Written questions by Grady.

If he will include workforce projections and training requirements for prosthetics and orthotics as a distinct profession within the update to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of sufficiently qualified assessors to review portfolios under the Portfolio Pathway system.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway route to professional registration for overseas qualified specialist medical practitioners and general practitioners or the availability of portfolio assessors. The Department does not hold application or qualification data about this route.The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of medical practitioners, or doctors, in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for setting standards that must be met by both domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to their registers to ensure registrants are safe to practise.As the independent regulator, it is for the GMC to monitor the operational effectiveness of its routes to registration, and to determine the qualifications and experience that it will accept. The GMC publishes data on applications to its Portfolio Pathway at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/statistics-and-reports/doctors-specialist-applications-and-certificates

How many doctors have applied to qualify as consultants under the Portfolio Pathway route over the last five years for which data is available.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway route to professional registration for overseas qualified specialist medical practitioners and general practitioners or the availability of portfolio assessors. The Department does not hold application or qualification data about this route.The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of medical practitioners, or doctors, in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for setting standards that must be met by both domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to their registers to ensure registrants are safe to practise.As the independent regulator, it is for the GMC to monitor the operational effectiveness of its routes to registration, and to determine the qualifications and experience that it will accept. The GMC publishes data on applications to its Portfolio Pathway at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/statistics-and-reports/doctors-specialist-applications-and-certificates

How many doctors have qualified as consultants under the Portfolio Pathway route over the last five years for which data is available.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway route to professional registration for overseas qualified specialist medical practitioners and general practitioners or the availability of portfolio assessors. The Department does not hold application or qualification data about this route.The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of medical practitioners, or doctors, in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for setting standards that must be met by both domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to their registers to ensure registrants are safe to practise.As the independent regulator, it is for the GMC to monitor the operational effectiveness of its routes to registration, and to determine the qualifications and experience that it will accept. The GMC publishes data on applications to its Portfolio Pathway at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/statistics-and-reports/doctors-specialist-applications-and-certificates

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway system for qualification as consultants.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway route to professional registration for overseas qualified specialist medical practitioners and general practitioners or the availability of portfolio assessors. The Department does not hold application or qualification data about this route.The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of medical practitioners, or doctors, in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for setting standards that must be met by both domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to their registers to ensure registrants are safe to practise.As the independent regulator, it is for the GMC to monitor the operational effectiveness of its routes to registration, and to determine the qualifications and experience that it will accept. The GMC publishes data on applications to its Portfolio Pathway at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/statistics-and-reports/doctors-specialist-applications-and-certificates

What has been the average length of time to decide an application under the Portfolio Pathway route for each of the last five years for which data is available.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the effectiveness of the Portfolio Pathway route to professional registration for overseas qualified specialist medical practitioners and general practitioners or the availability of portfolio assessors. The Department does not hold application or qualification data about this route.The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of medical practitioners, or doctors, in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for setting standards that must be met by both domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to their registers to ensure registrants are safe to practise.As the independent regulator, it is for the GMC to monitor the operational effectiveness of its routes to registration, and to determine the qualifications and experience that it will accept. The GMC publishes data on applications to its Portfolio Pathway at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/statistics-and-reports/doctors-specialist-applications-and-certificates

Whether his Department or NHS England has undertaken a risk assessment on the potential closure of prosthetics and orthotics pre-registration programmes.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education to support the availability of a diverse range of training routes into health and care careers including prosthetics and orthotics. While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for the future supply of prosthetics and orthotists, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability.The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England remain committed to working with stakeholders through NHS England’s small and vulnerable professions programme, to help maintain and strengthen training and education pathways for pre-registration learners. This work has been supported recently with a meeting between myself and the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics to discuss strengthening a sustainable training and workforce pipeline.

Whether discussions have taken place between his Department and (a) NHS England, (b) the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics and (c) universities on the sustainability of prosthetics and orthotics training programmes.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education to support the availability of a diverse range of training routes into health and care careers including prosthetics and orthotics. While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for the future supply of prosthetics and orthotists, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability.The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England remain committed to working with stakeholders through NHS England’s small and vulnerable professions programme, to help maintain and strengthen training and education pathways for pre-registration learners. This work has been supported recently with a meeting between myself and the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics to discuss strengthening a sustainable training and workforce pipeline.

What steps the Department is taking to help ensure the long term availability of training courses for people to qualify as clinicians and technicians in Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability based on learner demand and provider capacity.NHS England continues to work closely with the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics and education providers to maintain and strengthen training pathways, including apprenticeship routes, for learners into these courses.

What discussions his Department has had with the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics and training providers on the long term availability of training courses for people to qualify as clinicians and technicians in Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability based on learner demand and provider capacity.NHS England continues to work closely with the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics and education providers to maintain and strengthen training pathways, including apprenticeship routes, for learners into these courses.

If he will take steps to ensure that food products include labels on pea and legume allergies.

There are a large number of potential food ingredients that may cause allergic reactions in sensitised individuals. The current 14 regulated allergens are recognised as the most common and potent allergens of public health concern across Europe. They must be clearly identified on prepacked foods and communicated effectively when eating out. Although peas and other legumes are not regulated allergens, they must still be declared in the ingredients list when they are intentionally used in any prepacked food products. The Food Standards Agency continues to work to make it easier for people with food hypersensitivities, such as allergies, intolerances, and coeliac disease, to have access to clear and accurate information which is a fundamental part of its work. Its research can be found at the following link: https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-hypersensitivity