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1109333

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Prescription Drugs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the saving to the NHS of reducing the number of prescriptions for over-the-counter medicines.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Sir Kevin Barron
uin	240507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department has made no such assessment. From December 2017 to March 2018, NHS England carried out a public consultation on reducing prescribing of over-the-counter medicines for minor, short-term health concerns, ‘Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A consultation on guidance for CCGs’ which can be found at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/over-the-counter-items-not-routinely-prescribed/" target="_blank">https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/over-the-counter-items-not-routinely-prescribed/</a></p><p> </p><p>At the end of March 2018, NHS England published guidance to enable savings of up to £100 million for frontline care each year by curbing prescriptions for ‘over the counter’ medicines. The guidance does not affect prescribing of over the counter items for longer term or more complex conditions, or where minor illnesses are symptomatic or a side effect of something more serious.</p><p> </p><p>We are informed by NHS England that in the 12 months to January 2019, the total National Health Service spend in England on over the counter items was £449.4 million. This was a saving on total spend of £25.9 million from the corresponding figure for the 12 months to January 2018, which was £475.3 million. This saving does not account for the potential impact to the NHS from a reduced number of general practitioner appointments, for which no assessment has been made.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 08/04/2019 15:21:59 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	392 label Biography information for Sir Kevin Barron

1109346

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Social Services: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, If he will take steps to ensure that care staff are not paid below the National Minimum Wage for sleep-in pay.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	240646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>Commissioners of adult social care were given market shaping duties by the Care Act 2014 and must work with providers to determine a fair rate of pay for fair work based on local market conditions. The current legal position is reflected in updated guidance published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which seeks to provide clarity to care providers, commissioners and workers.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 08/04/2019 15:31:56 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1109355

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Obesity: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle childhood obesity rates.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	240630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Primary Care (Steve Brine MP) to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central (Jo Stevens MP) on 28 February 2019 to Question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-02-25/225540/" target="_blank">225540</a>.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 08/04/2019 15:25:57 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1109401

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pastoral Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether confidential pastoral services are provided for NHS staff.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	240490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not collect data on whether National Health Service organisations, who are responsible for helping their staff maintain and improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing, provide confidential pastoral care. Some trusts may offer local chaplaincy and/or counselling services to their staff.</p><p> </p><p>We are supporting the NHS in making decisions on the type of services they offer their staff including confidential pastoral care through the NHS staff health and wellbeing framework and NHS Improvement’s health and wellbeing collaborative. Both incorporate the mental health standards in ‘Thriving at Work – a review of mental health and employers’ commissioned by the Government.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 08/04/2019 14:02:17 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1109402

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Sexual Harassment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent sexual harassment and misconduct within the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	240491
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>National Health Service organisations are responsible for dealing with sexual harassment and misconduct.</p><p> </p><p>In relation to harassment by members of the public or patients, NHS organisations work with their staff, their security teams, their accredited security management advisors, the Police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure appropriate action is taken to prevent sexual harassment and misconduct in the first place and robust sanctions are taken against perpetrators.</p><p> </p><p>In relation to employees, each NHS trust has appropriate local Dignity at Work and Disciplinary policies in place to respond to issues relating to misconduct, including any type of alleged harassment. These policies are developed in partnership with staff side and reflect Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service guidance on best practice. All trusts have a duty to protect staff from harassment and are advised to ensure they adhere to the Equalities Act in regard to protected characteristics, and training in equality and diversity and the application of associated policies is mandatory in the NHS.</p><p> </p><p>Staff concerned would be dealt with via appropriate trust policies dealing with conduct and would be referred to professional regulatory bodies. Health care professionals are required to register with the relevant professional regulator and to meet standards for registration, and where these standards are not met the regulators can take action.</p><p> </p><p>The NHS nationally is providing support through our programmes to tackle bullying, harassment, violence and abuse.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 08/04/2019 13:58:38 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1109405

