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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the savings to the NHS from the use of mindfulness interventions to reduce the number of GP visits.

Norman Lamb

No such assessment of the saving to the National Health Service from the use of mindfulness interventions to reduce the number of general practitioner visits has been made.

The Department is aware of the Mental Health Foundation’s research into the impact of mindfulness. The benefits of mindfulness are widely recognised. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance for the NHS has recommended Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for recurrent depression since 2004. MBCT is available through a number of Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services in England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the relationship of the length of time of GP patient consultation and successful diagnosis.

Dr Daniel Poulter

No assessment has been made of the relationship between the length of time of general practitioner (GP) patient consultation and successful diagnosis. Data on the length of GP appointments is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the benefits of nurse-led patient health checks immediately before GP consultations.

Dr Daniel Poulter

We understand from NHS England that, to date, no assessment has been made of the benefits of nurse-led patient health checks immediately before general practitioner appointments.

However, practice nurses play an invaluable role as part of the multidisciplinary practice team. For example, in some areas nurses will deliver the NHS Health Check Programme, which aims to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

NHE England will also shortly be employing a practice nurse advisor who will be working at national level to help inform and disseminate best practice in relation to health checks and the Chief Nursing Officer will work closely with the Medical Director to support further work on the Health Check Programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the relationship between the length of time of GP patient consultation and patient satisfaction.

Dr Daniel Poulter

Overall patient satisfaction is driven by a range of factors, including accessing general practitioner (GP) appointments at a convenient time, the ability to see a preferred GP and the quality of the conversation with the GP.

Data is not held centrally on the average length of a GP appointment, and we are not aware of any formal assessment being made of the relationship between the length of time of a GP patient consultation and patient satisfaction.

However, the GP Patient Survey includes the following question:

“Last time you saw or spoke to a GP from your GP surgery, how good was that GP at each of the following?

– Giving you enough time

– Listening to you

– Explaining tests and treatments

– Involving you in decisions about your care

– Treating you with care and concern”

In the most recent GP Patient Survey, published in December 2013, 85.8% of respondents said that their GP was either ‘very good’ or ‘good’ at giving them enough time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of stress on heart failure.

Jane Ellison

Information onsurvival rates for patients who suffer an out of hospital heart attack or an out of hospital cardiac arrest are not collected centrally.

The British Heart Foundation suggests that between 2-12% of people treated by the emergency services after suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest survive to be discharged from hospital.

The Department has made no assessment of the effect of stress on heart failure, nor has it made any estimate of heart attacks among workers who work 40 or 60 hours per week.

However, researchers analysing data from the Whitehall II study observed that people who believed stress was significantly affecting their health had double the risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, compared to people who did not believe stress was having an impact.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the incidence of heart attacks among workers who work (a) 40 and (b) 60 hours a week.

Jane Ellison

Information onsurvival rates for patients who suffer an out of hospital heart attack or an out of hospital cardiac arrest are not collected centrally.

The British Heart Foundation suggests that between 2-12% of people treated by the emergency services after suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest survive to be discharged from hospital.

The Department has made no assessment of the effect of stress on heart failure, nor has it made any estimate of heart attacks among workers who work 40 or 60 hours per week.

However, researchers analysing data from the Whitehall II study observed that people who believed stress was significantly affecting their health had double the risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, compared to people who did not believe stress was having an impact.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what comparative assessment he has made of the rates of mental ill health caused by (a) working long hours and (b) being unemployed.

Norman Lamb

Numerous studies, including the Marmot Review into health inequalities in England (published in 2010) draw attention to the impacts of unemployment, and particularly long-term unemployment, on mental health.

Research also demonstrates that work related stress and mental health problems often go together. Work related stress may trigger an existing mental health problem that the person may otherwise have successfully managed.

However, common mental health problems and stress can exist independently. For example, people can have work related stress leading to physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, without experiencing anxiety and depression. They can also have anxiety and depression that is unrelated to stress.

Gainful employment promotes mental well-being. Unfortunately, the workplace can also be the source of nonproductive stress leading to physical and mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts and behaviours and suicide.

A number of studies demonstrate an association between the areas of England worst affected during the recent financial crisis and increased suicide rates. Between 2008 and 2010, there were approximately 800 more suicides among men and 155 more among women than would have been expected based on historical trends. This was supported by a recent review of the international impact of the global economic crisis. A rise in poor health status associated with the recession has also been found not only for the unemployed, but also among people who remain employed.

People come into contact with the welfare system at a time when they may be vulnerable because of unemployment and its associated consequences. The Department for Work and Pensions provides guidance and training for staff to help them identify and support people who are vulnerable, including those who may be at risk of suicide or self-harm.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of using mobile telephone apps to use GPS to locate trained resuscitators and atrial fibrilation equipment to bring a rapid response to those who have suffered a heart attack.

Jane Ellison

The development of mobile device based Apps are being considered by NHS England across health and care settings and are still in development and launched the Health Apps Library in March 2013.

NHS England is taking a leading role on apps in a number of areas:

– Health Apps Library: In recognition of needing to support patients and the public in knowing which apps they can trust and that are safe. Only apps that have successfully completed a clinical safety review process are listed.

– Overall United Kingdom Apps Review Framework: In recognising the need to help apps developers understand what review and regulation they need to go through, NHS England, the Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency are jointly working together to create an overall review framework for health apps.

– Integrated apps: The future direction of apps is to move from lots of individual apps for specific purposes that are not linked to “integrated apps” that brings different pieces of information together.

Sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest remains a major public health concern in all countries and can affect all ages.

Defibrillators that can save many lives within minutes of the event are widely available, but rapid location of these and also trained community responders is an urgent and unmet need. Apps have been developed and several are in use but they will not achieve their full potential until integrated into a national scheme which NHS England is considering.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the out-of-hospital survival rates are for patients who suffer a heart attack in each year since 1984 for which information is available.

Jane Ellison

Information onsurvival rates for patients who suffer an out of hospital heart attack or an out of hospital cardiac arrest are not collected centrally.

The British Heart Foundation suggests that between 2-12% of people treated by the emergency services after suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest survive to be discharged from hospital.

The Department has made no assessment of the effect of stress on heart failure, nor has it made any estimate of heart attacks among workers who work 40 or 60 hours per week.

However, researchers analysing data from the Whitehall II study observed that people who believed stress was significantly affecting their health had double the risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, compared to people who did not believe stress was having an impact.