Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Care of 8 May 2019, Official Report, column 432, when the data on autism diagnosis waiting times will be published.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department is determined to drive up performance on autism diagnosis nationally. To support this NHS Digital began formally collecting autism diagnosis waiting time data from mental health provider trusts for the first time through the Mental Health Services Data set in April 2018. Data is submitted on behalf of autism diagnostic services, in line with issued guidance. We expect to publish a report after a year’s data has been collected and analysed, this autumn. As this is the first time this data is being submitted some work to improve its quality may be necessary.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many CCGs (a) achieved and (b) did not achieve the turnaround target of 98 per cent of patients receiving their cervical screening results within 14 days of having a test in the last month for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Data is reported by local authority and published annually by NHS England, with the most recent information available at the following link:
However, data by clinical commissioning group (CCG) was published by the National Audit Office (NAO) Investigation into the Management of Health Screening and is available at the following link:
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/investigation-into-adult-health-screening/
The data published by the NAO shows the target for delivering cervical screening results letters within 14 days was not met in 189 out of 207 CCGs in 2017-18.
The 2016 announcement of the planned introduction of human papillomavirus primary screening and planned reconfiguration of laboratories has impacted on cytology workforce retention and recruitment rates. This led to an increase in the turnaround times of cervical screening samples in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
NHS England is taking steps to make sure the delivery, performance and oversight of screening services meet the high standard NHS patients rightly expect. This includes moving samples around the country to reduce the burden on those laboratories most under pressure. Professor Sir Mike Richards has also been commissioned to undertake a major review of cancer screening as part the NHS Long Term Plan’s renewed drive to improve care and save lives.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of state for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of waiting times to access NHS specialised gender services in the North East.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
NHS England has launched an ambitious programme to tackle waiting times, overseen by a Programme Board for Gender Identity Services. NHS England agreed new service specifications for gender dysphoria services in 2018 following a process of extensive stakeholder engagement and public consultation.
In April 2019 NHS England began a process of national procurement that will determine which organisations are best able to deliver specialist gender services in the future against the new service specifications, and this process is open to new providers. NHS England has also announced plans to establish for evaluation new gender services in primary care settings and other community care settings which if positively evaluated could be rolled out nationally, thereby helping to increase clinical capacity.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has plans to bring forward secondary legislation to implement proposed Medical Examiner reforms set out in the Coroners Act 2009 before 2020-21.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is committed to introducing the reforms to death certification and to the introduction of a medical examiner system, as detailed in the Government’s response to consultation published in June 2018. Draft regulations were published alongside that consultation and it remains the intention to bring these forward when Parliamentary time allows for amendment to the primary legislation, to enable the reforms fully to be delivered.
With the introduction of a statutory scheme of medical examiners, the Government is committed to reform of the cremation regulations, removing the requirement for separate cremation medical certification and the fees associated with that function.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has plans to amend regulations in relation to cremation fees to enable the implementation of the Medical Examiner reforms set out in the Coroners Act 2009.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is committed to introducing the reforms to death certification and to the introduction of a medical examiner system, as detailed in the Government’s response to consultation published in June 2018. Draft regulations were published alongside that consultation and it remains the intention to bring these forward when Parliamentary time allows for amendment to the primary legislation, to enable the reforms fully to be delivered.
With the introduction of a statutory scheme of medical examiners, the Government is committed to reform of the cremation regulations, removing the requirement for separate cremation medical certification and the fees associated with that function.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
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 changes required to cremation fee regulations to enable the implementation of the Medical Examiner reforms set out in the Coroners Act 2009.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is committed to introducing the reforms to death certification and to the introduction of a medical examiner system, as detailed in the Government’s response to consultation published in June 2018. Draft regulations were published alongside that consultation and it remains the intention to bring these forward when Parliamentary time allows for amendment to the primary legislation, to enable the reforms fully to be delivered.
With the introduction of a statutory scheme of medical examiners, the Government is committed to reform of the cremation regulations, removing the requirement for separate cremation medical certification and the fees associated with that function.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
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 parenting support to prevent and treat conduct disorders and behavioural issues.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Prevention Vision confirmed there is a strong case for acting early with good pre-conception care, fit and healthy parents and taking a ‘whole family’ approach when responding to problems. Becoming a parent is an important period and opportunity to offer evidence-based advice and support whilst creating opportunities to support a child’s very early development. The Prevention Green Paper will set out our thoughts in more detail.
Through our new workforce of Mental Health Support Teams, staffed by a new role of Education Mental Health Practitioners, we are providing new capacity for addressing the needs of children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues. The first cohort of trainees started in early 2019 and the first wave of trailblazer areas will become operational during 2019. The Support Teams will provide evidence-based interventions, which may include family-based behaviour change interventions, which can be successfully delivered to help reduce child conduct problems.