Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 24 February, (b) 7 April and (c) 28 April 2022 from the hon. Member for Glasgow East, reference DL11390.
Answered by Edward Argar
We replied to the hon. Member on 27 May 2022.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow 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 finding in the National Child Measurement Programme for England in the 2020-21 school year that children living in the most deprived areas were more than twice as likely to be obese than those living in the least deprived areas, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of her Department's policies on child obesity.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are delivering a programme to create a healthier environment to help children and adults achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Over £4.4 million was allocated to 11 local authorities to deliver child and family weight management services, for children identified as overweight or living with obesity through the National Child Measurement Programme.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to promote access to support for the cost of travel to hospital by claiming pension credit.
Answered by Edward Argar
The Department has no plans to do so, as claims for pension credit are made through the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department’s regulations include some travel to hospital costs.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow 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 promote access to free dental treatment through claiming pension credit.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Information on exemption from dental patient charges is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/
National Health Service (NHS) dental contractors in England are contractually required to display a poster in their practice that sets out the charges associated with, and exemptions from, NHS dental treatment. This includes those receiving the Guarantee Credit element of pension credit or their partners. Practices are also provided with leaflets providing more detail on NHS dental charges and payment exemptions.
The NHS Business Services Authority also promote access to support for the cost of NHS dentistry through their Help With Health Costs Facebook page and Twitter account, in addition to a dedicated helpline.
Further information, including an online tool to check if a patient is exempt from NHS charges, is available at the following link:
https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-my-nhs-exemption/start
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow 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 promote access to support towards the cost of glasses through claiming pension credit.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Full details of those entitled to National Health Service (NHS) sight tests and optical vouchers is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/
The NHS Business Services Authority also promote access to support with the cost of glasses through their Help With Health Costs Facebook page and Twitter account, in addition to a dedicated helpline.
NHS optical vouchers are available for certain eligible groups to help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses, this includes individuals and their partners’ who are in receipt of Pension Credit.