Written questions by Slade.

What steps he is taking to recruit NHS staff from UK citizens who obtained their medical qualification outside of the UK.

There is no central programme to recruit United Kingdom citizens who have obtained their medical qualification outside the UK into the National Health Service. NHS employers work at a local level to ensure they have the workforce they need, which includes making decisions about recruiting internationally educated doctors and determining the support they may require.All medical practitioners wishing to practise in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and hold a licence to practise. The GMC is statutorily independent of Government and sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to its register. This ensures registrants are safe to practise and that patients receive a high standard of care. Information on the process for joining the GMC’s register and tailored support for international applicants can be found on its website.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of making people with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome automatically eligible for IVF treatment.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) fertility guidelines set out the best practice for the National Health Service to follow for those suffering from clinical infertility. It is for integrated care boards to make local decisions about the services for their local population, taking account of NICE guidelines.Individuals with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome do not have wombs but can form their families through surrogacy arrangements, which are not currently included in NICE fertility guidelines. The collection and storage of eggs is covered by NICE fertility guidelines but currently only for those being treated for cancer. The guidelines are currently under review and expected to be published later in 2025.

If his Department will offer provisionally registered status to overseas-qualified dentists.

In 2024, the Department carried out a consultation on introducing legislation that would give the General Dental Council (GDC) powers to provisionally register overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet met the GDC’s requirements for full registration. Dentists that meet our high standards should be able to enter the workforce efficiently.Further information on the consultation is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/provisional-registration-for-overseas-qualified-dentistsWe are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions and we are considering whether to proceed with the proposal to introduce provisional registration. Our position on this proposal will be set out in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact on (a) cashflow, (b) income and (c) patient access to medication of practices of receiving re-imbursement monthly rather than quarterly for each prescription submitted.

Contractors are already paid monthly. The full payment timetable for community pharmacy contractors is detailed in Clause 5C Part I of the Drug Tariff, and on the Schedule of Payments that contractors receive each month.In 2021, in recognition of the improved automation of the claims process, the timing of the advanced payment was brought forward by 20 days to improve cash flow.Contractors receive an advance payment early in the month. This covers an estimate of the full income from claims submitted for the previous month. A reconciliation payment follows two months later, when all the claims have been fully processed.

If he will take steps to allow optometrists to share scan data directly with consultants, in the context of patient waiting times.

NHS England is testing how improving digital connectivity between primary care optometry and secondary care will allow optometrists to share diagnostic images and receive advice and guidance from specialists. This will enable more patients to be managed in the community, reducing the need for patients to be referred, and for those needing a referral to the hospital eye service, this could reduce the need for repeat diagnostics.This approach aims to free up secondary eye care capacity and improve clinic efficiency, so specialists can prioritise patients needing specialist input on ophthalmology waiting lists.

Whether he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Pharmacy supervision which closed on 29 February 2024.

A previous consultation on pharmacy supervision was published earlier this year. The Government and devolved administrations will set out plans for the policy when it responds to that consultation, in due course.

If he will reinstate the availability of medications previously available on prescription for (a) households on low incomes and (b) pensioners so that they are free of charge.

There are currently no plans to review the list of items that formed part of the NHS England review into medicines that cannot be routinely supplied. Prescribers are free to make their own decisions on which medicines to prescribe, unless they are banned ...

Whether his Department plans to review the list of conditions eligible for free prescriptions by working age people.

There are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate to exempt people from the prescription charge. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the commun...

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to dependant rules for health and social care visas on closures of care homes; and if he will make an assessment of the potentia

In December 2023, the Home Office published their estimated immigration impacts of the announced legal migration changes, including the restriction on bringing dependants for care workers and senior care workers. These are available at the following link:...