Author: admin

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mother and baby beds are available in mental health units or hospitals in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) the East Midlands region.

    Alistair Burt

    We are advised by NHS England that there are seven mother and baby beds in mental health units for Nottinghamshire and a total of 13 in the East Midlands, provided as follows: Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Perinatal (seven beds), and Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Mother and Baby Unit (six beds).

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to inform families with young children who were born before the cut-off for the new meningitis B vaccination programme about the symptoms of meningitis.

    Jane Ellison

    The introduction of meningitis B (MenB) immunisation in September 2015 was supported by a comprehensive media and communications campaign led by Public Health England (PHE) in association with health partners and meningitis charities. Key objectives of this campaign were two-fold: to promote vaccination to parents of eligible children and raise awareness of the disease among parents, and to emphasise that not all strains can be prevented by immunisation. This led to significant coverage of the disease and its symptoms across social media, national, local and parenting media. The coverage included practical advice on recognising the symptoms, and the need to act quickly, supported by interviews with families affected by the disease on major news channels. The introduction of the adolescent MenACWY campaign in August 2015 was supported by a similar campaign that provided further opportunities to raise awareness of meningococcal disease.

    PHE also produces a range of leaflets for the public providing detailed information to help parents with young children identify the early signs of meningitis. The leaflets include links to the web sites of meningitis charities and NHS Choices for those parents wishing to access more extensive information about meningococcal disease. PHE also supports influential meningitis charities in the implementation of awareness campaigns. In addition, PHE undertakes detailed surveillance of the disease, publishing routine reports and taking appropriate action to alert the public to any increase in incidence or change in the pattern of the disease. Appropriate media and communications activities are implemented to coincide with these publications, often ahead of the winter, when cases of the disease peak.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy to accept and implement the (a) 25 recommendations made to NHS England and (b) 21 recommendations made to his Department by the Mental Health Taskforce in its report published in February 2016.

    Alistair Burt

    We welcome the publication of the independent Mental Health Taskforce report and accept its recommendations for the National Health Service and the Department. We will work with other Government Departments, NHS England and other health arm’s length bodies to work to embed the recommendations into our work programmes.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on funding for Erbitux from April 2016.

    George Freeman

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2016 to Question 27585.

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the recommendations on page 13, paragraph 2, of the Mental Health Taskforce report, published in February 2016, what steps he is taking to ensure all local areas have a multi-agency suicide prevention plan.

    Alistair Burt

    We welcome the recommendation by the independent Mental Health Taskforce that every area should have a local suicide prevention plan in place delivered through multi-agency groups.

    We will be working with Public Health England to engage and support local authorities that do not have a local multi-agency suicide prevention plan to put one in place.

    I will be meeting soon with Departmental officials and our delivery partner organisations on suicide prevention to explore ways in which we can work together to re-invigorate the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, including improving local delivery of its aims.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure that the pay calculator for junior doctors published by the Government is accurate; and when that calculator will be made available.

    Ben Gummer

    The pay calculator accurately reflects the position of junior doctors were they to be working any of the illustrative rotas in the pay calculator. As pay is directly related to the number of hours worked including the number of unsocial hours, different rotas will give different results. NHS Employers are considering how to provide more information for juniors who are working a different balance of hours from those in the illustrative rotas.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 28083, when he expects the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme to (a) cover the whole country and (b) extend into other clinical areas including meeting the needs of children aged 0 to 5; and what other clinical areas he expects that programme to expand into.

    Alistair Burt

    The Children and Young People’s Improving Access (CYP IAPT) Programme is delivered by NHS England and Health Education England. The service transformation programme is aiming to cover community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Partnerships of commissioners and providers across the whole of England by the end of 2018.

    The CYP IAPT programme is expanding geographically and in scope. As part of this expansion NHS England has worked with Health Education England and set up a 0-5’s expert reference group (ERG). The ERG is in the final stages of development of a competency based educational programme for early years practitioners from a range of disciplines. Three other new curricula are also at the final stages of development.

    ― Combination Therapy – psychological and pharmacological interventions;

    ― Evidence Based Counselling; and

    ― Evidence Based Psychological Therapies for CYP with mental health problems and autism spectrum disorder and/or a learning disability.

    All four curricula will be ready for delivery in higher education institutions within the financial year 2016/17.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted or commissioned on the length of time taken by doctors to adjust to day shifts after night shifts; and whether his Department has formed a policy on the minimum and maximum number of consecutive night shifts doctors should work.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department has not directly commissioned such research. A number of previously published papers and studies on shift working informed negotiations with the British Medical Association (BMA). The limits on working hours in the new contract were agreed in discussions with the BMA and include a maximum of four consecutive night shifts and a minimum of 48 hours rest after three or four consecutive night shifts. We have also agreed to review the operation of the contract with the BMA to identify whether we can move further on night working.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the illustrative rotas for junior doctors, published by NHS Employers on 18 February 2016, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of doctors switching to night shifts for a single shift only on the effectiveness of those rotas.

    Ben Gummer

    It is a matter for employers to design rotas that meet the service needs of the National Health Service organisation and the training needs of the doctor. This would include the pattern of working night shifts subject to the limitations in the new contract. NHS Employers is committed to supporting employers to adhere to good rostering practices as the new contract is introduced and will feed this into the contract review process agreed with the British Medical Association as part of the contract negotiations.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity within the illustrative rota for junior doctors, published by NHS Employers on 18 February 2016, to (a) take sick leave, (b) take study leave, (c) take annual leave, (d) work-part time and (e) gain required out-of-hours experience.

    Ben Gummer

    The rotas used in the calculator are actual examples of rotas being used in the National Health Service, appropriately adjusted to reflect the rules agreed in negotiations with the British Medical Association and included in the new contract. These rotas are illustrative. The work schedule process that underpins the new contract will allow for study leave and annual leave. Sick leave is generally covered by engaging a locum. Where doctors are training on a part time basis, work schedules are adjusted to reflect that. Any curriculum requirements to work out of hours would be addressed as part of the work scheduling process for the training programme concerned.