Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant the Answer of 26 November 2018 to Question 194124 on Blood: Contamination, what plans he has to increase the level of financial support provide to people affected by infected blood and blood products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The England Infected Blood Support Scheme (EIBSS), administered by NHS Business Services Authority, was launched on 1 November 2017 following two public consultations in 2016 and 2017. These consultations sought views on the proposed reforms to the EIBSS and the new special appeals mechanisms for those with chronic hepatitis C infection. Over the period of the current spending review, the launch of the EIBSS was part of the Government’s commitment, in January 2016, to provide an extra £125 million to support people affected by infected blood and blood products.
The Infected Blood Inquiry, announced in July 2017, has included examination of the support provided to people affected by infected blood in its terms of reference. The Department continues to follow the Inquiry closely and will careful consider any views from the Inquiry on where further improvements to the EIBSS could be made.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which fruitless payments in excess of £30,000 his Department has made by (a) recipient of each such payment, (b) purpose of each such payment, (c) value of each such payment and (d) reason that payment was classified as fruitless in the 2017-18 financial year to date.
Answered by Philip Dunne
No fruitless payments in excess of £30,000 have been made in 2017-18 financial year to date.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a scheme for UK citizens who cannot get private health insurance in the event that UK citizens cease to have access to a European Health Insurance Card after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by David Mowat
While the people of the United Kingdom have voted to leave the European Union, until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force, including the rights associated with medical treatment abroad.
Nothing has yet been decided on the future of British citizen medical treatment abroad. Government officials are considering the positions and options available to us with the aim of achieving the best outcome for British citizens in the UK and abroad.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 2.1(5) of the Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom, published in March 2015, what mechanism would be used to resolve or arbitrate on a disagreement between local authorities relating to the moving of an adult's care package from one UK country to another.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The “Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom” provide a framework for local authorities to support adults with care and support who move between countries in the United Kingdom without having their care interrupted.
Adhering to the principles should reduce the potential for disagreement, however, where disagreements do arise, the Department and the Devolved Administrations would expect the parties to act reasonably and to make full efforts to resolve the dispute between themselves through constructive dialogue, cooperation and communication, including the timely sharing of information, and focussing on the well-being of the adult. The timely and effective resolution of disputes is in the interest of all parties, not least, the adult in question.
It is not possible to be definitive about which authority a cross-border continuity of care matter should be pursued with because it will depend on the facts and the nature of the issue. The adult may wish to approach their own local authority in the first instance. However where an issue raised with an authority falls within the remit of the other, the principle that the authorities should work together and share information should apply.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom, published in March 2015, whether an adult with a care package who needs to raise a cross-border moving issue should raise that issue with the local authority they are leaving or the one they are moving to.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The “Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom” provide a framework for local authorities to support adults with care and support who move between countries in the United Kingdom without having their care interrupted.
Adhering to the principles should reduce the potential for disagreement, however, where disagreements do arise, the Department and the Devolved Administrations would expect the parties to act reasonably and to make full efforts to resolve the dispute between themselves through constructive dialogue, cooperation and communication, including the timely sharing of information, and focussing on the well-being of the adult. The timely and effective resolution of disputes is in the interest of all parties, not least, the adult in question.
It is not possible to be definitive about which authority a cross-border continuity of care matter should be pursued with because it will depend on the facts and the nature of the issue. The adult may wish to approach their own local authority in the first instance. However where an issue raised with an authority falls within the remit of the other, the principle that the authorities should work together and share information should apply.