Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 May 2016
Defending Public Services
"This is a vastly important issue, and I genuinely want to work with the Government on it. All of us in this place have a collective responsibility to get pensions right. I will accept that there is a shared concern across the House, with a recognition that pension saving is …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 May 2016
Defending Public Services
"The SNP won the election and increased its share of the vote—it got nigh on 47% of the vote. The Tories got 22% of the vote, which is less than they got when Thatcher was in power. If the Minister calls that breathing down the neck, I do not know …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 10 May 2016
Oral Answers to Questions
"The Minister will be aware that mortality rates in England and Wales have increased by 5.4% in 2015—the biggest increase in the death rate for decades. She will also be aware that mortality rates have been rising since 2011. Has she done any analysis of what has been behind those …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 10th May 2016
Asked by:
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of recent trends in life expectancy.
Answered by Jane Ellison
We welcome the overall trend to longer life expectancy. Annual fluctuations in life expectancy do occur, but the overall trend remains positive. We are committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives. Tackling health inequalities amongst people of ages is embedded in policy right across the Department.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 18 Apr 2016
Brain Tumours
"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I congratulate the hon. Member for Warrington North (Helen Jones) on superbly outlining all the reasons why we need to take action on the issue. We should also congratulate, as a House, Maria Lester, on bringing forward the petition, …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 18 Apr 2016
Brain Tumours
"I am most grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s intervention. He demonstrates, as does the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Caroline Ansell), that we are so lucky that people such as them have been able to come through this. It demonstrates why we need investment in diagnosis, research and support for those …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 18 Apr 2016
Brain Tumours
"I hope that we have crossed that Rubicon today and that the Government will recognise the responsibility that they have. This is the last big cancer where we have not had the appropriate funding into research. Let us ensure that we take our responsibilities seriously, not only for all those …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Mar 2016
Oral Answers to Questions
"T8. Scotland has consistently outperformed all other nations in the UK on A&E over the past year. With England’s performance dropping in every single month since weekly publication was abandoned last July, does the Secretary of State think it is time to return to more frequent analysis and to eliminate …..."Ian Blackford - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 10th December 2015
Asked by:
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the General Medical Council on amending guidance related to the prescription of off-label drugs and subsequent personal liability.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government has made no such assessment and has not had discussions with the General Medical Council (GMC) on amending their guidance related to the prescription of off-label drugs and subsequent personal liability. The GMC is responsible for the assessment of its national guidance and this is kept under review as part of GMC’s normal internal governance arrangements.
As part of its response to the Off-Patent Drugs Bill, the Government has discussed a range of issues around off-label prescribing with a wide range of stakeholders, including the GMC. Working with the Department of Health, the GMC has recently published a Hot Topic on ‘Prescribing unlicensed medicines.’ This on-line tool explains GMC’s prescribing guidance and assures doctors of the clinical appropriateness of unlicensed and off-label prescribing. A copy of this is available at:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/28349.asp
Written Question
Thursday 10th December 2015
Asked by:
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of guidance from the General Medical Council on the personal liability taken on by medical professionals when prescribing off-label on the rate of off-label prescribing.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government has made no such assessment and has not had discussions with the General Medical Council (GMC) on amending their guidance related to the prescription of off-label drugs and subsequent personal liability. The GMC is responsible for the assessment of its national guidance and this is kept under review as part of GMC’s normal internal governance arrangements.
As part of its response to the Off-Patent Drugs Bill, the Government has discussed a range of issues around off-label prescribing with a wide range of stakeholders, including the GMC. Working with the Department of Health, the GMC has recently published a Hot Topic on ‘Prescribing unlicensed medicines.’ This on-line tool explains GMC’s prescribing guidance and assures doctors of the clinical appropriateness of unlicensed and off-label prescribing. A copy of this is available at:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/28349.asp