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  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve hospital standards in Essex.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission and NHS England are working together to improve hospital standards in Essex. Three hospital trusts – Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust and Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – are part of the Success Regime and are working closely together with the aim of improving outcomes for patients.

    At Colchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a long-term partnership has been agreed with Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust to bring about sustainable improvement for patients.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the Report, Nicotine without smoke: tobacco harm reduction, published by the Royal College of Physicians in April 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department has and will continue to keep abreast of all evidence and consider it in developing policy. The report published by the Royal College of Physicians is consistent with the Government’s current policy that the best thing a smoker can do for their health is to quit smoking and quit for good but that e-cigarettes have a role to play in helping some people quit.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) hospitals and (b) GPs release medical records required in clinical negligence cases within appropriate time limits.

    Ben Gummer

    The timetable for the release of medical records in clinical negligence cases is determined by the Pre Action Protocol for clinical negligence claims. This prescribes 40 days for the release of the records, or the ability to request an extension to that time.

    The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) works with National Health Service trusts to ensure prompt release of medical records and other information which will inform the outcome of a claim for compensation. Often expert evidence will be required to give conclusive evidence as to whether there was negligence and if so, whether that caused injury to the claimant. As claims are often resolved in-house by the NHSLA, any costs which arise as a result of delays in receiving medical records are not recorded separately as they will fall within overall administration costs.

    46% of claims were resolved without payment of damages in 2014/15; however, as above, it is often necessary to obtain expert medical advice to determine whether compensation is due.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of clinical negligence cases dealt with by the NHS Litigation Authority are discovered to be unfounded upon the release of medical records.

    Ben Gummer

    The timetable for the release of medical records in clinical negligence cases is determined by the Pre Action Protocol for clinical negligence claims. This prescribes 40 days for the release of the records, or the ability to request an extension to that time.

    The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) works with National Health Service trusts to ensure prompt release of medical records and other information which will inform the outcome of a claim for compensation. Often expert evidence will be required to give conclusive evidence as to whether there was negligence and if so, whether that caused injury to the claimant. As claims are often resolved in-house by the NHSLA, any costs which arise as a result of delays in receiving medical records are not recorded separately as they will fall within overall administration costs.

    46% of claims were resolved without payment of damages in 2014/15; however, as above, it is often necessary to obtain expert medical advice to determine whether compensation is due.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the costs to the NHS Litigation Authority of late release of medical records where those records reveal a case to be unfounded; and if he will make a statement.

    Ben Gummer

    The timetable for the release of medical records in clinical negligence cases is determined by the Pre Action Protocol for clinical negligence claims. This prescribes 40 days for the release of the records, or the ability to request an extension to that time.

    The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) works with National Health Service trusts to ensure prompt release of medical records and other information which will inform the outcome of a claim for compensation. Often expert evidence will be required to give conclusive evidence as to whether there was negligence and if so, whether that caused injury to the claimant. As claims are often resolved in-house by the NHSLA, any costs which arise as a result of delays in receiving medical records are not recorded separately as they will fall within overall administration costs.

    46% of claims were resolved without payment of damages in 2014/15; however, as above, it is often necessary to obtain expert medical advice to determine whether compensation is due.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what obligations NHS England – South (South East) have to consult local councils before closing a GP list.

    Alistair Burt

    There is no specific requirement to engage with local authorities in regards to applications to close a general practitioner (GP) surgery, however, NHS England consider any discussions the practice concerned has had with its existing patients about the matter and the views of other local GP practices who may be impacted.

    Practices can apply to NHS England to temporarily halt new patient registrations if they are facing immediate challenges in providing patient services in order to give them the opportunity to take action to resolve these issues and so that they can continue to provide safe, good quality care to their existing patients.

    When NHS England receives a request to formally close a GP practice list over a longer period, they consider both the impact on patients as well as on neighbouring practices and services to avoid displacing a problem elsewhere.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims the NHS Litigation Authority has spent on defending claims in which liability is admitted before trial in each of the last five years.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold the information requested. This data has been supplied by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA).

