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  • Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of whether there is a causal link or correlation between the value and costs of a clinical negligence claim and its factual and legal complexity.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department is currently preparing to go out to public consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence claims as originally proposed by Lord Woolf and Lord Justice Jackson in 1996 and 2009 respectively.

    Respondents to the pre-consultation exercise in August confirmed that there is no exact correlation between value and complexity of clinical negligence claims.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of each (a) gender and (b) age group were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not collected. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2012 guideline Crohn’s Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People, states that there are currently at least 115,000 people in the United Kingdom with Crohn’s disease. The full guideline can be found at the following link:

    www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg152.

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential application in the NHS of a treatment for arthritis proposed by researchers at Queen Mary University involving injection of microvesicles.

    Jane Ellison

    We are aware of a recent study undertaken by Queen Mary University of London which suggested that arthritic cartilage could be treated by microvesicles. This work is still at a very early stage and the efficacy of such a treatment approach would need to be demonstrated in clinical trials before it could be considered for routine use in the National Health Service.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all people in vulnerable categories receive the flu vaccination.

    Jane Ellison

    This flu season eligible groups, such as those with a long term health condition, are encouraged to take up the flu vaccine through a single winter health campaign, ‘Stay Well this Winter’[1]. The campaign launched in October and advises the public on how to avoid common winter illnesses.

    The National Health Service and local authority partners have been encouraged to implement the campaign at local level and make use of available campaign resources, including patient letters, information leaflets and posters. Voluntary organisations, health charities and schools have received tailored resources to assist them in communicating the risks of flu and benefits of vaccination to their members and parents/pupils. General practitioners are urged to invite all eligible patients for vaccination. For the first time this flu season, many community pharmacies are also offering free NHS flu vaccinations to eligible adults, extending patient choice and opportunities for patients to take-up the vaccine.

    [1] News release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/winter-campaign-starts-with-largest-flu-vaccination-programme

    “

  • Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 on the proposed fixed recoverable costs in the clinical negligence scheme.

    Ben Gummer

    One objective of the proposed fixed recoverable cost (FRC) regime is to improve the relationship between recoverable costs and damages paid. Looking at cases settled post Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 we have not noticed a significant impact on this relationship.

    The Department is currently preparing to go out to public consultation on the introduction of FRCs for clinical negligence claims as originally proposed by Lord Woolf and Lord Justice Jackson in 1996 and 2009 respectively. Respondents to the pre-consultation exercise in August confirmed that there is no exact correlation between value and complexity of clinical negligence claims. The consultation will include consideration of the maximum value of claims that will be covered by the FRC regime, whether there should be any exemptions; and thedate and method of implementation. The consultation is also looking at how behaviours can change to streamline and speed up the way in which clinical negligence claims are processed through the legal system. We, therefore, do not agree with the suggestion in the 9 November letter to delay the consultation whilst a review takes place.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of colleges which are available to carry out Objective Structured Clinical examinations.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department has not made an assessment of the number of colleges available to carry out Objective Structured Clinical examinations (OSCE).

    It is the responsibility of the professional regulators to set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricula to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. This may include setting out how training is assessed, for example through OSCEs.

  • Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on proposed fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence cases of concerns expressed in a letter to him of 9 November 2015 from Action against Medical Accidents, Sands, National Voices, Meningitis Now and the Birth Trauma Association.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department is currently preparing to go out to public consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs (FRCs) for clinical negligence claims as originally proposed by Lord Woolf and Lord Justice Jackson in 1996 and 2009 respectively. The Department undertook a pre-consultation process in late 2015 and obtained feedback from a range of respondents. Since the pre-consultation, the Department has been working to assess how concerns raised can be addressed and reflected in the formal consultation.

    Respondents to the pre-consultation exercise in August confirmed that there is no exact correlation between value and complexity of clinical negligence claims. The consultation will include consideration of the maximum value of claims that will be covered by the FRC regime, whether there should be any exemptions; and thedate and method of implementation. The consultation is also looking at how behaviours can change to streamline and speed up the way in which clinical negligence claims are processed through the legal system. We, therefore, do not agree with the suggestion in the 9 November letter to delay the consultation whilst a review takes place.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff in his Department are working on matters related to (a) European policy, (b) the future of Europe, (c) reform of the EU, (d) the renegotiation of the UK’s relationship with the EU, (e) the EU referendum and (f) the consequences of the EU referendum; how many full-time equivalent staff are working on such matters; what the (i) staff and (ii) other cost of such work is; what proportion of that work is undertaken by such staff on (A) communications, (B) strategy and (C) policy; whether his Department has established any specific unit or units to deal with those matters; to whom such (1) staff and (2) units report; whether his Department has issued guidelines to staff on those matters; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain – so we get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. The Department is appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe, including the renegotiation and referendum.

  • Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Garnier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account he took of the manner in which the NHS Litigation Authority has carried out its duties and responsibilities in defending clinical negligence claims when approving the proposed fixed recoverable costs in the clinical negligence scheme.

    Ben Gummer

    The planned consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence claims is also looking to streamlining claims for clinical negligence, focusing conduct by both claimants and defendants on what is required for a fair and proportionate resolution and encourage an overall system and process that is more resource efficient and that incentivises the right behaviours by all parties.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mental health patients underwent electric shock therapy treatment in each of the last five years.

    Alistair Burt

    The information is not available in the format requested.