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Written Question
Mental Health Services: Bristol
Monday 24th April 2023

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

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 reduce waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services in Bristol.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It is the responsibility of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board to make available appropriate provision to meet the mental health and other care needs of the local population in Bristol.

Nationally, we are supporting the expansion and transformation of mental health services for children and young people through the NHS Long Term Plan. As part of the accompanying investment of at least an extra £2.3 billion a year by March 2024, an additional 345,000 children and young people will be able to get the mental health support they need.

We also provided an additional £79 million for 2021/22 to allow around 22,500 more children and young people to access community mental health services and around 2,000 more to access eating disorder services.

We continue to roll out mental health support teams in schools and colleges across the country, offering early support to children experiencing anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues. As of May 2022, eight mental health support teams were in place or planned in the area covered by the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire integrated care system.

NHS England has consulted on the potential to introduce five new waiting time standards as part of its clinically-led review of National Health Service access standards, including that children, young people and their families presenting to community-based mental health services should start to receive care within four weeks from referral. As a first step, NHS England has shared and promoted guidance with its local system partners to consistently report waiting times to support the development of a baseline position.


Written Question
Medical Equipment: Import Controls
Thursday 2nd February 2023

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

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 help reduce regulatory barriers for companies and healthcare providers importing medical devices and equipment from the European Union.

Answered by Will Quince

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are unable to intervene in issues relating to capacity in the EU system. However, the MHRA recognises that there is a need to increase Approved Body capacity to ensure the continued supply of imported medical devices and equipment to the UK market by reducing regulatory barriers for companies and healthcare providers importing said devices. The MHRA are engaging with, reviewing applications from and auditing a number of organisations who have applied to be designated as a UK Approved Body. The MHRA is taking a pragmatic approach to the designation of these Approved Bodies, balancing the need to establish an independent UK system against avoiding any unnecessary duplication

On the 25th October 2022, the MHRA announced that there will be a 12-month extension to the implementation of new UK Medical Device Regulations to accommodate for any disruption caused by the Great Britain’s departure from the European Union. Manufacturers will be able to continue to place CE marked devices on the Great Britain market after 1 July 2023. Following this, from July 2024 the transitional arrangements will apply for CE and UKCA marked devices placed on the Great Britain market. Manufacturers are also able to apply to the MHRA for an Exceptional Use Authorisation (EUA) which permits the supply of a medical device without a valid CE or UKCA mark in certain circumstances.

In addition to building Approved Body capacity and extending the implementation of the revised UK regulations, the MHRA is working, with industry partners and designated Approved Bodies, to assess what further actions can be taken to ensure ongoing supply of medical devices where manufacturers have been unable to secure ongoing certification.


Written Question
NHS 111
Tuesday 31st January 2023

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

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 ensure that 111 advice line has adequate capacity to provide a timely service, including for members of the public calling when they are not able to access other parts of the NHS.

Answered by Will Quince

The National Health Service is building the capacity of NHS111 to give patients the help they need, including arranging clinical advice direct from healthcare professionals, making urgent appointments at a range of health services, or offering a timed slot at a local accident and emergency where appropriate.

NHS England has invested an additional £50 million in funding for NHS111 in 2022/23 to increase capacity and NHS111 call handling performance is also being improved through the implementation of regional call management, enabling better integration between providers, and ensuring total NHS 111 capacity is being used effectively.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Wednesday 7th December 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government's decision on Evusheld, what steps he is taking to help protect those people acutely vulnerable to covid-19.

Answered by Will Quince

The Government continues to make a range of antiviral treatment options available in the community for patients at highest risk of COVID-19 infection. For those in this cohort who test positive for the virus, antiviral treatments can be accessed through COVID Medicines Delivery Units. Patients identified as potentially eligible for antiviral treatments can also order lateral flow device tests from GOV.UK or NHS 111.


Written Question
Care Homes: Coronavirus
Thursday 3rd November 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department plans to take steps to end the requirement for staff working in care homes to wear face masks.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

At present, adult social care guidance continues to recommend that all care home staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance allows for masks to not be used if, as part of a risk assessment, they are considered particularly challenging for the resident. We continue to keep this under review. Further personal protective equipment may also be recommended to carry out specific tasks.

The Department continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency to review relevant guidance to ensure it reflects the latest available evidence and safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.


Written Question
Eating Disorders: Bristol West
Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support young people with eating disorders in Bristol West constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

In September we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will increase access to National Health Service mental health and eating disorder services, including in Bristol West. Ensuring easier access to general practice will expand this route to access mental health services.

Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we are investing an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24 to expand NHS mental health and eating disorder services for adults, children and young people in England, including in Bristol West. We will invest approximately £1 billion in community mental health care for adults with severe mental illness. including eating disorders, by 2023/24 and an additional £53 million per year in children and young people's community eating disorder services to increase capacity in the 70 community eating disorder teams.


Written Question
Mental Health Services: Bristol West
Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to mental health services in Bristol West constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

In September we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will increase access to National Health Service mental health and eating disorder services, including in Bristol West. Ensuring easier access to general practice will expand this route to access mental health services.

Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we are investing an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24 to expand NHS mental health and eating disorder services for adults, children and young people in England, including in Bristol West. We will invest approximately £1 billion in community mental health care for adults with severe mental illness. including eating disorders, by 2023/24 and an additional £53 million per year in children and young people's community eating disorder services to increase capacity in the 70 community eating disorder teams.


Written Question
Dental Services: Bristol West
Tuesday 25th October 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Bristol West constituency.

Answered by Will Quince

No specific assessment has been made. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Bristol West.

The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.


Written Question
Dental Services: Bristol West
Tuesday 25th October 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Bristol West constituency.

Answered by Will Quince

No specific assessment has been made. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Bristol West.

The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.


Written Question
Breast Cancer: Bristol West
Tuesday 25th October 2022

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Bristol West constituency.

Answered by Will Quince

The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.

National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.