The Prime Minister\u2019s £50 million Challenge Fund is currently improving general practitioner access for over two million patients across England. This includes offering evening and weekend appointments, as well as better use of technology, such as telehealth, to look after patients. By January, 7.5 million patients will be covered.<\/p>
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And, we have recently announced another £100 million of funding for next year to improve access for even more patients.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3932", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Central Suffolk and North Ipswich"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Daniel Poulter"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T15:48:51.1448684Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "General Practitioners: Standards"} , "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, what progress has been made on improving access to GPs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4081", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Evans of Rainow"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Graham Evans"} ], "uin" : "905556"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100021", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100021/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Adults with care and support needs should be able to move between countries within the United Kingdom knowing that their care will continue during the move.<\/p>
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As the care and support systems in the four countries are different, we are developing principles with the Devolved Administrations to ensure continuity of care for people moving.<\/p>
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These should be published in November.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1439", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Norman Lamb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Norman Lamb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T15:45:44.866352Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services"} , "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, if he will bring forward proposals to facilitate the portability of home-based care packages between local authorities in different countries in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3965", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sheila Gilmore"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Edinburgh East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sheila Gilmore"} ], "uin" : "905560"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100022", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100022/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to patients having greater choice and control over their healthcare, as this can help drive up standards and improve patient care.<\/p>
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We believe that patient empowerment is vital to the National Health Service in the 21st century. This Government is committed to continuing to develop digital platforms to enable this to happen, such as My NHS and the NHS e-Referral Service.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4020", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Freeman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Freeman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T16:00:56.1397924Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Patient Choice Schemes"} , "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, what steps he is taking to promote patient choice.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4104", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil Carmichael"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil Carmichael"} ], "uin" : "905559"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100023", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100023/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are investing £450 million in earlier diagnosis of cancer, including improving direct general practitioner access to non-obstetric ultrasound to support earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer.<\/p>
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Public Health England ran a regional Be Clear on Cancer campaign early in 2014 to raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The findings of the pilot will be evaluated in 2015, and this evidence would inform any decision to move from a regional to national campaign.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T15:46:38.09492Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ovarian Cancer"} , "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, what steps he is taking to increase early identification of ovarian cancer.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Washington and Sunderland West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Sharon Hodgson"} ], "uin" : "905561"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100024", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100024/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Better Care Fund is a pooled budget of £3.8 billion to be spent on integrating Health and Social care. Local areas will decide how best to use their funding to transform the provision of services to their communities, both improving outcomes for people, and driving efficiencies.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1439", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Norman Lamb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Norman Lamb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T15:44:45.2891531Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Community Health Services: Devon"} , "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, if he will increase funding from the Better Care Fund to improve the transition of community services in Devon.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/231", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Nick Harvey"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Devon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Nick Harvey"} ], "uin" : "905558"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93658", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93658/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The impact assessments of the changes consider the effect of the speed limit change on single carriageways, and possible change on dual carriageways on actual behaviour in terms of speeds driven. They do not specifically consider drivers\u2019 perceptions of speed.<\/p>
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One effect noted in these assessments is that there will be many fewer heavy goods vehicles breaking the higher speed limits, making targeted enforcement of any remaining infringements easier. Enforcement resources saved due to better compliance could be used for other enforcement work, including related to local road speed limits, subject to local policing decisions.<\/p>
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With regard to the conduct of vocational drivers in relation to their driving licences, the intention is to view breaking the higher speed limits as a higher risk factor than the current infringements. The senior traffic commissioner plans to consult on revised guidance during the coming months.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3974", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Claire Perry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Devizes"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Claire Perry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T12:42:48.1830911Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Large Goods Vehicles: Speed Limits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in HGV speed limits on single and dual carriageways on (a) drivers' perceptions of speed and (b) enforcement of speed limits.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/301", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Northfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burden"} ], "uin" : "210666"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93659", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93659/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "