Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the total adult social care budget has been spent on people with neurological conditions annually from 2013-14 to 2020-21; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The data is not collected in the format requested as NHS Digital’s data does not show neurological conditions recorded as a primary support reason.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 improve recruitment and retention in the midwifery service.
Answered by Edward Argar
NHS England recently announced a £127 million investment to increase staffing numbers in maternity and neonatal services. This is in addition to £95 million allocated in 2021 to support the recruitment of 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians. Health Education England is working with stakeholders to provide an additional 3,650 midwifery student training places by March 2023, leading to professional registration. In 2019/20, there were 626 additional places and 1,140 in 2020/21 and we are on schedule to meet the target for 2021/22.
The NHS People Plan includes a programme for organisations to retain staff through prioritising health and wellbeing, building an inclusive and compassionate culture in the National Health Service and strengthening support for flexible working. The NHS Retention Programme also seeks to understand why staff leave, resulting in targeted interventions to support staff to stay whilst keeping them well.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 support the midwifery service in its recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Chief Midwifery Officer’s Health and Wellbeing Taskforce has been established to listen and respond to concerns raised by midwives following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of Professional Midwifery Advocates (PMAs) has increased by 160, providing restorative clinical supervision to the maternity workforce in England. Psychological support training is being provided for all 750 PMAs in England to incorporate into the practice and supervision PMAs provide, whilst maintaining their own wellbeing. A midwifery leadership and support course is currently being piloted. Following an evaluation of the pilot, further courses will be commissioned.
NHS England recently announced a £127 million investment in maternity services to increase the number of staff. This is in addition to £95 million to support the recruitment of 1,200 midwives and 100 consultant obstetricians. In 2022/23, NHS England will invest a further £8 million to ensure that each maternity unit can offer enhanced supernumerary support to newly qualified and returning midwives to aid retention and pastoral support.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 ensure that the recommendations of the Ockenden Report are implemented in all hospitals where there is a maternity unit.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Ockenden Report outlined 15 immediate and essential actions to improve care and safety in maternity services in England. NHS England has written to all trusts with maternity services to request that maternity providers assess services against these 15 actions and ensure that services meet the standards expected.
We have also committed to the creation of a new working group to guide the Maternity Transformation Programme on the implementation of the recommendations in the report. NHS England has also announced a £127 million investment in the National Health Service maternity workforce and to improve neonatal care.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 reduce deaths in NHS maternity units.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Maternity Safety Strategy has funded initiatives such as the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, Maternal Medicine Networks and Maternal Mental Health Hubs to halve the number of stillbirths, maternal and neonatal deaths by 2025. Since 2010, these initiatives have contributed to a 25% reduction in the stillbirth rate, a 36% reduction in the neonatal mortality rate for babies born over the 24-week gestational age of viability, and a 17% reduction in maternal mortality.
NHS England are investing £127 million into the maternity system to ensure safe staffing levels in maternity and neonatal care. This is in addition to £95 million to support the recruitment of 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians. A further £6.8 million is being provided to support Local Maternity Systems to implement equity and equality action plans and implement enhanced Continuity of Carer to improve safe outcomes for mothers and babies from black, Asian and mixed ethnic groups and those living in the most deprived areas.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department collects information when staff leave the midwifery profession on their reasons for leaving.
Answered by Edward Argar
The National Health Service Electronic Staff Record (ESR) collects information through a ‘reason for leaving’ data field linked to staff recorded as leaving active service.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that maternity staff do not undertake training on their own.
Answered by Edward Argar
Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for investing in post-registration training, ensuring that staff are trained and competent to carry out their role and are adequately supported throughout their training. All training undertaken by post-registration qualified staff should be in line with national and local guidelines covering the training being undertaken.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 increase the neuroscience workforce in England.
Answered by Edward Argar
No specific assessment has been made. However, from August 2022 we are expanding the number of postgraduate neurology training posts in England. As of January 2022, there are 1,638 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology, an increase of 4.9% since January 2021. There were also 951 FTE doctors working in the specialty of neurosurgery in January 2022, including 375 consultants - an increase of 5.6% since January 2021.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the neuroscience workforce in England.
Answered by Edward Argar
No specific assessment has been made. However, from August 2022 we are expanding the number of postgraduate neurology training posts in England. As of January 2022, there are 1,638 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology, an increase of 4.9% since January 2021. There were also 951 FTE doctors working in the specialty of neurosurgery in January 2022, including 375 consultants - an increase of 5.6% since January 2021.