{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&_metadata=all&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&_page=0&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-02-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Strangford&answer.answeringMemberConstituency=Wimbledon&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-04-16T14%3A44%3A20.787Z", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110531", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110531/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 April to Question <a href=\"https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2clords&amp;uin=239987\" target=\"_blank\">239987<\/a>.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-16T14:44:20.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Operating Theatres"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce delays and (b) increase efficiency in operating theatres.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "242839"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110533", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110533/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 April 2019 to Question <a href=\"https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-04-02/239989/\" target=\"_blank\">239989<\/a>.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-12T13:51:06.65Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "NHS: Staff"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support NHS staff with (a) stress and (b) depression.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "242841"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109267", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109267/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>NHS Improvement has an ongoing programme to help trusts reduce their waiting times for patients by making better use of their theatre time. This has been supported by their theatre productivity report \u2018Operating theatres: opportunities to reduce waiting lists\u2019 which includes insights to support clinicians, managers and hospital leaders to further challenge themselves to improve how care is delivered and how valuable theatre resources and clinical expertise can be best used. NHS Improvement is taking steps to help trusts meet the challenges outlined in the report, including:<\/p><p>- Running workshops in the five English National Health Service regions so that trusts can learn from those that have made productivity and capacity gains through structured improvement work;<\/p><p> <\/p><p>- Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) is supporting trusts to deliver quality and productivity improvements for patients in many surgical specialties; and<\/p><p> <\/p><p>- NHS Improvement\u2019s regional teams are supporting trusts with theatre improvement work, using the insights from our analysis and drawing on expert advice from the GIRFT programme.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>\u2018Operating theatres: opportunities to reduce waiting lists\u2019 is available via the following link:<\/p><p> <\/p><p><a href=\"https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/operating-theatres-opportunities-reduce-waiting-lists/\" target=\"_blank\">https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/operating-theatres-opportunities-reduce-waiting-lists/<\/a><\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-10T15:26:41.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Operating Theatres"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve efficiency in operating theatres.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "239987"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109268", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109268/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The information requested is not centrally collected.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-10T15:25:15.133Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Joint Replacements"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people that have had a (a) hip, (b) knee and (c) shoulder replacement had to have a second replacement within 10 to 20 years in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "239988"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109269", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1109269/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>Supporting the mental health of National Health Service staff is the responsibility of NHS employers. NHS trusts are being supported to do this through the NHS staff health and wellbeing framework and NHS Improvement\u2019s NHS staff health and wellbeing collaborative. Both incorporate the mental health standards in \u2018Thriving at Work \u2013 a review of mental health and employers\u2019 produced by Mind.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Recommendations from the \u2018NHS Staff and Learner Mental Wellbeing Programme\u2019 report are being prioritised. The report contained recommendations to support improved mental wellbeing and address gaps or deficiencies in the system, including:<\/p><p>- the introduction of the Well Being Guardian in every NHS trust and for primary care at a local level to be determined;<\/p><p> <\/p><p>- the development of personal wellbeing supervisors for learners that are distinct from those assessing the learner and check-ins with those tutors within two weeks of placement;<\/p><p> <\/p><p>- a national NHS protocol implemented in every NHS organisation to independently examine the death by suicide of any member of NHS staff or a learner working in the NHS; and<\/p><p> <\/p><p>- the creation of/facilitating access to \u2018safe spaces\u2019 which are accessible to all to be used for reflection, learning and during breaks.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Workforce Implementation Plan (WIP) announced in the NHS Long Term Plan is prioritising recommendations from Health Education England\u2019s \u2018Mental Health Commission on NHS staff and learners\u2019 which should give staff access to board level Well Being Guardians and personal wellbeing supervisors, complementing work with the Care Quality Commission and NHS Improvement to ensure staff have high quality supportive supervision and are not asked to work excessive hours. Staff now report any pressure to work excessive hours to the Guardian of Safe Working.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The WIP is also expected to include proposals for making the NHS the best place to work with further commitments to improve staff health and wellbeing, tackling violence, abuse and bullying of staff and provide better opportunities for flexible working.