Tag: Lord Willis of Knaresborough

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement ministers will have in determining the areas of global challenge before monies from the Global Challenge Research Fund are allocated to Research Councils.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the process for agreeing cross-research council proposals before accessing Global Challenge Research Fund monies.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Strategic Advisory Group for the Research Councils will be established, what will be its membership, and what are its terms of reference.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The Government encourages Research Councils to work closely with other Research Councils and their communities. With regards to the Global Challenges Research Fund, Research Councils are establishing an advisory group – as they do with other areas of research. Details of the group can be found on the Research Councils UK website: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/news/160526/.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many applicants there were for the three-year full-time graduate nursing programmes to start in autumn 2016; how many students have been offered and accepted places to commence study in 2016; how many (1) applicants, and (2) accepted offers, there were for each year from 2011 to 2015; and what is their assessment of the trends over the past six years.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Information relating to the number of applicants for, and admissions to, pre-registration nursing programmes is not collected by the Department.

Information on applications and admissions to full time education courses in the United Kingdom is collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to make a decision about commencing recruitment of nursing students onto nursing associate programmes of study.

Lord Prior of Brampton

In May 2016, the Government confirmed proposals to introduce a new nursing support role, a nursing associate. Health Education England (HEE) are in the process of establishing test sites to educate and train the new nursing associates, which will be confirmed in the autumn. Once the test sites are confirmed with health and care employers, HEE will recruit at least 1,000 nursing associates into training by the end of 2016.

A draft Higher Degree Level Nurse Apprenticeship Standard has been submitted to the Department for Education for approval by the Nurse Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group. Trailblazer Group members are from a wide variety of health and care employers. Once the standard is approved, the Trailblazer Group will commence work on the associated assessment plan which will ensure employers and training providers are geared up to support the apprenticeship when it is ready to deliver.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Nursing and Midwifery Council will make an announcement about the regulation and registration of qualified nursing associates.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government remains committed to the principle of proportionate regulation of healthcare professions. We are currently reviewing how to assess when statutory regulation is appropriate, which will help inform a Ministerial decision on the regulation of nursing associates in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they are making to support healthcare employers to recruit apprentices onto nursing associate and graduate registered nursing programmes.

Lord Prior of Brampton

In May 2016, the Government confirmed proposals to introduce a new nursing support role, a nursing associate. Health Education England (HEE) are in the process of establishing test sites to educate and train the new nursing associates, which will be confirmed in the autumn. Once the test sites are confirmed with health and care employers, HEE will recruit at least 1,000 nursing associates into training by the end of 2016.

A draft Higher Degree Level Nurse Apprenticeship Standard has been submitted to the Department for Education for approval by the Nurse Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group. Trailblazer Group members are from a wide variety of health and care employers. Once the standard is approved, the Trailblazer Group will commence work on the associated assessment plan which will ensure employers and training providers are geared up to support the apprenticeship when it is ready to deliver.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enable the Nursing and Midwifery Council to process disciplinary hearings in a more timely, effective and efficient manner.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent body responsible for the regulation of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom. The NMC is responsible for discharge of its statutory duties including fitness to practise (FtP) investigations and hearings.

The Department is working closely with the NMC on a number of proposed legislative changes which will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its FtP processes. The Department has recently consulted on these proposed changes and is currently considering the responses received.

The Government is committed to ensuring that professional regulation continues to provide effective protection for patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect Shared Business Services to cease to provide services to Research Councils.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

No decisions have been taken beyond what has already been announced by the Department. The detailed plan will be developed in consultation with Partner Organisations and Unions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on safe staffing levels for qualified nurses in the NHS and other health and care establishments subject to Care Quality Commission or Monitor inspections.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.