Every parliamentary written question tabled by Melanie Onn this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–35 of 35 · Department of Health and Social Care
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of GPs undertaking medical examinations on GP workloads.
We are determined to 'bulldoze bureaucracy' and cut red tape, ensuring general practitioners (GPs) spend less time filling in forms and more time caring for patients. We recognise it is vital for roles to be satisfying, rewarding and sustainable so that our experienced GPs continue to contribute throughout their career.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the medical examiner process on (a) bereaved relatives and (b) the time it takes for families to arrange funerals.
The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Early data since the introduction of the reforms indicates the median time taken to register a death appeared to have risen by one day, from seven days to eight days prior to Christmas. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The average time taken to register increased further over the Christmas weeks, but this was expected given increases are observed during this period every year; the average has subsequently decreased.The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.The introduction of medical examiners is in part about making sure deaths are properly described and improving practice, but the impact on the bereaved is also central. The reforms aim to put the bereaved at centre of the process and the medical examiner office must offer a conversation with representatives of the deceased, so they can ask any questions they have about the death or to raise concerns. Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced and works for all those who interact with it is crucial, and something we will continue to monitor with NHS England.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of assessments undertaken by medical examiners to establish causes of death.
The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Medical examiner offices are staffed at a trust level with oversight and guidance from the National Medical Examiner based in NHS England. The National Medical Examiner publishes standards of performance that medical examiners are expected to meet in exercising their functions. To become a medical examiner, a qualifying medical practitioner should undertake relevant training including e-learning and face to face training and continuing professional development. While the Government has not made its own assessment of the adequacy of assessments undertaken by medical examiners to establish causes of death, the National Medical Examiner must publish an annual report which would include the way in which medical examiners had exercised their functions, including in relation to standards of performance.
What steps his Department is taking to retain doctors trained in the UK in the NHS.
We are committed to ensuring that doctors trained in the United Kingdom remain within the National Health Service through a structured, data-driven approach to workforce retention, and to improving the working conditions of all resident doctors, including trainee surgeons.NHS England’s Enhancing Resident Doctors Working Lives programme continues to implement several measures aimed at supporting resident doctors, encouraging them to stay in training and the NHS, and reducing overall attrition. In addition, the NHS National Retention Programme is actively improving working conditions for trainee surgeons by enhancing workplace culture, promoting flexible training, and reducing burnout and attrition.On 18 February 2025, the Chief Medical Officer and the National Medical Director of NHS England jointly launched a review of postgraduate medical training. The review will cover placement options, the flexibility of training, difficulties with rotas, control and autonomy in training, and the balance between developing specialist knowledge and gaining a broad range of skills.
What steps his Department is taking to help recently graduated medical students to find employment in the NHS.
Following completion of a medical degree, United Kingdom medical graduates must complete the Foundation Programme, a two-year work-based programme, to practise as a doctor in the National Health Service. We are committed to ensuring that the number of Foundation Programme places meets the demands of the NHS in the future.The Government is committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS. However, internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of medical school places.
We are committed to training the staff we need, including doctors, to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We have launched the 10-Year Health Plan which will set out a bold agenda to reform and repair the National Health Service. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to build the transformed health service we will deliver over the next decade.
What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of community interest companies that are no longer able to offer free mental health support due to financial constraints on the NHS.
It is for individual local commissioners to allocate funding to children and young people’s mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations and this information is not collected centrally. Integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
What steps his Department is taking to support community interest companies that are mental health providers.
It is for individual local commissioners to allocate funding to children and young people’s mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations and this information is not collected centrally. Integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
What recent progress his Department has made on improving dementia care.
To improve care for patients with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, NHS England's RightCare team has refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. The scenario works through the Dementia Well Pathway journey, from diagnosing well through to dying well, detailing optimal and sub optimal approaches, with associated costings for each. The RightCare team has also developed a dementia model pathway, based on data for each component of the Dementia Well Pathway, to provide a high-level view of what dementia care activity looks like for local areas, and to aid targeted support where appropriate. We have a national career framework for adult social care, the Care Workforce Pathway, which is linked to a number of existing competency frameworks, including the dementia training standards framework. The Department has also launched a new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification which links to the outcomes in the Care Workforce Pathway. This contains the baseline knowledge required to provide quality care, and will make sure that those who are starting out their careers have an informed awareness of dementia. In addition, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis, and prevention, to treatment, care, and support, including for carers. The Department delivers dementia care research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research into dementia care, including partnering with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Alzheimer’s Society to award £6 million to NetworkPlus grants, allowing the development of research and communities focused on the use and development of tools and technologies to enable people to live independently with dementia.
When it was decided that community interest companies should be ineligible for capital funding provided to NHS mental health trusts in the 2024-25 financial year; and whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of making community interest companies eligible.
Government capital funding is provided for specific purposes, and for the National Health Service is for NHS organisations to manage their assets and provide NHS services. Community interest companies (CICs) are therefore outside the remit of most of this funding.However, there may be some instances where integrated care systems (ICSs) can commission and fund other organisations including CICs to provide NHS services; for example, the Mental Health Urgent and Emergency Care programme funds, amongst other things, new and improved facilities and alternatives to accident and emergency, and hospital admission such as crisis houses and cafes, safe havens and step-down services.Any changes to the current capital regime, including funding distribution will be considered during the development of the 10-Year Health Plan.
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2024 to Question 12940 on Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: Regulation, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying unregulated cosmetic procedures.
We have made no estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying complications relating to cosmetic procedures.
For what reason his Department withdrew the NHS contract from the Waltham Dentist Practice; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that withdrawal on the provision of NHS dental appointments.
The decision to terminate the contract for the provision of National Health Service dental services with Waltham Dentist Practice was taken by NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) as a contractual matter. We cannot comment further due to commercial sensitivity.The funding from this contract remains allocated to dental services in the region and the ICB is engaging with other dental practices in the area to find solutions for NHS patients to access treatment with alternative providers.
What recent steps his Department has made on tackling unregulated cosmetic procedures; and whether he plans to follow up on the previous Government's consultation on that matter.
The Government is currently considering what steps may need to be taken in relation to the safety of the non-surgical cosmetics sector and will set out its position at the earliest opportunity.
If he will hold discussions with striking maternity support workers in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency on their requests.
This is a local issue and resolution should be the product of local employer and trade union negotiations. It is for employers to correctly and consistently implement the NHS Job Evaluation scheme.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of agreeing to the asks of the striking maternity support workers in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency.
No assessment has been made. Resolution is for local determination by the employing organisation and respective trade unions. Employers are responsible for correctly and consistently implementing the NHS Job Evaluation scheme.