Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is the Government's policy for the NHS to provide a wheelchair to everyone who needs one.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
Information on National Health Service spend on wheelchair provision and the number of NHS-funded wheelchairs provided in each of the last 10 years is not available centrally.
Since July 2015, NHS England has collected data from commissioners on a quarterly basis about wheelchair services and delivery of the wheelchair pathway. This includes the collection of data covering volume, expenditure and access to services.
The National Wheelchair Data Collection, which is available as an online only resource, is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/wheelchair-services/nhse-role/
Local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning the majority of wheelchair services for their local populations and equipment will be prescribed according to the patient’s clinical need following an assessment by an appropriately qualified practitioner or prescriber.
To improve wheelchair commissioning, and support continuing work promoting personalisation in wheelchair services, NHS England has published a Model Service Specification for Wheelchair and Posture Services. The specification provides CCGs with a framework for them to use with their service users, providers and suppliers to commission services that meet the needs of wheelchair users.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS-funded wheelchairs have been provided in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
Information on National Health Service spend on wheelchair provision and the number of NHS-funded wheelchairs provided in each of the last 10 years is not available centrally.
Since July 2015, NHS England has collected data from commissioners on a quarterly basis about wheelchair services and delivery of the wheelchair pathway. This includes the collection of data covering volume, expenditure and access to services.
The National Wheelchair Data Collection, which is available as an online only resource, is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/wheelchair-services/nhse-role/
Local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning the majority of wheelchair services for their local populations and equipment will be prescribed according to the patient’s clinical need following an assessment by an appropriately qualified practitioner or prescriber.
To improve wheelchair commissioning, and support continuing work promoting personalisation in wheelchair services, NHS England has published a Model Service Specification for Wheelchair and Posture Services. The specification provides CCGs with a framework for them to use with their service users, providers and suppliers to commission services that meet the needs of wheelchair users.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS has spent on wheelchair provision in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
Information on National Health Service spend on wheelchair provision and the number of NHS-funded wheelchairs provided in each of the last 10 years is not available centrally.
Since July 2015, NHS England has collected data from commissioners on a quarterly basis about wheelchair services and delivery of the wheelchair pathway. This includes the collection of data covering volume, expenditure and access to services.
The National Wheelchair Data Collection, which is available as an online only resource, is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/wheelchair-services/nhse-role/
Local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning the majority of wheelchair services for their local populations and equipment will be prescribed according to the patient’s clinical need following an assessment by an appropriately qualified practitioner or prescriber.
To improve wheelchair commissioning, and support continuing work promoting personalisation in wheelchair services, NHS England has published a Model Service Specification for Wheelchair and Posture Services. The specification provides CCGs with a framework for them to use with their service users, providers and suppliers to commission services that meet the needs of wheelchair users.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the NHS guidelines are for rates of withdrawal for prescription drug addiction.
Answered by Steve Brine
There are no specific National Health Service guidelines that cover withdrawal from prescription drugs in general. However the recently-updated National Clinical Guidelines for Drug Misuse and dependence has specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. The guidelines are available at the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/628634/clinical_guidelines_2017.pdf (starts at page 119)
Addiction to prescribed and over the counter medicines is a concern and it is essential that people only take these medicines in accordance with advice from a health professional. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a general practitioner or pharmacist).
Local authorities are supported by Public Health England to develop tailored responses to existing and emerging drug misuse in their area and, in conjunction with the NHS, to address specific concerns about addiction to prescribed and over the counter medicines.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) restrictions and (b) guidance are in place on charges made by GP surgeries to patients for copies of test results or correspondence with hospitals.
Answered by Steve Brine
General practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors who hold contracts with NHS England to provide primary medical services for the National Health Service. Under the terms of their contract, GPs are required to provide certain medical reports or complete certain forms free of charge to their registered patients. These certificates are those for which a medical report is required by other legislation for example, the Social Security Administration Act, and which are required for the purposes of ensuring public funds are allocated correctly.
The requirement to provide these reports free of charge to patients remains, regardless of the way the practice is managed.
