Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing to suicide prevention organisations.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
In the last financial year, we provided £5.4 million to 113 voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations which offer help to people struggling with their mental health or thoughts of suicide.
We also provided £510,000 towards the Samaritans’ helpline for people experiencing distress.
This is in addition to the over £10 million we provided to voluntary and charitable mental health organisations in 2020/21.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve dementia diagnosis rates in England.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
In 2021/22 we allocated £17 million to specifically address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. This funding was made available to clinical commissioning groups in June 2021. In 2022/23, NHS England will provide funding to support general practitioners to pilot diagnostic approaches to increase the number of diagnoses. We will set out plans for dementia in England for the next 10 years later this year, which will include a focus on dementia diagnosis.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 trends in dementia diagnosis rates among (a) ethnic minority communities and (b) other groups; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No formal assessment has been made. NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ Dementia Intelligence Network to investigate the underlying variation in dementia diagnosis rates in specific areas in England. This investigation will include a focus on social and economic deprivation; rurality; demographic characteristics including age, ethnicity and educational attainment; and general health and life expectancy.
We will set out plans for dementia in England for the next 10 years later this year, which will include a focus on dementia diagnosis.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 care home staff can access evidence-based training on dementia.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
We are investing £500 million over the next three years to support the development of social care staff. This will include Knowledge and Skills Framework to supplement existing resources such as the Dementia Training Standards Framework and providing additional training places and qualifications, including for those supporting individuals with Parkinson's and dementia. We will set out plans for dementia in England for the next 10 years later this year, which will include a focus on dementia training.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment the Government has made of the proposals set out in the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19 on people who are immunocompromised.
Answered by Maggie Throup
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support community rehabilitation services to deal with additional demand after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The ‘2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance’ highlighted the transformation of out-of-hospital services, such as community rehabilitation. National funding and increased to core allocations for community services will support systems to provide care for more patients at home, address waiting lists, develop and expand new models of community care and support timely hospital discharge. NHS England and NHS Improvement have prioritised programmes to ensure access to high quality and timely non-acute rehabilitation as close to home and community as possible. Rehabilitation is being embedded as a core community offer which supports recovery and restoration, maintenance and the prevention of deterioration.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 risk to human health from levels of lead shot found in pheasants for sale in UK supermarkets.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The issue of lead and lead shot has been assessed on a number of occasions by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). COT concluded that lead shot game is unlikely to be a significant source of lead exposure for the majority of consumers, but it may be a significant contributor for frequent consumers.
The FSA advises that high consumers of lead shot game should minimise consumption, especially of small game to reduce exposure to lead. This is particularly important for pregnant women, women planning a pregnancy and children. Lead exposure from food, including from lead shot game, is kept under review by the FSA to ensure that advice and other measures in place remain protective for consumers.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19, published on 23 February 2022, whether the 1.3 million people in receipt of covid-19 treatments will be able to access free-of-charge asymptomatic covid-19 tests from 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England will end. However, limited symptomatic testing will be available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of removing the provision of free lateral flow tests from people in close contact with individuals who are immunocompromised.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 1 April 2022, free lateral flow testing for the general public in England will end. There will be some limited testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to keep the impact of these policies on those who are immunocompromised and their close contacts under review.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of Baroness Scott of Bybrook in the House of Lords debate on the National Disability Strategy on 10 February 2022, Official Report, column 1809, what discussions he had with Ministers in his Department on the implementation of a (a) Government review of provision for ME or CFS and (b) national strategy for that disease.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
There have been no specific discussions. The Department continues to consider options to improve outcomes for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their families, including the potential development of a national strategy.