Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (a) NHS England, (b) Health Education England and (c) NHS Digital spent on consultancy work on the organisational merger and headcount reduction programme; how much NHS England (i) has spent and (ii) plans to spend under its contract with PA Consulting; what the length is of the contract between NHS England and PA Consulting; how much Health Education England (A) has spent and (B) plans to spend under its contract with KPMG; what the length is of the contract between Health Education England and KPMG; and with reference to the Health Service Journal article entitled McKinsey wins £1m contract to devise new NHSE data model, published on 10 February 2023, what the value was of work contracted by NHS England has with McKinsey outside of the contract in place between December 2022 and March 2023.
Answered by Will Quince
Contract notices are published on Contracts Finder, which is available at the following link:
www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/
These notices include details on the length and value of contracts. All contracts were awarded via an open and fair process through established procurement frameworks.
Consultancy work on the organisational merger and headcount reduction programme will support the organisation in finalising its design and delivering changes to NHS England’s ways of working and shape that save up to £400 million each year.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS England Chief Data and Analytics Office spent on consultancy work by (a) contract, (b) provider, (c) time period and (d) value in (i) each financial year since 2018-19 and (ii) the 2022-23 financial year to 24 February 2023.
Answered by Will Quince
The following table shows the spend in pounds as per each spend category for the financial years since the Chief Data and Analytics Office was established. It has been provided in an aggregated format, as the information requested on contracts and providers is commercially sensitive.
Spend category | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Grand total |
Implications of legal merger between NHS England and NHS Digital | - | 1,009,000 | 1,009,000 |
Other Data & Analytics Consultancy | 942,750 | 288,600 | 1,231,350 |
Grand Total | 942,750 | 1,297,600 | 2,240,350 |
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the article in the Health Service Journal entitled Branding agency hired to help cultivate new personality for NHSE, published on 7 February 2023, what the value of NHS England's contract with Thompson for work referenced in that article is; and if he will publish the interim update for senior leaders.
Answered by Will Quince
As part of the implementation of the legal merger of NHS England with Health Education England and NHS Digital approved by Parliament through the Health and Care Act 2022, Thompson were contracted to provide independent support and advice to minimise the risk of disruption to communications with the wider health and care system, operational and strategic partners and stakeholders, and staff patients and the public from the new combined organisation. The value of the contract was £80,000.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many new posts NHS England has (a) established and (b) recruited to as part of the NHS75 Communications Team; at what (i) grades and (ii) salaries these posts have been established; and what the total (A) salary costs and (B) budget is of the NHS75 Communications Team.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England have established and recruited one temporary nine month post. They are also organising a national event for 2,200 National Health Service staff, volunteers and partners. This post is graded at agenda for change band 8c £67,064 to £77,274 pro-rata for nine months.
The total NHS England budget for the programme is the salary cost. Other costs will be covered by sponsorship, donations or similar income.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made the potential merits of providing redress for victims of Hormone Pregnancy Tests.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government’s response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety review did not accept the recommendation relating to redress for the three interventions addressed, including hormone pregnancy tests.
We are prioritising improvements in the safety of medicines and medical devices and high standards for industry to market and manufacture products to reduce harm in the future.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent reassessment she has made of the implications for her policy of the recommendations in the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review for victims of hormone pregnancy tests.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We will publish an update on progress to implement the Government’s response in due course.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she will reassess the findings of the Expert Working Group review on Hormone Pregnancy Tests.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We have no plans to do so.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department made of the impact of not including unpaid carers in the autumn covid-19 booster programme on (a) those carers and (b) the people they care for.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) provides the Government with independent advice on COVID-19 vaccinations, based on its risk assessment. The JCVI’s interim advice on autumn booster vaccinations allows the National Health Service, care homes and other health services to undertake operational planning. The JCVI will provide its final advice on the appropriate patient cohorts for the autumn programme in due course.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 16 March 2022 to Question 137964, if he will publish the joint letter sent on 15 December 2021 to all local safeguarding partners and local authority CEOs from Ministers in the Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Security and the Home Office.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
A copy of the letter is attached.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to implement care pathways for the provision of equipment for children and young people with complex needs, similar to those provided for under the Joint Protocol for the Provision of Children's Equipment in Scotland.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
There are currently no plans to do so. The provision of services to meet the medical and healthcare needs of children and young people with complex needs is the responsibility of the local National Health Service. This includes the provision of any medical equipment, such as special beds, bed equipment, hoists and aids to help with incontinence, mobility or hearing. NHS Supply Chain are the main provider of equipment and consumables, although providers are free to source from other suppliers.
Under the Care Act 2014, the local authority is responsible for providing any non-medical care services a child or young person is assessed as needing. This could include equipment for daily living. The provision of such equipment is subject to a Care Act Assessment of needs by the relevant local authority, which is strength-based and seeks to optimise independence and safety.