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new five-year plan for mental health, <em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020</em>, sets out our ambition and the immediate actions we will take this year and next to achieve better access and waiting times in mental health services. From 2015-16 we will deliver further improvements in access rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have identified £40 million additional spending to kick start change in the current year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have freed up a further £80 million from existing budgets for 2015-16. This will, for the first time ever, enable the setting of access and waiting time standards in mental health services; including a standard of a maximum wait of six weeks before starting psychological therapy under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme. 75% of people must start within this time. As a back-stop 95% must start treatment within 18 weeks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Our suicide prevention strategy continues to help us sustain, and reduce further, the relatively low rates of suicide in England.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 01/12/2014 17:01:55 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

167776

	registered interest
	date	03/12/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Heart Diseases
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce waiting times for treatment for chronic heart disease.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	216949
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>Patients in England have a right to start consultant-led treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral for non-urgent conditions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Whilst these waiting times are low and stable, some patients have not been starting their treatment as quickly as we would like. As a result, £250 million of additional funding has been provided to fund additional elective care treatments in 2014-15. This has not been directed towards any specific disease group but has been used by the National Health Service to prioritise and treat those patients waiting the longest.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 10/12/2014 16:59:29 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson