Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of having representatives of dentists on integrated care boards.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out minimum membership requirement of integrated care boards (ICBs), which includes representatives of National Health Service trusts, primary care and local authorities. However, by local agreement ICBs can supplement the legislative minimum requirements in order to address local needs.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the number of dentists from the EU coming to the UK to help fill dentist vacancies.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Department has worked with the General Dental Council (GDC) to develop and consult on legislative proposals to allow GDC greater flexibility to amend its existing international registration processes and explore alternative pathways. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Department aims to introduce the legislative changes in early 2023. As the independent regulator, the GDC will determine how these flexibilities can be used.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to publish on a monthly basis the number of patients waiting 12 hours or more from their time of arrival at hospital.
Answered by Will Quince
Data on the proportion of patients spending more than 12 hours in an emergency department is available for operational use by trusts to understand patient flows through emergency departments. The objectives in the ‘2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance’ include reducing 12 hour waiting times and remains in place. The data is published annually by NHS Digital and NHS England is considering arrangements for further publication of this data.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospitals have been retro-fitted to improve energy efficiency since 2019.
Answered by Will Quince
This information is not held in the format requested. However, since 2019 all National Health Service trusts have produced three-year plans to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy usage to support the commitment to achieve net zero for NHS energy emissions by 2040. In 2020/21, 123 trusts were undertaking or had completed at least one building energy efficiency scheme.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of electric heaters bought for use in hospitals since 2019.
Answered by Will Quince
No specific estimate has been made as this information is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps her Department has taken to review the current policy and delivery method of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Department continually monitors the policy and delivery of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 progress of the rollout of booster jabs for covid-19.
Answered by Caroline Johnson - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
As of 5 October 2022, over 33 million people in England had received a third primary dose or first booster dose. The deployment of the autumn booster vaccination campaign commenced on 5 September 2022. As of 11 October 2022, NHS England had delivered over 6.9 million autumn booster doses. As of 5 October, the UK Health Security Agency reports that over 38% of the total population in England aged 65 years old and over had received an autumn booster dose.