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Written Question
Audiology: Paediatrics
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, as part of the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme, how many reviews of patient records have been undertaken, and how many children have been identified as requiring reassessment.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme is working to systematically introduce reviews, undertaken by subject matter experts, across the seven regions of the National Health Service in England. In the coming months, we will have further details of patient information reviewed, and the number of children requiring reassessment.


Written Question
Audiology: Paediatrics
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect all paediatric audiology services in England to be accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service's Improving Quality in Physiological Services scheme, and what plans they have to increase accreditation of audiology services nationally.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no NHS England national target set for when all services will be accredited, as the process for achieving accreditation for an individual service can take a number of years. NHS England recognises the United Kingdom Accreditation Service’s (UKAS) Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) scheme as the only recognised accreditation standard for physiological science services. This includes audiology services and provides not only independent and impartial assurance of safe, high-quality services, but also the evidence needed for the Care Quality Commission’s regulatory purposes. In August 2023, NHS England recommended that all integrated care boards ensure that provider organisations work towards the UKAS IQIPS accreditation for paediatric audiology.

NHS England has worked with the UKAS to implement an updated process to support the early assessment of an individual site's readiness for achieving accreditation. NHS England is also working alongside the UKAS to support and enable more sites to successfully achieve accreditation. The 2024/25 National Health Service standard contract now includes the recommendation that all providers of paediatric audiology should work with their local commissioners to develop a Service Development Improvement Plan that will address the areas of quality concern, to allow all paediatric audiology services to move towards UKAS accreditation against the IQIPS standard.


Written Question
Audiology: Paediatrics
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many paediatric audiology departments in England meet the 42-day waiting list target for an initial hearing assessment for babies and children.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Diagnostic Waiting Times data is published monthly by NHS England. The latest data for November 2023, combining both adult and paediatric services, shows that 37% of patients are waiting more than six weeks for audiology assessment.


Written Question
Audiology: Paediatrics
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by NHS England’s National Paediatric Hearing Improvement Programme; and what findings it has found following its review of data for newborn babies in England.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme is focussed on delivering several strategic interventions over a short, medium and long-term period. Some of the key areas of focus include: supporting the audiology workforce with training and education,; supporting services to achieve accreditation with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS); and supporting paediatric audiology services regarding review of patient records, including ensuring that children identified as requiring reassessment are prioritised.

NHS England’s Newborn Hearing Screening Programme investigation indicated areas for improvement in:

- the quality of practice;

- workforce training and education;

- data, results and report management;

- quality assurance;

- the peer review process; and

- UKAS Improving Quality in Physiological Services accreditation.


Written Question
Audiology: Paediatrics
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many paediatric audiology departments there are in England in total; and how many of those currently meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are 134 paediatric audiology services nationally and of those, approximately 20% are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service for Improving Quality in Physiological Services. NHS England has a dedicated programme of work that will support the increase of accreditation for audiology services nationally.


Written Question
India: Charities
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the British High Commission in New Delhi has the resources to give practical guidance concerning national and state law to people and organisations, particularly UK charities, who wish to donate to charitable causes in India and who are not registered with India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act; and what is the name of any such guidance.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is aware that some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have faced difficulties in India due to the strict application of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). HMG officials have discussed FCRA-related issues with the Government of India and continue to monitor developments, especially the impact on the work of British NGOs in India. The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly engages NGOs and continues to support a wide range of local NGO partners in-country, including through direct programmes. The High Commission does not provide tailored guidance on FCRA-related issues.


Written Question
India: Charities
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have published guidance for people and organisations wishing to donate to charities in India, with regard to India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is aware that some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have faced difficulties in India due to the strict application of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). HMG officials have discussed FCRA-related issues with the Government of India and continue to monitor developments, especially the impact on the work of British NGOs in India. The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly engages NGOs and continues to support a wide range of local NGO partners in-country, including through direct programmes. The High Commission does not provide tailored guidance on FCRA-related issues.


Written Question
Commonwealth: Charities
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have asked the British Commonwealth of Nations for advice on how the charitable sector can operate within the Commonwealth.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Commonwealth is home to a wide range of charitable organisations. Through a Commonwealth Secretariat led process, eligible charities, including those based in the UK, can become recognised as Commonwealth Accredited Organisation. Accreditation includes a range of benefits to the organisation and provides a platform for enhanced Commonwealth engagement. The charity sector, as a whole, plays an important role across the Commonwealth.


Written Question
India: Charities
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have encouraged the Indian High Commission in London to provide advice on how best to donate to charitable causes in the Republic of India for those who are not registered with India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is aware that some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have faced difficulties in India due to the strict application of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). HMG officials have discussed FCRA-related issues with the Government of India and continue to monitor developments, especially the impact on the work of British NGOs in India. The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly engages NGOs and continues to support a wide range of local NGO partners in-country, including through direct programmes. The High Commission does not provide tailored guidance on FCRA-related issues.


Written Question
India: Development Aid
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a system similar to the Australian Direct Aid Program for use in India.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is aware that some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have faced difficulties in India due to the strict application of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). HMG officials have discussed FCRA-related issues with the Government of India and continue to monitor developments, especially the impact on the work of British NGOs in India. The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly engages NGOs and continues to support a wide range of local NGO partners in-country, including through direct programmes. The High Commission does not provide tailored guidance on FCRA-related issues.