Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out any estimate of how many appointments annually are requested for doctors to approve sickness absences for periods of less than three days; and whether they have reviewed the requirement for doctors to authorise such sickness absences to in order to reduce workloads for doctors.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
A statement of fitness for work, commonly known as a fit note or ‘med 3’, is a form of medical evidence that can enable an individual to access health-related benefits or evidence eligibility for Statutory Sick Pay. Healthcare professionals cannot issue fit notes during the first seven calendar days of sickness absence as employees can self-certify for this time.
We have made several changes to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy for general practitioners to free up time for appointments. This includes expanding the range of healthcare professionals who can sign fit notes and publishing the bureaucracy busting concordat, setting out seven principles to reduce unnecessary burdens in general practice in consultation with Royal College of General Practice and the British Medical Association.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to support the NHS by (1) outsourcing the recruitment of nurses and doctors to medical institutions in India, and (2) increased investment in private diagnostic centres and clinics; and what assessment they have made of whether their current policies would be in line with such approaches.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are no plans to outsource the recruitment of nurses and doctors to medical institutions in India. The National Health Service recruits a significant number of nurses from India and we have recently updated the code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England to ensure recruitment is conducted ethically. Decisions on investment in private sector healthcare capacity, including diagnostics, are made by individual NHS organisations.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they will provide to local authorities to support them with the (1) financing, and (2) provision, of (a) adult social care services, (b) public health services, including access to specialist trauma counselling, and (c) other general public services.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The Local Government Finance Settlement makes available an additional £3.7 billion to councils for 2022/23. This will enable councils to deliver key services, including adult social care and other general public services. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced as local authorities are best placed to understand local priorities.
Public health services commissioned by local authorities in England are funded through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. The 2021 Spending Review confirmed that the Public Health Grant will increase in each of the next three years. In 2022/23, each local authority will receive a 2.81% increase, with total funding reaching £3.417 billion. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities offers advice and support to authorities on the services that best meet the needs of their local populations. In addition, the Department funds the Local Government Association to provide peer support to local authorities through a sector-led improvement programme.
Access to specialist trauma counselling is available from the National Health Service from a range of providers according to clinical need.