Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
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 implications for his policies of the joint statement by over 75 national organisations calling for the appointment of a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We have no current plans to make a specific assessment.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to healthcare professionals on wearing facial coverings in the presence of clinically vulnerable patients who request them to do so while delivering care.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Face coverings have been required in healthcare settings throughout the pandemic, as set out in the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance. The United Kingdom IPC Cell monitor and review emerging evidence and continue to recommend universal masking in healthcare settings in IPC measures.
To accompany the updated IPC guidance with new COVID-19 pathogen-specific advice for health and care professionals, on 1 June 2022, the National Health Service advised that universal masking should be considered in settings where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression, such as oncology or haematology. This should be guided by local risk assessment. Face coverings should be worn by all care workers and encouraged for visitors in care settings and when providing care in people’s homes.
Asked by: Flick Drummond (Conservative - Meon Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of funding raised by the Health and Social Care Levy will be allocated to supporting primary healthcare.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
NHS England and NHS Improvement will set out allocations to local systems through annual planning guidance in due course.