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-10T10:35:45.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "NHS: Staff"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to help NHS staff experiencing (a) stress and (b) depression.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "239989"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1104695", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1104695/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>Neither the Department nor the National Health Service calculate a single estimate of inefficiency in the National Health Service. However, significant work in recent years has gone into calculating unwarranted variation in the NHS.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Lord Carter reviews into unwarranted variation, published in 2016-18, identified £5.8 billion of recurrent savings. These reports identified variation in service delivery, to quantify potential savings, noting that some variation is warranted and desirable, when different circumstances require it.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>In 2017/18, the NHS made £1.45 billion of efficiency savings, by enacting the recommendations of the Carter report and reducing unwarranted variation. Central support was delivered to trusts across a range of programmes, including the clinical workforce, diagnostics, pharmacy, back-office services, estates and procurement. Trusts have identified further opportunities beyond this, at a local level, and have been supported by the Department and NHS Improvement to deliver these additional savings.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-01T15:20:47.76Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "NHS: Cost Effectiveness"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the estimated cost of inefficiency in the NHS has been in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "236368"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1087090", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1087090/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The national tariff is not designed to incentivise or reward providers around infection rates. Other mechanisms are employed to support the National Health Service to reduce infection rates.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-20T16:20:16.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Infectious Diseases"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed NHS Tariff and its alignment with the commitments set out in the NHS 10 Point Efficiency Plan on reducing infection rates in hospitals in the field of ophthalmology.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "231465"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1063915", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1063915/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>Data is not available in the format requested.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>A count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of kidney stones and a main procedure for kidney stones, where the patient age was between 10 and 20 years (inclusive), for the years 2013-14 to 2017-18, is attached.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted to hospital on one or more occasion.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1063915/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "PQ223055 - data table format.xlsx"}
          , "title" : "PQ223055 attached table"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-27T11:06:42.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Kidneys"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people aged between 10 and 20 have had operations for kidney-stones in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
      ], "uin" : "223055"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064067", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064067/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Department recognises that staff vacancies are among the biggest drivers of agency use in the National Health Service.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The NHS Long Term Plan, published on 7 January 2019, sets out a vital strategic framework to ensure that over the next 10 years the NHS will have the staff it needs so that the NHS workforce has the time they need to care, working in a supportive culture that allows them to provide the expert compassionate care they are committed to providing.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>My Rt. hon. the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned Baroness Dido Harding, Chair of NHS Improvement, working closely with Sir David Behan, Chair of Health Education England, to oversee the delivery of a workforce implementation plan. This will include proposals to grow the workforce, consideration of the additional staff and skills required, building a supportive working culture in the NHS and ensuring first rate leadership for NHS staff.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government is already increasing nurse training places by 25%, with 5,000 additional nurse training places available every year from September 2018. Additionally, in 2018, up to 5,000 Nursing Associates commenced training through the apprentice route and the Department has a commitment to train up to a further 7,500 in 2019. The Government also made a commitment to have 5,000 additional doctors in general practice. The Department has started to roll out an extra 1,500 medical school places for domestic students, with the first 630 places taken up in September 2018. By 2020, five new medical schools will have opened to help deliver the expansion.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>We are also working with NHS Improvement to implement a number of measures to reduce agency expenditure with a particular focus on building trust bank capability, so that vacant shifts can be, where possible, filled by existing NHS staff. As a result of this work, total agency expenditure across NHS trusts in England has fallen from a peak of £3.6 billion in 2015/16 to £2.4 billion in 2017/18 \u2013 a £1.2 billion reduction. The Secretary of State has made it clear that he wants to do more to drive down agency spend, and we are committed to embedding a \u2018bank first\u2019 approach across the NHS.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-25T17:00:42.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
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      , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Joint Replacements"}
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