Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has had any meetings with representatives of the Prescription Charges Coalition.
Answered by David Mowat
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lord Prior) met with representatives of the Prescription Charges Coalition on 25 May 2016.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the financial cost to local authorities of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards for people who are placed in care homes or hospitals for their care or treatment.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department published an impact assessment on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in 2008; it has made no further estimate. The Law Commission’s review of the safeguards, which has been commissioned by the Department, is expected to be published at the end of the year.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle obesity in (a) the North East and (b) England.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We launched Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action on 18 August. A copy of the plan is attached and is available at:
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the level of alcohol dependency in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Research shows that around three quarters of people in contact with the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom have a problem with alcohol and over a third are dependent on alcohol; this includes those in police custody, those in probation settings and those in the prison system.
Public Health England has advised that in 2014/15 there were 79,952 new presentations to alcohol treatment in the community. 7,688 (10%) of these were referred to treatment via the criminal justice system (including arrest referral services, prisons and probation). See Report on Adult substance misuse statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service 2014-15, table 4.5.1, which is available at:
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to develop (a) interventions for people with alcohol problems before they commit criminal offences and (b) support for people with alcohol problems within the criminal justice system; and if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of research by Professor Newbury-Birch of Teesside University, published in June 2016, on alcohol and the criminal justice system.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Across government, we have sought new ways to help rehabilitate offenders and support them to improve their health and live crime free lives. We take account of available evidence and research findings when developing new responses to alcohol dependency for people in the criminal justice system.
Liaison and Diversion services which currently cover 53% of the population in England, provide early interventions for individuals of all ages, including those with alcohol problems, and inform decision-makers in the criminal justice system when sentencing people referred to these services.
Liaison and Diversion services can help limit the number of court hearings, avoiding costly adjournments and periods on remand. Where appropriate, vulnerable offenders including those with drug and alcohol problems can be diverted away from the criminal justice system entirely.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce health inequalities.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Reducing health inequalities is a priority for this Government.
We are acting to reduce health inequalities by addressing the social causes of ill health, promoting healthier lifestyles for all and tackling differences in outcomes of NHS services, all underpinned by legal duties.
We have taken an evidence-based, strategic approach to reducing health inequalities, based on sound governance, accountability and good partnership working and are moving towards greater use of metrics and measurement taking more account of the action taken to respond to the latest evidence, data and trends. This approach is reflected across the health system and beyond with NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) playing their part.
Achieving measureable and sustained reductions in health inequalities is integral to the Department’s Shared Delivery Plan 2015-20, and reflected in the Government’s mandate to NHS England, the NHS Constitution, NHS England’s Five Year Forward View, PHE’s Evidence into Action and supporting strategic and business plans at national and local level. NHS England’s Business Plan for 2016/17 prioritises closing the gap for groups experiencing poorer health outcomes, a poorer experience of, and access to, healthcare. PHE is supporting local and national efforts to address health inequalities by providing knowledge and intelligence, and evidence-informed tools and advice.
The 2012 Health and Social Care Act introduced new duties on the Secretary of State, NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and Monitor to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities in decision-making and carrying out functions. We have also made having regard to the need to reduce health inequalities a condition of the public health grant to local authorities.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve health outcomes in the North East.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 statutory duties, Public Health England (PHE) works with local authorities to improve the health of local populations and provide services including drug and alcohol misuse as well as sexual health services.
PHE works very closely with local authorities, and are undertaking a number of projects in the North East to improve health and address health inequalities.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with neuromuscular conditions who require a cough assist machine have access to a machine commissioned by their clinical commissioning group.
Answered by Ben Gummer
NHS England has been working with Muscular Dystrophy UK through the Bridging the Gap project to address areas of concern raised by patients and their representatives, one of which is the provision of cough assist machines for people with neuromuscular conditions.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning and funding cough assist machines, where appropriate. A number of CGGs have now developed commissioning policies for these devices based on one developed by Walsall CCG, which has been shared nationally as an example of good practice by Muscular Dystrophy UK.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide additional funding to South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group for improvements and new facilities at Guisborough Primary Care Hospital.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are making additional resources available to the National Health Service by backing the NHS Five Year Forward View with £10 billion a year real terms additional funding by 2020-21, compared to 2014-15, with £3.8 billion real terms growth in 2016-17.
It is for the local NHS to determine how best to use the funds available to it to improve local services. In 2016-17, the South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group will receive £413.3 million - a cash increase of 3.05%.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of clinical trial capacity at muscle centres.
Answered by George Freeman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 13 January 2016 to Question 21102.