Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that degrees awarded by the Open University are recognised as professional qualifications by the (a) Health and Care Professions Council and (b) British Psychological Society.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has been made by the Department. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is independent of Government, is the statutory regulator of practitioner psychologists and 14 other professions in the United Kingdom. As part of this responsibility, the HCPC is required by law to set the standards of education, training, and practice for practitioner psychologists, and the other professions it regulates.
Approved education institutions and practice partners develop the specific content and design of programmes to meet the HCPC’s education and training standards. The HCPC approves and monitors training programmes to ensure that they meet its standards. The HCPC’s legislation requires that UK trained applicants to its register must hold an approved qualification.
It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in the design of standards of education and training, or the design of the curricula to meet those standards. This is to respect the independence and expertise of the HCPC and education institutions in designing standards and curricula that ensure public safety.
There are a number of different postgraduate options to train as a psychologist. The British Psychological Society offers qualifications across a number of domains in psychology, to support individuals in their chosen specialism. Completion of one of its qualifications will provide an individual with eligibility to become a Chartered Psychologist.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure people receive confirmation of having received a covid-19 vaccine.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Coronavirus Record Service shows an individual’s dates of vaccination, the vaccine administered and the vaccination site, which is available at the following link:
www.coronavirus-record.service.nhs.uk
The NHS COVID Pass also shows vaccination details or test results and is available through the NHS App, NHS.UK and by letter, which can be requested through NHS.UK or via 119. Individuals will usually be able to get their pass within 24 hours of having received a vaccination.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Track and Trace App in England and Wales recognises Scottish postcodes.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The NHS COVID-19 app has been designed for use by people in England and Wales and does not recognise postcodes from elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Government has developed their own contact tracing app, Protect Scotland, and people resident in Scotland are encouraged to use this app. Contacts between users of these apps will be detected and users will be notified of potential exposures. Scottish app users can continue to use the Protect Scotland app whilst visiting England and Wales.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support available to medical research charities during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We have some of the finest, globally-recognised medical research charities right across the United Kingdom, which are an integral part of our world-leading life sciences sector. Last week I met medical research charities to discuss what more we can do to support them and our life sciences sector as a whole go from strength to strength across all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, should a vaccine for covid-19 become available, will it be (a) optional, (b) recommended or (c) compulsory for the general public; whether (i) the elderly, (ii) people with certain health conditions and (iii) other specific groups will be prioritised; and whether unvaccinated people are likely to be excluded from (A) flying, (B) accessing healthcare and (C) other activities.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is vital that a significant proportion of people who are offered take up a COVID-19 vaccine in order to protect themselves as well as other vulnerable individuals. However, there are no plans at present for a COVID-19 vaccine to be mandatory as the Government operates a system of informed consent for vaccinations.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will provide advice on clinical prioritisation based on the best available clinical, modelling and epidemiological data. This will depend on the properties of the vaccine, those most at need (including health and care workers) and the unique medical circumstances of individuals.
Whilst the pandemic is ongoing, no travel is risk free. Advice on air travel will remain under constant review to take into account the latest situation in each country. Healthcare will remain accessible to all and there are no plans to exclude unvaccinated individuals from key services or activities.