Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still intend to publish a white paper on health disparities; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
‘Our plan for patients’, published in an online only format on 22 September, sets out the immediate priorities to support individuals to live healthier lives, including improving access to health and care services. In addition, the Department continues to review how health disparities can be addressed and further information will be available in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to long-COVID in the NHS to ensure patients have access to joined-up care across multiple services.
Answered by Lord Bethell
NHS England published Long COVID: the NHS plan for 2021/22 on 15 June. Within the Plan, a multi-disciplinary care pathway is outlined as a principle of care for ‘long’ COVID-19, with the expectations that services must offer multidisciplinary, physical, cognitive, psychological and psychiatric assessments. The paediatric hubs also announced as part of the Plan will consist of multidisciplinary teams which can provide assessment services and remote support to other clinicians to ensure ongoing holistic support. The Plan also outlined that by mid-July, healthcare systems should provide fully staffed ‘long’ COVID-19 service plans covering the whole pathway from primary care through to specialist care using multidisciplinary teams. A copy of Long COVID: the NHS plan for 2021/22 is attached.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, states that access to multidisciplinary services should be provided for assessing physical and mental health symptoms and carrying out further tests and investigations and that integrated, multidisciplinary rehabilitation services, based on local need and resources should also be provided. A copy of the guideline is attached.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that long-COVID disproportionately affects women, what consideration they have given to the production of gender-sensitive guidelines for primary care professionals.
Answered by Lord Bethell
While we have not specifically considered gender sensitive guidelines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 for all health and care professionals. A copy of the guideline is attached.
‘Long’ COVID-19 is a new condition and our understanding of its impact on different demographic groups, as well as the best treatment options to pursue, is still developing. NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to a health equity audit to assess equitable access, excellent experience and optimal outcomes for all communities.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to collect, and (2) to report, data on the number of people affected by long-COVID alongside the data on hospitalisations and death.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are developing our understanding of ‘long’ COVID-19, including collecting the numbers of people affected and methods of reporting. Currently, the Office for National Statistics collects and publishes data on prevalence of ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom. From September 2021 activity data on referral, assessments and waiting times for post-COVID-19 assessment clinics and the patient journey, including the use of Your COVID Recovery, will be published on a monthly basis.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that Black students in schools and colleges are not disadvantaged disproportionately as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
Due to shortage of time, it has not been possible to answer this question before the end of the Session. The Minister will write to the Member in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish a report on the work to reduce health inequalities around maternal mortality rates, in particular the higher rate of death in childbirth for Black women, led by Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE; and what action will be taken as a result of this report.
Answered by Lord Bethell
NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with a range of national partners, led by the Chief Midwifery Officer for England and the National Specialty Advisor for Obstetrics, to develop an equity strategy which will focus on women and their babies from black, Asian and mixed ethnic groups and those living in the most deprived areas.
The National Perinatal Equity Strategy is in its final stages of development and will be published in the coming months. Following the publication, the Local Maternity Systems will be asked to submit an equity analysis covering health outcomes, community assets and staff experience and a co-production plan by 30 September 2021. Local Maternity Systems will then co-produce equity action plans by 31 December 2021.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the breakdown by (1) protected characteristic, and (2) socio-economic background, of the patients who choose to opt out of surgery following the waiting list validation process.
Answered by Lord Bethell
No formal assessment has been made. Data on protected characteristics and socio-economic background is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to reverse the real terms cuts to public health grants for local authorities, and (2) to maintain the amount allocated for public health grants as a percentage of the total budget of NHS England.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The public health grant to local authorities in England was £3.279 billion in 2020/21, a £295.1 million real-terms increase. The public health allocations to local authorities in England for 2021-2 were published on 16 March, and the total public health grant to local authorities will be £3.324 billion, a rise of £332.4 million in cash terms. The grant will be ring fenced for use on public health functions and includes £23.4 million for routine commissioning of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to facilitate a coordinated response from UK political, economic and faith leaders to the situation in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique; and, in coordinating any such response, how they will take account of the influence of (1) natural disasters, (2) insurgents aligned with Islamic State, and (3) the recruitment of poor and disaffected young people to armed groups in the region.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in northern Mozambique. We are working with the Government of Mozambique and other key stakeholders to address the root drivers of conflict and instability in Cabo Delgado province. This includes close co-operation with the Government of Mozambique's regional development authority in Cabo Delgado; providing targeted technical assistance under the framework of our Defence Memorandum of Understanding; and providing £19m of humanitarian and development support to internally displaced people through UN agencies, ensuring they have access to food, shelter and basic healthcare. UK development assistance in Mozambique also includes programmes to drive more inclusive growth and to promote good governance. We are also working with the government and private sector to promote training and skills opportunities for youth in the region. As one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, the UK is partnering with Mozambique on climate adaptation, including by building the resilience of the most vulnerable to climate shocks and natural disasters.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of London (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recommendations have been made by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regarding the prominence of warnings concerning mental health risks associated with the use of Montelukast in children; and what is the timescale for implementation of any such recommendations.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Warnings on mental health risks associated with the use of montelukast in children are included in the product information and in prescribing and other resources available to health professionals and patients. The warnings were strengthened in 2019 and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued an alert in its Drug Safety Update bulletin for prescribers. However, in response to concerns raised and in line with independent expert advice, more prominent warnings will be included in product information and patient alert cards and safety leaflets will be provided to patients. These materials are currently being developed and are expected to be introduced later this year.