Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to implement the guidance that every care home resident can nominate a single named visitor who will be able to enter the care home for regular visits.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
New visiting arrangements started on 8 March. Every care home should ensure that each resident can nominate one named person who can have regular, indoor visits. We are currently pursuing non-legislative routes for implementation, which allow us to move more swiftly in changing circumstances and to accommodate all care homes. At step two of the roadmap, we will assess the data and take a decision on opening up further opportunities for visiting, setting out a plan for the next phase of visits for people in residential care.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been designated powers to issue fixed penalty notices under paragraph 9 (a)(iii) of Regulation 11 of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020; how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by those people; and for what reason those powers are required.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
District councils, county councils, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London, in its capacity as a local authority, and the Council of the Isles of Scilly were delegated enforcement powers under the equivalent designation provisions in a number of previous Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations.
Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020 (the All Tiers Regulations) carries across these designations to continue under the All Tiers Regulations. The specific power in 9 (a)(iii) of (the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 has not been used to make designations to date. However, it is considered necessary to retain this option, to ensure that enforcement can remain comprehensive.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people identifying as (a) BAME and (b) non-BAME have (i) been tested for coronavirus and (ii) tested positive for coronavirus in (A) Southwark, (B) London and (C) the UK.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The data is not held in the format requested.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on dementia patients of the covid-19 lockdown restrictions announced on 4 January 2021.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
We have had regular discussions with our stakeholders on the impact of the pandemic restrictions on people living with dementia. Although the guidance on the national restrictions has stated that people are required to stay at home there are exemptions to support wellbeing. These allow people to form support bubbles and to provide care to vulnerable people, including those with dementia.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
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 that the reduction in face-to-face medical appointments does not affect the accurate and timely diagnosis of new dementia patients.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
NHS England and NHS Improvement are continuing to encourage memory assessment services to provide safe and person-centred assessment and diagnosis, via remote methods or in face-to-face consultations as appropriate. Webinars and guidance have been provided to support evolving best practice and an inclusive, blended, person-centred, approach to diagnosis that supports patient choice.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of care home (a) residents and (b) staff have been offered each vaccine dose; and how many and what proportion of those who have been offered a vaccine have refused it, in (i) Southwark, (ii) London and (iii) the UK.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Information on the total number of care home staff and residents, the number eligible to receive the vaccine, the number eligible who have received a first vaccine dose, and the percentage eligible in England is published weekly at national and National Health Service regional level and is available at the following links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations
Information at local authority level and the number of care home residents or staff eligible to receive the vaccine who have declined it is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision there is for NHS employees to take paid leave to care for their children of primary school-age and under when the child is ill.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The National Health Service Terms and Conditions Handbook Section 33: Balancing work and personal life sets out the approach employers should take to recognising employees needs for a positive work and life balance. All NHS employers must have a carer’s policy to address the needs of people with caring responsibilities.
Carer policies include the provision for paid special leave for emergencies, including caring for dependents which includes children from birth to 14 years old or to 18 years old if they have a disability. Employers are expected to be as supportive and flexible as possible in these circumstances.
Guidance was also published by NHS Employers in late March 2020 for those staff who would need to self-isolate and to care for their child where their child contracted COVID-19. Staff in this position should continue to receive full pay.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people being treated in hospital for covid-19 identify as BAME in (a) Southwark, (b) London and (c) the UK.
Answered by Jo Churchill
Public Health England publishes ethnicity data for hospitalisations and those in critical care at a national level as part of the combined weekly flu and COVID-19 surveillance report. The latest data available to 4 February 2021, is attached. Data is not available at regional or local authority level.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
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 the adequate provision for patients of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Answered by Jo Churchill
This information is not held centrally.
The Department is aware of supply issues that have affected some hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations for various reasons. While a very limited number of HRT products are currently affected, most, including alternatives to those experiencing supply issues are available. We continue to work closely with all suppliers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and maintain overall supply to patients across the United Kingdom. We have shared regular updates about these issues and management advice to the National Health Service and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in (a) Camberwell and Peckham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Southwark, (c) London and (d) England have had their supply of Hormone Replacement Therapy medicines interrupted by ongoing shortages.
Answered by Jo Churchill
This information is not held centrally.
The Department is aware of supply issues that have affected some hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations for various reasons. While a very limited number of HRT products are currently affected, most, including alternatives to those experiencing supply issues are available. We continue to work closely with all suppliers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and maintain overall supply to patients across the United Kingdom. We have shared regular updates about these issues and management advice to the National Health Service and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists.