Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group adheres to the revised NICE guidance on hearing loss in adults, published in June 2018, on the provision of hearing aids to people with mild and moderate hearing loss.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Individual clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for the provision of hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss to meet the needs of their local population. As with other services CCGs commission, they should take into consideration assessments of local need and any relevant guidance, such as that published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE clinical guidelines are not mandatory, although we expect service commissioners to take them into account alongside local priorities in the design of services.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the total sleep-in back pay liability for care providers in the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Worsley and Eccles South (Barbara Keeley) on 26 February 2018 to Question 128962.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance has been issued to GP practices to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and obligations towards homeless people.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
NHS England has published guidance for general practitioners reminding them of their responsibilities towards homeless people and, in particular, reminding them that documentary evidence of identity or an address is not a requirement of registration (Patient registration – standard operating principles for primary medical care (general practice) (2015).
Promoting better access to health care services for homeless and other vulnerable people is part of our commitment to tackle health inequalities and improve the health of the poorest fastest, including through the Department’s inclusion health programme.
This programme published jointly with the Royal College of General Practitioners an evidence-based commissioning guide for clinical commissioning groups and health and wellbeing boards Improving access to health care for Gypsies and Travellers, homeless people and sex workers (2013). This guide also reminded commissioners of the importance of patient monitoring as part of the aim of providing equality throughout the health system.
The Department’s Office of the Chief Analyst report found that accident and emergency attendances amongst single homeless people are five times greater than the general public and 3.2 times more likely to result in hospital admissions (Healthcare for Single Homeless People, 2010).
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to monitor the ability of homeless people to access GP services.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
NHS England has published guidance for general practitioners reminding them of their responsibilities towards homeless people and, in particular, reminding them that documentary evidence of identity or an address is not a requirement of registration (Patient registration – standard operating principles for primary medical care (general practice) (2015).
Promoting better access to health care services for homeless and other vulnerable people is part of our commitment to tackle health inequalities and improve the health of the poorest fastest, including through the Department’s inclusion health programme.
This programme published jointly with the Royal College of General Practitioners an evidence-based commissioning guide for clinical commissioning groups and health and wellbeing boards Improving access to health care for Gypsies and Travellers, homeless people and sex workers (2013). This guide also reminded commissioners of the importance of patient monitoring as part of the aim of providing equality throughout the health system.
The Department’s Office of the Chief Analyst report found that accident and emergency attendances amongst single homeless people are five times greater than the general public and 3.2 times more likely to result in hospital admissions (Healthcare for Single Homeless People, 2010).
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on accident and emergency services waiting times of homeless people being unable to access GP services.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
NHS England has published guidance for general practitioners reminding them of their responsibilities towards homeless people and, in particular, reminding them that documentary evidence of identity or an address is not a requirement of registration (Patient registration – standard operating principles for primary medical care (general practice) (2015).
Promoting better access to health care services for homeless and other vulnerable people is part of our commitment to tackle health inequalities and improve the health of the poorest fastest, including through the Department’s inclusion health programme.
This programme published jointly with the Royal College of General Practitioners an evidence-based commissioning guide for clinical commissioning groups and health and wellbeing boards Improving access to health care for Gypsies and Travellers, homeless people and sex workers (2013). This guide also reminded commissioners of the importance of patient monitoring as part of the aim of providing equality throughout the health system.
The Department’s Office of the Chief Analyst report found that accident and emergency attendances amongst single homeless people are five times greater than the general public and 3.2 times more likely to result in hospital admissions (Healthcare for Single Homeless People, 2010).
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group on that Group's decision to restrict the provision of NHS hearing aids from 1 October 2015.
Answered by Alistair Burt
A search of Departmental records has confirmed there have been no discussions with North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on its decision to restrict the provision of National Health Service hearing aids from 1 October 2015.
The provision of hearing aids is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.
As such it would be for NHS England, within its routine assurance processes, to assess whether North Staffordshire CCG was in breach of its duties, or was considered likely to breach its duties in this matter.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of whether North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group's (a) evaluation of clinical evidence and (b) patient engagement relating to its decision to restrict the provision of NHS hearing aids from 1 October 2015 is compliant with (i) the NHS constitution and (ii) the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Answered by Alistair Burt
A search of Departmental records has confirmed there have been no discussions with North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on its decision to restrict the provision of National Health Service hearing aids from 1 October 2015.
The provision of hearing aids is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.
As such it would be for NHS England, within its routine assurance processes, to assess whether North Staffordshire CCG was in breach of its duties, or was considered likely to breach its duties in this matter.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects NICE to publish the (a) clinical guidance and (b) quality standard for adult onset hearing loss.
Answered by George Freeman
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has advised that the clinical guideline on hearing loss is currently scheduled for development from spring 2016 and anticipates that this will be published in autumn 2018. A quality standard on hearing loss based on the clinical guideline will follow.