Written Question
Wednesday 27th April 2016
Asked by:
Jo Cox (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support carers assisting people with mental health conditions.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions and the importance of supporting them in their caring roles.
That is why we continue to support implementation of the improved rights for carers enshrined in the Care Act 2014. The Department has provided £104 million of funding to local authorities for these rights in 2015/16, which include an extended right to assessment and, for the first time, a duty on local authorities to meet carers’ eligible needs for support.
We have also made an additional £400 million available to the National Health Service between 2011 and 2015 to provide carers with breaks from their caring responsibilities to sustain them in their caring role. The equivalent annual allocation of £130 million for carers breaks is now included in the Better Care Fund.
In May 2014, NHS England published its action plan NHS England - Commitment to carers, it includes a series of commitments around eight priorities, which include raising the profile of carers, including young carers.
The Department is leading on the development of a new cross-Government National Carers Strategy that will look at what more can be done to support existing and new carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions. To support the development of the strategy we are currently conducting a national call for evidence. We want to engage with a wide range of individuals and organisations with experience of caring, to ensure our evidence reflects the diversity of experience of carers, and those for whom they care. The call for evidence was launched in March and will run until mid-summer 2016.
Written Question
Thursday 24th March 2016
Asked by:
Jo Cox (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support people with (a) ocular melanoma and (b) other eye conditions with the financial cost of eye tests.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Free National Health Service sight tests are available from primary care optometrists to a wide range of patients. These include people diagnosed with glaucoma or diabetes or who are at risk of glaucoma, children, people aged 60 and over, people registered as sight-impaired or blind or who need complex lenses, and adults on certain income-related benefits or who qualify for full assistance under the NHS Low Income scheme.
No NHS charges apply to patients being treated in a secondary care setting for the investigation or management of an eye condition, which would include individuals with suspected or diagnosed ocular melanoma.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Mar 2016
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
"I congratulate my hon. Friend and neighbour on securing this critical debate on our local hospital. I back her in what she says and recognise that doctors and nurses and other staff at the hospital have been working in crisis mode for 15 months now. It is difficult to overstate …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Mar 2016
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
"My hon. Friend makes a powerful and personal case. Does she agree that the Government have responsibility for this issue? They have cut public health funding, and there is a social care crisis locally and problems with the junior doctors contract. The Government must take responsibility for this crisis and …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Mar 2016
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
"As the Minister will be aware, the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has the third highest number of admittances to A&E in the country. In that context, I share the concern of my hon. Friend the Member for Dewsbury (Paula Sherriff) about the planned reorganisation and downgrade of the Dewsbury …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 08 Mar 2016
Autism Diagnosis Waiting Times
"I beg to move,
That this House has considered autism diagnosis waiting times.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger, and to lead this important debate.
As hon. Members will know, autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 08 Mar 2016
Autism Diagnosis Waiting Times
"Absolutely. I bow to my hon. Friend’s experience, expertise and doughty campaigning on this issue, and I could not agree with him more. Tragically, as we know, many thousands of people up and down the country, including children, wait far too long for a diagnosis. For children, on average the …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 08 Mar 2016
Autism Diagnosis Waiting Times
"I agree entirely. Let us hope that we have an answer on exactly that point from the Minister. I applaud and bow to the right hon. Lady’s commitment and experience on this issue.
While the average waiting time for children is more than three and a half years, many adults …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 08 Mar 2016
Autism Diagnosis Waiting Times
"I thank the hon. Lady for that helpful intervention. I agree with her, and let us hope that the Minister addresses that point in his comments.
To return to the example of a little girl who faces a choice. Without a diagnosis she will be forced to accept a place …..."Jo Cox - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 08 Mar 2016
Autism Diagnosis Waiting Times
"Absolutely. My hon. Friend again raises a very valid point. We are talking specifically about diagnosis delays, but once someone has a diagnosis, that opens up a whole range of issues that I hope the Minister will address...."Jo Cox - View Speech
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