Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what clinical assessment has been made of the effectiveness of financial controls, such as gambling transaction blocks offered by some banks, in supporting recovery for people experiencing gambling related harm as part of their treatment pathway structures.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No clinical assessment has been made.
The National Health Service has committed to establish up to 15 specialist gambling clinics across England by 2024 and Public Health England will publish the first ever comprehensive evidence review of gambling-related harms later this summer.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the arrangements for the commissioning of clinical treatment for gambling disorders in proposals for a new Health and Care Bill.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether proposals for the introduction of a new medical examiner system are planned to make provision for recording the number of deaths where gambling disorder is a factor.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Medical practitioners who are responsible for completing the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) are expected to state the cause of death to the best of their knowledge and belief. The medical practitioner is able to record gambling disorder as a factor if they consider this is relevant. The Office of National Statistics publishes mortality statistics taking account of all health conditions mentioned on the MCCD. There is currently no International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) code for gambling disorder but this is expected to be introduced in ICD-11.
The Medical Examiner system will introduce a new level of independent scrutiny improving the quality and accuracy of the MCCD. We remain committed to making the medical examiner system statutory subject to Parliamentary approval and when time allows.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea 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 potential effect on public health of limiting the speed of play on online gambling products.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No such assessment has been made. The Department continues to work collaboratively with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport supporting their comprehensive review of the Gambling Act 2005, ensuring the regulatory framework is fit for purpose and protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling-related harms.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for support and research into Tourette's Syndrome.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has funded or supported various studies into Tourette’s syndrome. Since 2018, £2.1 million has been invested into research on Tourette’s syndrome through the NIHR’s Research Programmes. This includes a study on deep brain stimulation in people with Tourette’s syndrome and a digital behavioural intervention for tics in children and adolescents.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea 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 prevalence of aesthetic practitioners administering (a) Botulinum toxin and (b) dermal fillers during covid-19 lockdown under the guise that they are essential medical procedures.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The Department does not collect data on recorded breaches of the Regulations or offences committed by providers of aesthetic services.
Personal care services provided for essential medical and health needs, which cannot be deferred, may continue. It is for each provider to assess whether they are a business required to close having considered the Regulations and guidance on business closures and any guidance issued by the healthcare regulators, or a relevant professional body.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea 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 potential merits of permitting tier 3 residents to travel to non-social commercial and business appointments in tier 2 areas.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The guidance is clear that people must avoid travelling outside their area, including for overnight stays, other than where necessary.
If individuals live in a tier 3 area, they must continue to follow tier 3 rules when they travel to a lower tier area.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of treating people with gambling addiction in (a) 2018, (b) 2019 (c) 2020.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This information is not currently collected centrally.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will respond to the recommendations in the report by the Menstrual Health Coalition, entitled Heavy menstrual bleeding breaking silence and stigma, published in March 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government welcomes work to raise awareness of heavy menstrual bleeding. Tackling stigma and taboos is an important part of improving women’s health and specific aspects such as heavy menstrual bleeding.
It is of course critical that both patients and clinicians have access to appropriate information. NHS England advises that any woman who is experiencing pain, or discomfort due to heavy menstrual bleeding should seek advice from a general practitioner (GP) as a first course of action. Advice for this is available on nhs.uk, where you can undertake a quick ‘Heavy period self-assessment’, which can advise on simple steps that may help, as well as speaking to a GP.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced a guideline on assessment and treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding, which was published in March 2018.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to report by the Menstrual Health Coalition, entitled Heavy menstrual bleeding breaking silence and stigma, published in March 2020, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) patients and (b) clinicians have access to information on heavy menstrual bleeding; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government welcomes work to raise awareness of heavy menstrual bleeding. Tackling stigma and taboos is an important part of improving women’s health and specific aspects such as heavy menstrual bleeding.
It is of course critical that both patients and clinicians have access to appropriate information. NHS England advises that any woman who is experiencing pain, or discomfort due to heavy menstrual bleeding should seek advice from a general practitioner (GP) as a first course of action. Advice for this is available on nhs.uk, where you can undertake a quick ‘Heavy period self-assessment’, which can advise on simple steps that may help, as well as speaking to a GP.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced a guideline on assessment and treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding, which was published in March 2018.