Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 improve maternity services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the significant issues within maternity services. We are determined to ensure all women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.
We are committed to providing support to trusts failing on maternity care, which includes tailored support for those trusts to make rapid improvements using hands-on intensive support through the Maternity Safety Support Programme.
We are working to address workforce issues, including committing to recruit thousands of new midwives. NHS England is boosting the midwifery workforce through undergraduate training, apprenticeships, postgraduate conversion, return to midwifery programmes, and international recruitment.
We are continuing to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow our maternity workforce, develop a culture of safety, and ensure all women, babies and families receive more equitable care.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 improve care for families after (a) pregnancy loss and (b) the death of a baby.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to delivering compassionate care for women, and supporting parents who have experienced any type of baby loss. Many trusts have specialist bereavement midwives, who are trained to care for and support parents and families who have suffered the loss of their baby. All trusts are signed up to The National Bereavement Care Pathway, which acts as a set of standards and guidance that trusts should follow when a patient has suffered a baby loss. Baby Loss Certificates are now available for all historic and future pregnancy losses, should parents wish to record and receive a certificate to recognise their loss.
Paid Parental Bereavement Leave was introduced in 2020. This entitlement is available to parents who lose a child under 18 years old, including where a baby is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Following the death of a baby, there are a number of different investigation and review routes available depending on the age of the baby and the circumstances surrounding the death. These include the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations Programme, the Perinatal Mortality Review tool, and the Child Death Review process. These reviews aim to provide answers for bereaved parents about why their baby died and learning for the healthcare system.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on implementation of a National Care Service.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to building a National Care Service based on clear, consistent national standards, that will improve the quality of care. On 10 October 2024, recognising the central role of our care workforce, we took a critical step, introducing the legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals.
We will set out the next steps in due course for a process that engages with adult social care stakeholders, including cross-party members and a diverse range of people with lived experience of care, to build consensus towards a National Care Service.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 staffing shortages in the care sector.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The adult social care workforce is growing, with Skills for Care data showing that in 2023/24 there were 1.705 million filled posts, an increase of 70,000 since 2022/23. Whilst this represents an improvement, the Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth, and to improve the retention of the workforce.
On 10 October 2024, recognising the central role of our amazing care workforce, we took a critical step, introducing the legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals. Fair Pay Agreements will empower worker, employer, and other sector representatives to negotiate pay, terms, and conditions in a regulated and responsible manner. Fair Pay Agreements will help to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, in turn supporting the continued delivery of high-quality care.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 ensure that (a) disabled and (b) elderly people are consulted before delivery of a National Care Service.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to building a National Care Service based on clear, consistent national standards, that will improve the quality of care. On 10 October 2024, recognising the central role of our care workforce, we took a critical step, introducing the legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals.
We will set out the next steps in due course for a process that engages with adult social care stakeholders, including cross-party members and a diverse range of people with lived experience of care, to build consensus towards a National Care Service.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to ensure that the National Care Service supports the needs of people from diverse (a) cultural and (b) linguistic backgrounds.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to building a National Care Service based on clear, consistent national standards, that will improve the quality of care. On 10 October 2024, recognising the central role of our care workforce, we took a critical step, introducing the legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals.
We will set out the next steps in due course for a process that engages with adult social care stakeholders, including cross-party members and a diverse range of people with lived experience of care, to build consensus towards a National Care Service.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timeline is for implementation of a National Care Service.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to building a National Care Service based on clear, consistent national standards, that will improve the quality of care. On 10 October 2024, recognising the central role of our care workforce, we took a critical step, introducing the legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals.
We will set out the next steps in due course for a process that engages with adult social care stakeholders, including cross-party members and a diverse range of people with lived experience of care, to build consensus towards a National Care Service.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 help prevent the causes of (a) heart disease and (b) stroke.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is a leading cause of avoidable disability and premature death in the United Kingdom. This is why the Government has set a goal for fewer lives being lost to the biggest killers, including from CVD, and why the NHS England Long Term Plan (2019) sets out a number of actions that aim to help prevent up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes, and dementia cases by 2029.
The Government continues to support the delivery of the NHS Health Check programme, England’s CVD prevention programme, to people aged 40 to 74 years old. This programme identifies people at risk of CVD, supports people to reduce their risk, and prevents approximately 400 heart attacks or strokes each year. To improve access and engagement with the life-saving programme, we are developing a digital NHS Health Check which will be ready for testing in early 2025 and will enable people to undertake a check at home. We are also trialling the delivery of heart health checks to over 130,000 people in workplaces across the country.
Community pharmacies also provide a free blood pressure check service for anyone over 40 years old. In cases where this results in a high reading, pharmacists can make sure people receive the right National Health Service support to reduce their blood pressure and risk of death or serious disability.
We are also taking action on primary prevention to tackle the behavioural risk factors for heart disease and stroke such as smoking and obesity. Action includes introducing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, implementing the advertising regulations for less healthy food and drink on television and online, and empowering councils to block the development of new fast-food shops outside schools.
We know there is more to do to prevent the causes of CVD, including heart disease and stroke. The Department and NHS England are working together to achieve the Government’s ambition for fewer lives lost to the biggest killers, including CVD, and we will share more in due course.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the the potential merits of creating a national strategy to reduce alcohol harm.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across Government to understand how best to reduce alcohol-related harms.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
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 ensure that unpaid carers (a) are adequacy supported and (b) have access to (i) short breaks and (ii) legal advice.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS is clear that a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers is required to improve outcomes for carers, people needing care and the NHS.
We will carefully consider these findings as part of our 10-year plan for reforming and modernising the NHS and as we develop plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.
This Government also recognises the scale of the reforms needed in social care. That is why we will engage widely with a range of stakeholders, including unpaid carers, to ensure their voices are heard as we develop plans to create a National Care Service.
The Government are also committed to reviewing the implementation of Carer’s Leave and examining the benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave. We will also keep Carer’s Allowance under review to ensure it meets its objectives.
The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers, such as access to short breaks or information and advice. The Better Care Fund (BCF) includes funding that can be used for unpaid carer support, including short breaks and respite services for carers.