Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rachael Maskell this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 181–200 of 226 · Department of Health and Social Care
With reference to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, when he plans to announce which schools will provide (a) new and (b) additional dental training places from September 2026.
No specific date has been set for the Office for Students to commence the process for dental training place applications from 2026 onwards. The Department will set out next steps in relation to dental training in due course.We are determined to fix our Na...
Whether he plans to recruit additional (a) academic and (b) non-academic dental school staff before September 2026.
Individual dental schools are responsible for the recruitment of their academic and non-academic staff.
What assessment has he made of the potential impact of the Government's pay offer to non-Pay Review Body staff on (a) recruitment and (b) retention in those organisations.
No assessment has been made, on either recruitment or retention, of the impact of pay uplifts confirmed by the Government on non-Pay Review Body (PRB) staff.Independent organisations, organisations that fall outside of the PRB’s remit, such as social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, in order to recruit and retain the staff they need.
What estimate he has made of the pay differential between junior doctors and Agenda for Change staff following his Department's recent pay offer to junior doctors.
The different roles and responsibilities of junior doctors, compared to Agenda for Change (AfC) staff, makes it difficult to draw a simple comparison. Junior doctor pay scales cover a wide range of experience, from new medical graduates, to those about to qualify as consultants. The AfC pay scales cover a diverse range of roles and experiences, including porters, cleaners, nurses, paramedics, and managers. The NHS Job Evaluation Scheme is used to determine the pay bands for all posts under AfC terms and conditions.Outside of multi-year pay deals, pay tends to be set through the independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process. The NHS PRB covers AfC staff, and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration covers medical staff, including junior doctors. This process involves an independent panel who make recommendations based on their terms of reference and the evidence they receive. As part of this they consider a wide range of factors, including morale, and recruitment and retention, to generate appropriate pay values by workforce, before recommending these to the Government. The Government has accepted the pay recommendations from both PRBs for 2024/25.During the exceptional recent period of industrial action in the National Health Service, bespoke negotiations have taken place outside of the PRB process to address specific concerns. However, a significant part of the overall offer to junior doctors has come from accepting the independent PRB recommendation.
What steps he is taking to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
The Department is taking steps to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes by identifying people at risk of developing it, through programmes such as the NHS Health Check, and by referring people into the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP) or Weight Management services. These services address the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, namely overweight and obesity, and physical inactivity. The NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme is also available for people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and who are overweight or obese.
If he will roll out training on the use of naloxone.
The Department is working to expand access to naloxone, to increase the availability of this life saving medicine. On 29 July 2024 we laid legislation which, subject to passage through Parliament, will enable more services and organisations to provide take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription.As part of these changes, we will ensure appropriate training requirements are in place, so that naloxone supply across all services and professions is safe. We will require that new services and professionals supplying naloxone, other than armed forces personnel, meet specific training requirements, including understanding appropriate practice around storing and supplying naloxone, and ensuring they can properly support an individual being supplied with naloxone, including how to administer the medicine.Training in responding to an opioid overdose, including the use of available naloxone, is already very well established in most parts of the country, alongside naloxone provision. Operational guidance for providing take-home naloxone, including safe use and supply, is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/implementing-the-recommendations-of-the-neonatal-critical-care-transformation-review/Information on the new training requirements will be updated after the legislation comes into force.
What steps he is taking to help improve access to healthy food for families on low household incomes.
Through our Health Mission, the Government has set a bold new ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history. Tackling the childhood obesity crisis is central to that commitment, and the King’s Speech set out the immediate steps we will take in the first parliamentary session to ban the advertising of junk food to children. We are also considering ways in which the planning system can do more to support better access to healthy food for families, for instance through more consistent approaches to controlling hot food takeaways near schools.For families on low household incomes, Healthy Start, introduced in 2006, supports pregnant women and children up to four years old with the cost of healthy foods, as well as providing access to free Healthy Start vitamins. The NHS Business Services Authority is responsible for promoting uptake of the scheme.In addition, the Government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for school and set-up to achieve, by providing a supportive start to the day.Approximately 2.1 million disadvantaged school-age pupils are eligible for, and claiming, a free school meal, on the basis of low income. This has increased by almost 1 million since 2015/16. Transitional protections are currently in place, ensuring pupils retain this entitlement even if their family’s household income increases. An additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free lunchtime meal under universal infant provision, with approximately 87% taking this up. We encourage all schools to promote healthy eating and provide healthy, tasty, and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies, and free schools.
If he will stake steps to work with food producers to reduce (a) fat, (b) sugar and (c) salt in processed foods.
The Government is committed to tackling obesity and creating the healthiest generation of children in our history, as a core part of our Health Mission. This means taking action to ensure healthy choices are the easy choice, reducing the consumption of the least healthy foods, making everyday food healthier, and promoting healthier eating.As suppliers of what we eat and drink, the food industry has a key role to play in supporting the health of the nation. Some action has already been taken under the voluntary reduction and reformulation programme which requires businesses in all sectors, including retailers, manufacturers, and the eating out of home sector, to reduce the level of salt, sugar, and calories in the everyday foods we buy. The broad remit of the programme ensures that many of the processed foods we eat are in scope, including cakes, biscuits, confectionary, pizzas, crisps, sandwiches, and ready meals.Reports that demonstrate the progress made by businesses are published on GOV.UK website. These reports show that salt reductions of up to 20% have been made in some products, and that levels of sugar have gone down in all products included in the programme, with the largest reductions of approximately 15% and 13% seen in breakfast cereals, and yogurts and fromage frais, respectively. For calorie reduction, the first progress report showed generally little change in calorie levels across all sectors and categories. It is clear that more needs to be done, and further action to tackle childhood obesity under the Government’s Health Mission will be set out in due course.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of banning the sale of alcohol before 11am on use by people who have an alcohol dependency.
