Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
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 improve support for veterans with complex PTSD in Cheshire.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, a bespoke integrated veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service. The service provides a fully integrated mental health care pathway for veterans which includes support for veterans with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. People benefit from personalised care plans, ensuring they can access support and treatment both in and out of hours. Op COURAGE is available across England and individuals can contact the service to make an appointment or to ask someone to do this on their behalf. The Op COURAGE North service, run by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, covers the Cheshire area.
The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services and can instead choose to use mainstream National Health Services, such as talking therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
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 help reduce the distance people in Macclesfield need to travel for (a) care and (b) specialist treatments.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service.
The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.
This will rebalance our health and care system so that it fits around people’s lives, not the other way round, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach and giving people more power and choice over the care they receive.
Our aim is to have a Neighbourhood Health Centre in each community that provides easier, more convenient access to a full range of health and care services on people’s doorsteps, bringing together National Health Service, local authority, and voluntary sector services in one building to help create a holistic offer that meets the needs of local populations.
We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking with utilities companies to protect consumers from utility account identity fraud.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead department for the energy sector only.
Regarding energy utility accounts, Ofgem is the energy regulator for Great Britain. Ofgem works to protect energy consumers and ensure they are treated fairly.
Ofgem has a specific counter fraud team who work to detect, prevent, deter, and take firm action where there is evidence of fraud.
Ofgem has also issued guidance to energy suppliers regarding identity checking of new customers. Due diligence on verifying the identity of a customer is important for energy suppliers, especially if they are extending credit on an energy account.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is taking steps with (a) Google UK and (b) other search engines to help tackle advertisements by fraudulent locksmiths.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Online platforms must comply with The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act which prohibits unfair trading, including misleading omissions and actions. The Act clarifies that online platforms must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms. The legislation carries criminal penalties and is enforced by Trading Standards officers.
The Government encourages consumers to use providers that operate under a regulated trusted trader scheme, such as the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA), which has a Police Crime Prevention-approved licensing scheme in place to ensure approved locksmiths are appropriately vetted, inspected and qualified.