Outside of contractual requirements, GPs also provide a variety of other services which successive governments have regarded as private matters between the patient and the GP providing these services. In such cases, decisions on whether to charge a fee and the level of the fee charged are at the GP’s discretion.
The British Medical Association produces guidance on appropriate fee levels depending on workload. However, it is for individual GPs to decide whether to charge their patients and, if so, the level of any fee.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department (a) has issued any guidance and (b) has imposed a requirement for private medical companies running GP surgeries to provide supporting letters for benefit claimants on request.
Answered by Steve Brine
General practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors who hold contracts with NHS England to provide primary medical services for the National Health Service. Under the terms of their contract, GPs are required to provide certain medical reports or complete certain forms free of charge to their registered patients. These certificates are those for which a medical report is required by other legislation for example, the Social Security Administration Act, and which are required for the purposes of ensuring public funds are allocated correctly.
The requirement to provide these reports free of charge to patients remains, regardless of the way the practice is managed.
Outside of contractual requirements, GPs also provide a variety of other services which successive governments have regarded as private matters between the patient and the GP providing these services. In such cases, decisions on whether to charge a fee and the level of the fee charged are at the GP’s discretion.
The British Medical Association produces guidance on appropriate fee levels depending on workload. However, it is for individual GPs to decide whether to charge their patients and, if so, the level of any fee.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the proportion of patients on anti-psychotic medications who do not always take their medication due to the cost of prescriptions; and what consideration his Department has given to making such prescriptions free of charge.
Answered by Steve Brine
No assessment has been made. The Department currently has no plans to change the list of medical conditions which provide for exemption from prescription charges because arrangements exist to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone. However, a broad range of prescription charge exemptions are in place, for which someone who has been prescribed anti-psychotic medication may qualify. To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a 12 month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2017 to Question 2926, whether the Government plans to put in place any quotas or requirements for (a) affordable housing or (b) housing for low-paid NHS staff to be built on spare land sold by the NHS; and whether clinical commissioning groups or any other NHS bodies are (i) required and (ii) permitted to put such quotas or requirements in place.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Government is committed to ensuring that National Health Service land is used in a way that ensures the best possible services for patients, the best value for taxpayers in freeing additional resources for reinvestment in new facilities and services, and which supports wider housing objectives. This includes freeing surplus NHS land sufficient for 26,000 homes.
As part of this, we recognise that in some areas it may be beneficial for NHS organisations to use their surplus land to provide housing for their staff. We have been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to better understand the housing need for NHS staff, and for the first time have started to collect data on where NHS organisations are already using their land in this way. The need for affordable homes for NHS staff differs across the country, and we are working with the NHS, housing associations, and other partners to explore opportunities for supporting local solutions.
It is for individual NHS landowners – predominantly trusts and foundation trusts - to decide how to use their surplus land. These considerations will be based on their local needs and circumstances and will need to support NHS organisations’ requirements to secure best value for money. NHS bodies may choose to develop some affordable housing or housing for NHS staff on their surplus land, but are not obliged to put quotas or requirements in place to do so.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to publish the (a) consultation on improving social care and (b) green paper on social care funding.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Government will work to address the challenges of social care for our ageing population, bringing forward proposals for consultation to build widespread support. We are committed to listening to people’s views on how to reform the social care system, to ensure it is sustainable for current and future generations and that the quality of care improves.
We will provide further details on the next steps on social care in due course.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that any spare land sold off by the NHS is used to build affordable homes for low-paid NHS staff.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Government is committed to ensuring that National Health Service land is used in a way that ensures the best possible services for patients, the best value for taxpayers in freeing additional resources for reinvestment in new facilities and services, and which supports wider housing objectives. This includes freeing surplus NHS land sufficient for 26,000 homes.
As part of this, we recognise that in some areas it may be beneficial for NHS organisations to use their surplus land to provide housing for their staff. We have been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to understand better the housing need for NHS staff, and for the first time have started to collect data on where NHS organisations are already using their land in this way. The need for affordable homes for NHS staff differs across the country, and we are working with the NHS, housing associations, and other partners to explore opportunities for developing local solutions.