Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to polling from the Royal College of Physicians which found that 12 per cent of people said they had previously been advised by a health professional to keep their home warm to reduce the likelihood of becoming unwell or making an existing health condition worse, what assessment has she made of those patient's financial ability to pay energy costs over the next six months; and what steps she will take to support those who are financially unable to meet energy costs.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
The Government has announced measures to support households with rising energy bills, such as the Energy Price Guarantee, the Energy Bill Support Scheme and the Household Support Fund which is delivered through local authorities. These measures also provide £15 billion for the most vulnerable households.
Vulnerable households can also contact their energy supplier for support via the Priority Services Register. Energy suppliers can offer payment plans and other support to help households manage rising energy prices. This is in addition to established schemes such as the Warm Home Discount and the Winter Fuel Payment. NHS England and the Department for Work and Pensions are also working with the Money and Pensions Service to include information on money support and debt advice services into resources for social prescribing link workers. Energy efficiency schemes such as the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, Home Upgrade Grant, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Energy Company Obligation are also available.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Health Promotion Taskforce will meet before the end of 2022.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
An updated Cabinet committee structure has been agreed to deliver the Government’s priorities. The committees can discuss a wide range of policy areas as relevant to the terms of reference. The Health Promotion Taskforce is not included in this updated structure.
However, as set out in ‘Our plan for patients’, we will work with cross-Government partners and the National Health Service to address preventable ill-health. Further information on measures to address health disparities will be available in due course.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she will publish the Health Disparities White Paper; and what discussions she has had with cabinet colleagues on a cross-government strategy within that White Paper.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
‘Our plan for patients’, published 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: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
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 ensure that heart failure services are adequately prioritised within emerging models of care across the NHS, including in (a) integrated care systems and (b) primary care networks.
Answered by James Morris
NHS England is resourcing cardiovascular leadership roles in integrated care systems (ICSs) to ensure that improvements to the quality of life experienced by heart failure patients are prioritised. ICSs will collaborate with local National Health Service organisations to improve population health and establish shared strategic priorities.
Through Primary Care Networks, those with heart failure will be supported by multi-disciplinary teams and greater access to echocardiography in primary care will be provided to improve the investigation of those with breathlessness and the early detection of heart failure and heart valve disease.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to improve heart failure outcomes within (a) Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and (b) England.
Answered by James Morris
In Greater Manchester, the Smart Hearts project was launched in 2019, which uses an algorithm to monitor the data transmitted from implantable cardiac devices to monitor any early signs of deterioration. A business case has been developed to increase the specialist heart failure workforce in Greater Manchester to meet projected demand.
In England, the National Health Service is investing in cardiac networks to support improvements to the care pathway for patients with severe aortic stenosis. These networks have been developed to take an evidenced based, clinically led, whole pathway approach to improvement from prevention, diagnosis, treatment and end of life care.
We have committed £2.3 billion to launch at least 100 community diagnostic centres by 2024/25 to improve the early detection and diagnosis of heart valve disease in England and reduce patient waiting times.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who were previously enrolled on the Healthy Start scheme and need to re-enrol but have not yet re-enrolled via the new online sign up system.
Answered by Maggie Throup
As of 14 July 2022, 384,848 successful applications have been made using the NHS Healthy Start online application. Of this total, 250,457 successful applications have been made from those who were previously in receipt of paper vouchers; and 134,391 successful applications have been made from those not previously in receipt of paper vouchers. As of 14 July 2022, it is estimated that approximately 46,000 households previously on the paper voucher scheme have not applied online. It is not known what proportion of these households remain eligible for NHS Healthy Start.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Healthy Start voucher online only sign up process, how many applicants are (a) re-enrolments and (b) new starters on that scheme.
Answered by Maggie Throup
As of 14 July 2022, 384,848 successful applications have been made using the NHS Healthy Start online application. Of this total, 250,457 successful applications have been made from those who were previously in receipt of paper vouchers; and 134,391 successful applications have been made from those not previously in receipt of paper vouchers. As of 14 July 2022, it is estimated that approximately 46,000 households previously on the paper voucher scheme have not applied online. It is not known what proportion of these households remain eligible for NHS Healthy Start.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the data on how many people have signed up for Healthy Start vouchers since the rollout of the online only sign up process.
Answered by Maggie Throup
As of 14 July 2022, 384,848 successful applications have been made using the NHS Healthy Start online application. Of this total, 250,457 successful applications have been made from those who were previously in receipt of paper vouchers; and 134,391 successful applications have been made from those not previously in receipt of paper vouchers. As of 14 July 2022, it is estimated that approximately 46,000 households previously on the paper voucher scheme have not applied online. It is not known what proportion of these households remain eligible for NHS Healthy Start.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of eligible people at highest risk of becoming seriously ill with covid-19 were not contacted during their isolation period to be offered antibody and antiviral treatments for use at home via the NHS since those treatments have been available.
Answered by Maggie Throup
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many eligible people at highest risk of becoming seriously ill with covid-19 have been offered antibody and antiviral treatments for use at home via the NHS after having tested positive and not having been admitted to hospital.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The information requested is not held centrally. However, during the week commencing 11 April 2022, approximately 3,500 non-hospitalised patients in the United Kingdom have received COVID-19 treatments. Approximately 49,000 patients have now received these treatments.