Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of outsourcing radiology scans to external teleradiology companies in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the years 2018-2019 to 2022-23, the NHS spent £1,096,083,822 on outsourcing of radiology scans. This represents 7.9% of the total cost of all imaging services across the 5 year period.
Outsourcing of teleradiology scans by the NHS is being used to help deliver NHS targets on diagnostic waiting times and activity, including diagnosis of illnesses such as cancer. Outsourcing allows the NHS to maintain important diagnostic activity whilst the government’s investments to build up diagnostic capacity, including through an increased number of Community Diagnostic Centres, continue to progress.
Table 1: Total Cost of Outsourcing Radiology Scans to External Teleradiology Companies from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
Financial year | Total Cost of Outsourcing |
2022-23 | £368,858,838 |
2021-22 | £241,015,574 |
2020-21 | £170,131,115 |
2019-20 | £192,261,028 |
2018-19 | £123,817,267 |
Total | £1,096,083,822 |
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 how many patients are aware, before visiting their GP, that they may have a choice of hospital or clinic for their first outpatient appointment.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice (GP) appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.
Since the commitments made by the Government in May 2023, we have seen an increase in the number of patients being offered choice at the point of referral. The Department does not hold data regarding patients choosing between a hospital and clinic for their first outpatient appointment each month. The Department has also not made an estimate of how many patients were aware, before visiting their GP, of their right to choose the provider for their first outpatient appointment.
In autumn last year, the Department ran a press partnership campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of choice. Furthermore, the Department has recently launched a marketing campaign, aimed at all adults, to increase awareness of a patient's right to choose where they receive their hospital care, as well as encourage more people to actively make a choice.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 how many patients are being offered a choice between hospital and clinic for their first outpatient appointment each month.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice (GP) appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.
Since the commitments made by the Government in May 2023, we have seen an increase in the number of patients being offered choice at the point of referral. The Department does not hold data regarding patients choosing between a hospital and clinic for their first outpatient appointment each month. The Department has also not made an estimate of how many patients were aware, before visiting their GP, of their right to choose the provider for their first outpatient appointment.
In autumn last year, the Department ran a press partnership campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of choice. Furthermore, the Department has recently launched a marketing campaign, aimed at all adults, to increase awareness of a patient's right to choose where they receive their hospital care, as well as encourage more people to actively make a choice.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the guidance entitled Elective recovery taskforce: implementation plan, published on 4 August 2023, what the baseline position is for how many patients are accessing choice.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice (GP) appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.
Since the commitments made by the Government in May 2023, we have seen an increase in the number of patients being offered choice at the point of referral. The Department does not hold data regarding patients choosing between a hospital and clinic for their first outpatient appointment each month. The Department has also not made an estimate of how many patients were aware, before visiting their GP, of their right to choose the provider for their first outpatient appointment.
In autumn last year, the Department ran a press partnership campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of choice. Furthermore, the Department has recently launched a marketing campaign, aimed at all adults, to increase awareness of a patient's right to choose where they receive their hospital care, as well as encourage more people to actively make a choice.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of patients that were able to discuss with their GP which (a) hospital and (b) clinic they would attend for their first outpatient appointment in the last six months.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice (GP) appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.
Since the commitments made by the Government in May 2023, we have seen an increase in the number of patients being offered choice at the point of referral. The Department does not hold data regarding patients choosing between a hospital and clinic for their first outpatient appointment each month. The Department has also not made an estimate of how many patients were aware, before visiting their GP, of their right to choose the provider for their first outpatient appointment.
In autumn last year, the Department ran a press partnership campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of choice. Furthermore, the Department has recently launched a marketing campaign, aimed at all adults, to increase awareness of a patient's right to choose where they receive their hospital care, as well as encourage more people to actively make a choice.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff have been provided with a NHS Digital Staff Passport as of 31 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The first wave of the pilot scheme for the NHS Digital Staff Passport was launched in December 2023. Four National Health Service trusts volunteered to be part of the scheme.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out that on successful completion of the scheme’s pilot phase, integrated care systems will be encouraged to adopt the NHS Digital Staff Passport promptly. A full rollout of the NHS Digital Staff Passport is expected to be in place by August 2025.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what were the total financial deficits of each NHS Integrated Care Board in England for the (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2021-22 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the financial deficit of each NHS trust was in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 amount of money spent by the NHS on private ambulances in each of the last five years.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This information is not collected centrally by the Department.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of GP practices that enable patients to (a) see their medical records, (b) book appointments and (c) order repeat prescriptions through the NHS app.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS App functionality is available for: prospective record access across 5,163 practices, representing 82% of all practices, up from 0.2% in December 2022 with 15 early adopter sites; appointment booking in 5,892 practices, representing 93% of all practices; and repeat prescription ordering across 6,206 practices, representing 98% of all practices.
Practices can choose how to use this functionality to offer services to their patients. A roadmap for future development across the NHS App is published quarterly on the NHS England website.