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Equal Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address the gender pay gap in the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	240492
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The gender pay gap in the health and social care sector, according to the Office of National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earning is 17.3%. Although this figure has reduced from the previous year, it is still a concern, particularly given that this sector employs a much higher proportion of women than men.</p><p> </p><p>The findings of the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine Review will have implications not only for medicine but across the wider National Health Service workforce and will closely examine the issues that make progression in medicine problematic for women. Possible interventions have already been identified that can help reduce the gender pay gap in medicine and the wider NHS including more transparency in pay, promotion and reward.</p><p> </p><p>The Government Equalities Office have published evidence based guidance on practical actions employers can take to close the gap, alongside help to diagnose their gaps and develop an action plan. The Department is working with the Government Equalities Office, NHS employers and arm’s length bodies to ensure the good practice is disseminated across the NHS. We expect all NHS employers to have a clear action plan to address their gender pay gap.</p><p> </p><p>Developments in improving the work life balance in the NHS will also contribute to a reduction in the gender pay gap in the NHS. The extension of shared parental leave to new doctors and dentists in training from 1 April is an important step towards our health service being a more flexible and responsive employer, giving greater choice of how their employees juggle the demands of work and family.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 08/04/2019 14:01:00 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1109422

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Dementia: Care Homes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of high quality dementia care homes available in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>Commissioning social care is a matter for local authorities who are best placed to understand the needs of local people and communities, and how best to meet them. The Care Act 2014 placed duties on local authorities to shape their local markets so that there is an adequate supply of provision. This includes ensuring sufficient dementia care provision is available and that individuals have a choice of high quality services.</p><p> </p><p>There are 7,341 care homes in England that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating, 76% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>There are 144 care homes in Staffordshire local authority that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a CQC rating, 59% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Paper, to be published at the earliest opportunity, will set out our proposals for a sustainable system in the long term and address issues related to the quality of care and variation in practice.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage grouped question UIN 240526 question first answered 08/04/2019 15:31:12 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109423

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Dementia: Care Homes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of high quality dementia care homes available in North Staffordshire.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>Commissioning social care is a matter for local authorities who are best placed to understand the needs of local people and communities, and how best to meet them. The Care Act 2014 placed duties on local authorities to shape their local markets so that there is an adequate supply of provision. This includes ensuring sufficient dementia care provision is available and that individuals have a choice of high quality services.</p><p> </p><p>There are 7,341 care homes in England that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating, 76% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>There are 144 care homes in Staffordshire local authority that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a CQC rating, 59% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Paper, to be published at the earliest opportunity, will set out our proposals for a sustainable system in the long term and address issues related to the quality of care and variation in practice.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage grouped question UIN 240525 question first answered 08/04/2019 15:31:12 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109437

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the NHS Pension Scheme and tax arrangements have had on senior consultants in the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	240581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department has sought to make available to NHS Pension Scheme members all possible flexibility under Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs legislation and the current fiscal framework for public sector pension schemes.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has therefore recently made changes to the NHS Pension Scheme to extend the scope of the ‘Scheme Pays’ facility. The ‘Scheme Pays’ facility allows scheme members to manage tax liabilities by paying annual allowance charges from the value of their pension benefits rather than upfront. This facility has been extended to cover payment of tax charges of any amount, and those arising from the tapered annual allowance.</p><p> </p><p>The Department recognises that the tax implications of the annual allowance, particularly the effects of the taper, may contribute to decisions from consultants to retire early or limit their National Health Service commitments. We are also listening carefully to senior doctors and NHS employers about those concerns. The Government keeps the impact of public sector pay and pensions policies under constant review.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 08/04/2019 13:51:45 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1109438

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Drugs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that the serious shortage protocols safeguard individuals who suffer from a condition, such as epilepsy, in which any change in medication could pose a serious risk to their health.
tabling member constituency	Ross, Skye and Lochaber
tabling member printed	Ian Blackford
uin	240571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>A serious shortage protocol is an additional tool to manage and mitigate medication shortages and may be used in the exceptional and rare situation when other measures have been exhausted or are likely to be ineffective. Any protocol would only be introduced if clinicians with expertise in the relevant area think it is appropriate. Pharmacists still have to use their professional discretion as to whether supplying against the protocol rather than the prescription is appropriate, or whether the patient needs to be referred back to their prescriber.</p><p> </p><p>As the explanatory memorandum of the amending Statutory Instrument acknowledges, protocols for therapeutic or generic equivalents will not be suitable for all medicines and patients. For example, those types of protocols would not be suitable for treatments for epilepsy or treatments requiring biological products where the medicines that are prescribed need to be prescribed by brand for clinical reasons. In these cases, patients would always be referred back to the prescriber for any decision about their treatment before any therapeutic or generic alternative is supplied.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 08/04/2019 15:24:32 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	4390 label Biography information for Ian Blackford