Preventative public health measures are vital in supporting people to live longer, healthier lives. The Government will continue to consider the most effective interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms across society.
If he will produce an alcohol strategy in this Parliament.
The Government has set out its ambition to create a National Health Service that is fit for the future, which includes prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Government will continue to consider how best to address and reduce alcohol-related harms
If he will publish a Major Conditions Strategy.
As of July 2024, work on the Major Conditions Strategy has been paused. As we develop our plans to rebuild the National Health Service, we will consider how we incorporate the findings from the Major Conditions Strategy into our plans.
What steps he plans to take to reduce the number of illicit drug deaths.
The Department is actively working to reduce the number of drug-related deaths, investing over £300 million into drug and alcohol treatment this year, which will help prevent drug-related harm and save lives. This includes funding over 50,000 additional treatment places, which we know protects against drug deaths.We are working to expand access to naloxone, a life-saving medicine that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The Government laid legislation on 29 July 2024, which, subject to passage through Parliament, will enable more services and organisations to provide take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription. These changes will mean naloxone can be given to a family member or friend of a person who is known to be using opiates, and to professionals working with people who use these drugs, to save lives in the event of an overdose.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has an action plan to prevent a greater number of drug and alcohol-related deaths. The plan has five priorities around improving: treatment practice; local systems; toxicology and surveillance; stigma; and poly-drug and alcohol use. Some specific elements include improving the integration of treatment services with mental and physical healthcare, expanded specialist inpatient detoxification, and guidance on drug and alcohol death review processes.The Office for Life Sciences is also running a £5 million fund to tackle fatal drug deaths across the United Kingdom, which is investing in research projects that are developing technologies aimed at improving detection, response, or intervention in potential drug-related deaths. Further information on this fund is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/5-million-fund-to-tackle-fatal-drug-deaths-across-the-uk
What steps he is taking to educate the drug using community on the risks of (a) nitazine and (b) fentanyl.
The Department is monitoring the threat that the synthetic opioids nitazenes and fentanyls pose, and is working with partners across Government to respond to this threat. Educating the drug using community of the risks these drugs pose is vital. In 2018, the Department issued Guidance for local areas on planning to deal with potent synthetic opioids, which was updated in 2023, and explains how local commissioners and service providers can prepare for and respond to incidents involving potent synthetic opioids, as well as how local areas can communicate this threat to drug users. The guidance includes specific messaging for people who use drugs, and was developed with people who use drugs. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fentanyl-preparing-for-a-future-threat/guidance-for-local-areas-on-planning-to-deal-with-fentanyl-or-another-potent-opioidThe Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by providing awareness to young people and to parents. Information on synthetic opioids and the danger of their misuse is available at the following link:https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/synthetic-opioids
Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a harm reduction approach to substance misuse.
No discussions have taken place between my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Home Office on a harm reduction approach to substance misuse. The Department recognises that harm reduction is a core component in addressing substance misuse, and is committed to working with the Home Office on this issue.
What steps he is taking to help ensure that there is a comprehensive strategy for meeting the (a) clinical and (b) care needs of people with eating disorders.
The Department is committed to working closely with NHS England to ensure that people with an eating disorder get the care and treatment they need, when they need it. The Department will focus on improving the performance of the existing waiting time standards for Children and Young Peoples’ Eating Disorder services.This will be supported by recruiting 8,500 additional mental health staff, ensuring every young person has access to a specialist mental health professional at school, and setting up Young Futures hubs in every community, offering open access mental health services for young people.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of beds for (a) adults and (b) children with (i) a dual diagnosis with autism and (ii) other complex mental health needs.
This specific assessment has not yet been made, as NHS England does not currently hold data of the necessary quality on the number of available beds in mental health inpatient settings prior to March 2024. NHS England has recently implemented version 6 of the Mental Health Service Dataset, which will include data from April 2024 onwards. The data within this new dataset is currently being checked for data quality.
If he will introduce tooth brushing education for parents of infants from teething age until three years old.
In England, local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for children in their local area.The Better Health Start for Life website offers expectant parents and parents of children aged zero to four years old evidence-based information on adopting healthy habits. It features new content, including a new video, on how to take care of infant teeth, with information on when to start a regular brushing regime, and limiting food and drink that could damage emerging teeth. There is also Delivering Better Oral Health, an evidence-based toolkit which includes advice on toothbrushing for children aged zero to three years old.
Whether he plans to end the proposed use of NHS Dental Vans.
The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and to recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. We will announce further plans in due course.
What steps he plans to take to reduce staff sickness in (a) emergency departments, (b) the ambulance service and (c) the NHS generally.
Sickness absence is managed at organisational level across the National Health Service. NHS organisations have their own policies and procedures in place to manage and reduce sickness absence, including any reasonable adjustments to allow people to return to work and/or prevent future absence. Nationally, we recognise that staff across the NHS have been under considerable pressure. We are committed to tackling staff shortages and want to improve organisational culture and working conditions so that we can keep staff healthy, motivated and retain vital skills and experience in the NHS.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Right Care, Right Person on ambulance services.
The Department has not made an assessment of the impact of Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) on ambulance services. The resourcing required to implement RCRP will vary depending on local agreements between multi-agency partners. As part of the preparations for implementation, the Department asked all integrated care boards to estimate the resource requirements it would take for them to deliver RCRP earlier in the year. NHS England guidance also asked all local areas to conduct an Impact Assessment with partner organisations when implementing RCRP.