    The NHS LA aims to resolve claims promptly and fairly without court proceedings or going to trial wherever possible. It does not record cases which resolve within one week of trial separately.

    The table below shows the number of claims the NHS LA has defended where (a) the claim has been resolved in favour of the claimant and (b) judgement has been given in favour of the claimant in each of the last five years.

    Year of trial

    Number of claims resolved in favour of claimant

    Number of claims resolved in favour of defendant

    2011-12

    11

    22

    2012-13

    9

    32

    2013-14

    9

    34

    2014-15

    21

    39

    Total

    50

    127

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

    We understand that the hon. Member maybe asking for the number claims in which liability is admitted before trial.

    The table below shows the number of cases in which liability is admitted before trial.

    Year resolved for damages payment

    Pre trial

    2011-12

    5,306

    2012-13

    5,262

    2013-14

    5,354

    2014-15

    5,801

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims the NHS Litigation Authority has defended in cases in which (a) the claim has been resolved in favour of the claimant and (b) judgement has been given in favour of the claimant in each of the last five years.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold the information requested. This data has been supplied by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA).

    The NHS LA aims to resolve claims promptly and fairly without court proceedings or going to trial wherever possible. It does not record cases which resolve within one week of trial separately.

    The table below shows the number of claims the NHS LA has defended where (a) the claim has been resolved in favour of the claimant and (b) judgement has been given in favour of the claimant in each of the last five years.

    Year of trial

    Number of claims resolved in favour of claimant

    Number of claims resolved in favour of defendant

    2011-12

    11

    22

    2012-13

    9

    32

    2013-14

    9

    34

    2014-15

    21

    39

    Total

    50

    127

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

    We understand that the hon. Member maybe asking for the number claims in which liability is admitted before trial.

    The table below shows the number of cases in which liability is admitted before trial.

    Year resolved for damages payment

    Pre trial

    2011-12

    5,306

    2012-13

    5,262

    2013-14

    5,354

    2014-15

    5,801

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) has settled within one week of the trial date in each of the last five years; and what the cost has been to the NHSLA of those claims in each such year.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold the information requested. This data has been supplied by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA).

    The NHS LA aims to resolve claims promptly and fairly without court proceedings or going to trial wherever possible. It does not record cases which resolve within one week of trial separately.

    The table below shows the number of claims the NHS LA has defended where (a) the claim has been resolved in favour of the claimant and (b) judgement has been given in favour of the claimant in each of the last five years.

    Year of trial

    Number of claims resolved in favour of claimant

    Number of claims resolved in favour of defendant

    2011-12

    11

    22

    2012-13

    9

    32

    2013-14

    9

    34

    2014-15

    21

    39

    Total

    50

    127

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

    We understand that the hon. Member maybe asking for the number claims in which liability is admitted before trial.

    The table below shows the number of cases in which liability is admitted before trial.

    Year resolved for damages payment

    Pre trial

    2011-12

    5,306

    2012-13

    5,262

    2013-14

    5,354

    2014-15

    5,801

    Source: NHS LA

    Date: May 2016

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to end forced marriage worldwide.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Ending Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) remains a high priority for the UK Government at home and overseas. The UK has demonstrated its leadership through co-hosting the first ever Girl Summit in 2014, which galvanized global action to end CEFM and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Following the Girl Summit 2014 the UK has continued its global leadership on ending CEFM, including through support for UN Resolutions and advocating for a separate target on ending CEFM within the Global Goals. The UK has supported campaigns and country-led Girl Summits through its overseas network, raising awareness of the impact of CEFM and ensuring global commitments translate into country-level action.

    The UK has committed £36 million towards ending CEFM around the world. This includes support for the UN’s Joint Programme to End Child Marriage working in twelve high prevalence countries and for grassroots civil society organisations working to challenge this harmful social practice. Domestically, the UK Government’s Forced Marriage Unit provides support to British Nationals overseas affected by forced marriage.