Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures the NHS workforce plan will include to support a sustainable NHS mental health workforce in England.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years. The Plan is for the whole of the National Health Service workforce, including mental health; however, it will not provide detailed workforce assessments for individual services or staff groups.
The mental health workforce has grown. Latest data shows that as of December 2022 there has been an increase of over 8,900, 6.9%, full-time equivalent staff compared to December 2021. This includes only those people who work directly on mental health, across NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that NHS staff providing care to people with Parkinson's are given training on the importance of time-critical medication.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service employers are responsible for ensuring that staff are trained and competent to carry out the duties for which they are employed, including those providing care to those with Parkinson’s disease.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to appoint a National Clinical Director for Neurology.
Answered by Lord Kamall
Whilst there is currently no specific National Clinical Director or Specialty Adviser for neurology services, NHS England and NHS Improvement keep this under review and new National Clinical Directors or Specialty Advisers are appointed as necessary. The recent review of the clinical advisory infrastructure is concluding and the outcome will be announced in due course. The proposed changes will enable clinical leaders to continue to play an important role alongside NHS England delivering shared goals for service transformation and clinical improvement
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current (1) waiting times for treatment, and (2) staffing shortages, for neurological patients.
Answered by Lord Kamall
While no formal assessment has yet been made waiting times and staffing levels for neurological patients are kept under review.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the capital thresholds for social care.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The reform of social care and its funding arrangements are complex areas and a range of options for how to deliver on this commitment are being considered. We will bring forward proposals in 2021.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the rationale for the rule that normally only third parties can pay top-up fees for care and not the individuals using the care homes themselves where they are financially able.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Anyone who has assets above the upper capital limit of £23,250 is a self-funder and is expected to meet the full cost of their care. Top-up fees are generally used when someone has assets below £23,250 and falls within the means test.
Payment of top-up fees must be sustainable. Limiting the circumstances in which a first party top-up is allowed ensures those with lower wealth are protected from the negative consequences of no longer being able to afford the top-up, such as having to move to an alternative care home.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of shortages of tubular steel, what arrangements they plan to put in place to ensure that the NHS has enough supplies of rehabilitation equipment including (1) walking frames, (2) four-wheeled walkers, and (3) rollators.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Walking frames, four-wheeled walkers and rollators are largely made of tubular aluminium for lightweight purposes and therefore no impact of the reported steel shortages is expected.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of the NHS neurological workforce to meet the care needs of those living with neurological conditions.
Answered by Lord Bethell
No assessment has been made. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next stage of the NHS People Plan will be published.
Answered by Lord Bethell
In 2021-22 our focus is on supporting the immediate recovery of National Health Service staff and services. We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and systems and employers to determine our future workforce and people priorities. This will feed into the development of a longer term strategy, overseen by the National People Board.
Asked by: Baroness Gale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the £500 million for mental health services announced in the Spending Review 2020, published on 25 November 2020, to provide mental health services to those with Parkinson's.
Answered by Lord Bethell
On 5 March, we announced £79 million of the funding from the Spending Review that will be used to significantly expand children’s mental health services.
Further details about how the remainder of the funding will be allocated will be given in due course.