Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 help ensure that volunteer capacity is available to support the NHS when needed.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
NHS England will shortly be launching a programme to further increase volunteering capacity available to National Health Service hospital and ambulance trusts via roles designed to reduce pressure on NHS services, support wellbeing of staff and enhance patient experience.
We also continue to work closely with our partners in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector such as St John Ambulance Re:Act, the British Red Cross, Age UK and the Royal Voluntary Service. We continue to co-deliver the NHS Cadets programme, which aims to develop 10,000 new NHS Cadets within three years, we have a renewed focus on the Volunteer to Career pathway and we have partnered with #iwill and the Pears Foundation to identify new opportunities for young volunteers.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 encourage people to take up careers in (a) the pharmaceutical sector and (b) high street pharmacies.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Reforms to pharmacist initial education and training will ensure that all new pharmacists entering the profession, regardless of where they choose to practice, will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to take on greater clinical roles including qualifying as prescribers. There are also a range of post-graduate programmes available to strengthen their skillset and progress within the profession.
Health Education England is also encouraging students to apply to study pharmacy at university and career information is available from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. There are also a range of funded apprenticeships schemes provided by pharmacy employers for a variety of roles in pharmacy teams.