Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have received covid-19 vaccinations at walk-in and pop up clinics; how many of those people (a) did not have a NHS number and (b) were not registered with a GP; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The data is not held in the format requested. However, as of 6 January 2022, over 34.8 million people have received a booster or third primary dose in the United Kingdom. Registration with a general practitioner or a National Health Service number is not required to receive a vaccination.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to back date Healthy Start vouchers for newly eligible families subject to no recourse to public funds in response to delays in issuing those vouchers.
Answered by Maggie Throup
There is no delay in granting and issuing Healthy Start benefits to families with no recourse to public funds with British children under four years old, where they can demonstrate they meet all the eligibility criteria. Over 700 application forms have been sent to families. Of those returned to date, nine families have demonstrated they meet all the criteria. All eligible families have the benefit backdated to their first contact with the Department.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to begin issuing Healthy Start vouchers to newly eligible families subject to no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Maggie Throup
There is no delay in granting and issuing Healthy Start benefits to families with no recourse to public funds with British children under four years old, where they can demonstrate they meet all the eligibility criteria. Over 700 application forms have been sent to families. Of those returned to date, nine families have demonstrated they meet all the criteria. All eligible families have the benefit backdated to their first contact with the Department.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons there has been a delay in granting Healthy Start vouchers to newly eligible families subject to no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Maggie Throup
There is no delay in granting and issuing Healthy Start benefits to families with no recourse to public funds with British children under four years old, where they can demonstrate they meet all the eligibility criteria. Over 700 application forms have been sent to families. Of those returned to date, nine families have demonstrated they meet all the criteria. All eligible families have the benefit backdated to their first contact with the Department.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to provide a substantive response to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Manchester Gorton dated 17 September 2021 regarding Desmond Manangazira.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We replied to the hon. Member on 13 December 2021.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to prioritise ophthalmology in future workforce planning.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We are looking at all aspects of eyecare delivery including recovery, digital adoption, workforce transformation, commissioning and business intelligence. As part of the workforce workstream, we are looking at the development of the total optical workforce, including ophthalmologists, in order to develop a sustainable model of care.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
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 tackle the backlog in the Healthy Start scheme to ensure newly eligible families subject to no recourse to public funds can access support.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department has recently agreed to temporarily extend the Healthy Start scheme to British children aged under four years old whose parent/guardian meet the financial eligibility criteria and are excluded from claiming public funds as a consequence of their immigration status.
Those who believe they qualify for the temporary extension must submit a completed application form with supporting documents that demonstrate they meet all the eligibility criteria.
There is no backlog in the Healthy Start scheme. The Department is supporting all individuals and third-party organisations making enquiries regarding this temporary extension by providing a bespoke application form and application guidance document.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to begin granting Health Start vouchers to families subject to no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department has recently agreed to temporarily extend the Healthy Start scheme to British children aged under four years old whose parent/guardian meet the financial eligibility criteria and are excluded from claiming public funds as a consequence of their immigration status.
Those who believe they qualify for the temporary extension must submit a completed application form with supporting documents that demonstrate they meet all the eligibility criteria.
There is no backlog in the Healthy Start scheme. The Department is supporting all individuals and third-party organisations making enquiries regarding this temporary extension by providing a bespoke application form and application guidance document.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will develop a separate Healthy Start Scheme application form for newly eligible families subject to no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department has a separate Healthy Start Application Form and Application Guidance Document for those who meet the temporary extension criteria.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when Healthy Start voucher scheme applications will be made available in languages other than English.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The NHS Business Services Authority are digitising the Healthy Start scheme, on behalf of the Department, to facilitate families to apply for and use the scheme. Once digitised, the NHS Business Services Authority will provide access to a translation service, as needed.