Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
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 decrease GP surgery appointment waiting times in the context of the pressure placed on those services by the Omicron variant.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
General practitioners (GPs) have been asked to prioritise COVID-19 booster vaccinations and emergency care. While appointments may be postponed, NHS 111 and community pharmacy teams are available to provide health advice.
We have agreed temporary changes to increase capacity in general practice. This includes extending the period of self-certification to access Statutory Sick Pay, suspending requests for medical information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (excluding bus and lorry drivers) and suspending the re-certification requirement for existing prescription charge medical exemptions.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people who have received a positive PCR Covid-19 test in the last 90 days will still have to take a test on their return from international travel.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Travellers who have received a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in the last 90 days will be required to take a PCR test on their return from international travel. There is no exemption to the testing or isolation requirements for entering England on the basis of natural immunity.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to ensure that people with underlying health conditions who took part in the Novavax trial can receive a third dose of a covid-19 vaccination.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Novavax trial participants who are part of a priority group, such as health and social care workers, older people and people with certain medical conditions, are able to receive a booster vaccine on top of their trial doses. Individuals will be offered a booster dose by either their clinical trial team or via the National Health Service.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure that the transition to the midwifery-led Continuity of Carer model is adequately resourced and supported; and whether woman who are pregnant following the death of a baby are given priority access to that service.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to midwifery-led continuity of carer, so that it becomes the default model of care for women using maternity services across England by March 2023. NHS England and NHS Improvement have provided local maternity systems with £90.05 million between 2018 to 2021 to fulfil transformational objectives, including implementing continuity of carer models. An additional £96 million was announced earlier this year, the majority of which will be invested in additional midwives and obstetric capacity.
Upcoming guidance on midwifery-led continuity of carer will include advice on the implementation of maternal medicine-focused continuity of carer teams, which could be used to accommodate women deemed higher risk due to previous loss, whilst still offering continuity of the midwife caring for them.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether covid-19 vaccines that are (a) recognised by the WHO and (b) not available in the UK will be recognised as part of a proposed vaccine passport scheme to aid working British citizens who have been vaccinated overseas.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Work is ongoing to determine which non-United Kingdom vaccines, including but not limited to those recognised by the World Health Organization, could be recognised in this country.