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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is planning to enable more people aged over 50 to gain employment.

Priti Patel

DWP will continue to challenge people’s outdated perception about older workers, and build on the work started by Business Champion for Older Workers to actively promote the business case and benefits of employing older workers, seeking to engage and influence both strategically and in terms of practical advice.

Jobcentre Plus continues to use a range of innovative approaches to help claimants back to work. Work Coaches have the flexibility to offer all claimants, including older people, a comprehensive menu of help which includes skills provision and job search support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission structural education courses to prevent diabetes, in line with NICE guidance.

Jane Ellison

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard for diabetes and guidance support the use of structured education for people diagnosed with diabetes to help them manage their condition.

The National Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP) is a joint commitment from NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK and will be the first national Type 2 diabetes prevention programme delivered at scale. People identified as being at high risk of diabetes will be referred onto intensive lifestyle management programmes which will support them to lose weight, improve their diet and be more physically active.

The DPP will link into the existing NHS Health Check programme, which invites adults between the ages of 40 and 74 for risk awareness, assessment and management of the key risk factors leading to premature death and disability in England.

Building on the DDP, the Department has committed to improving outcomes for those with, and at risk of, diabetes. We will announce our plans shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission an independent five-year review of provision for diabetes.

Jane Ellison

There are no current plans to commission an independent five-year review of provision of diabetes. However, The management of adult diabetes services in the NHS: progress review, published by the National Audit Office on 21 October 2015, provides a review of the progress made by the National Health Service since 2012 on improving services and achieving better outcomes for people with diabetes:

https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/the-management-of-adult-diabetes-services-in-the-nhs-progress-review/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

The information requested is not collected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mandatory requirements are in place to ensure that care home staff are well trained.

Alistair Burt

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 all providers of regulated activities have to register with the CQC and follow a set of fundamental standards of safety and quality below which care should never fall.

The Fundamental Standards include a regulation on staffing which ensures that suitably qualified, competent, skilled persons must be deployed. This regulation also ensures that the person employed receives the appropriate training, professional development and have the opportunity to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform.

CQC inspections ensure that providers are meeting these Fundamental Standards and have a wide range of enforcement powers if a provider fails to meet them.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what educational and health programmes are (a) in place and (b) planned to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted disease.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England (PHE) supports local prevention initiatives through the provision of guidance, evidence and data. PHE supports the National Chlamydia Screening Programme which provides testing for chlamydia to all young people aged 15-24 annually. PHE commissions a number of national human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention activities and specialised sexual health information resources to provide educational and health resources to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.

STI prevention programmes are the responsibility of local authorities, and there are a wide variety of local educational and health initiatives underway across England. Local authorities are mandated to provide genitourinary medicine services for the early diagnosis and treatment of STIs.

Further, last week I launched the £500,000 HIV prevention innovation fund and our first National HIV Home Sampling service which aims to deliver up to 50,000 postal testing kits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans for 3D heart imaging to identify blocked arteries to be available on the NHS.

Jane Ellison

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which provides three dimensional imaging, is currently available within the National Health Service in England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) an appropriate number of podiatrists work in the NHS and (b) such podiatrists are appropriately trained.

Alistair Burt

It is the responsibility of Health Education England (HEE) to ensure that the healthcare workforce has the right skills, behaviours and training, and is available in the right numbers to support the delivery of health care and health improvement.

HEE’s workforce plan is based on the needs of Local Education and Training Boards, which are responsible for working with local providers and clinical commissioning groups, to determine the future requirements of the workforce reflecting local patient need. The workforce investment plans are reviewed by the HEE Allied Health Professions (AHP) Advisory Group, which is chaired by NHS England’s Chief AHP Officer and has representation from the AHP professional bodies including the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. For 2015/16, HEE commissioned 362 training places for podiatrists.

HEE is committed to working with stakeholders to influence training curricula and ensure that the NHS workforce can provide the highest standards of care. This includes ensuring that podiatrists receive appropriate pre-registration training and then through Continuing Professional Development to broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, in line with the latest evidence-based clinical practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) adults and (b) children undertake appropriate health checks to prevent diabetes complications.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England (PHE) supports local authorities to implement the mandated NHS Health Checks programme. A routine part of NHS Health Checks involves assessing a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes and, for those at risk a diagnostic test is carried out for confirmation of diabetes.

The NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme aims to reduce the risk of sight loss among people with diabetes through early detection and timely treatment, if needed, of diabetic retinopathy.

The Healthy Child Programme ‘Pregnancy and the first five years of life’ provides five core reviews for all pregnant women and young children and provide a framework for health promoting and primary prevention activities around behaviours such as breast feeding, healthy nutrition, physical activity and healthy weight which will influence a child’s future health including onset of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The reviews are followed up with early intervention and targeted support for families where additional needs have been identified. The Healthy Child Programme ‘0-19’ provides advice and guidance including healthy weight management, nutrition, physical activity and support children with additional health needs including diabetes.

Improving outcomes for those with diabetes is of great concern to the Government. We will announce our plans in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review NHS diabetes dietary guidelines.

Jane Ellison

Current dietary advice to people who have diabetes is the same as for the general population – that they should enjoy a healthy, balanced diet based on the eatwell plate, the national healthy eating guide.

In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, a review of the latest evidence on dietary carbohydrates and health. SACN recommended reducing sugar consumption, increasing fibre consumption and minimising consumption of sugars-sweetened drinks.

Following publication, advice on what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet was updated to reflect the Government’s acceptance of SACN’s recommendations. As part of this Public Health England is undertaking a review of the eatwell plate and the refreshed resource will be launched in early 2016.