Every parliamentary written question tabled by Victoria Atkins this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–12 of 12 · Department of Health and Social Care
How many (a) checks, (b) tests and (c) scans were carried out at community diagnostic centres opened since the 2021 Spending Review in (i) January 2024, (ii) February 2024, (iii) March 2024, (iv) A
As of the end of June 2024, community diagnostics centres (CDCs) had delivered 9,292,578 tests, checks and scans since the 2021 Spending Review at the end of October. Over this period, the diagnostic waiting list has increased from 1,428,415 as at the end...
How many (a) first stage and (b) second stage cancer patients received a diagnosis following an appointment at a community diagnostic centre opened since the 2021 Spending Review.
Data on the routes to diagnosis for cancer, which is collated and published by the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) does not specify the setting where the diagnostic test took place, so we do not hold the information on diagnoses following app...
How many procedures were delivered by surgical hubs opened since 27 October 2021 in (a) January, (b) February, (c) March, (d) April, (e) May, (f) June and (g) July 2024.
Between October 2021 and 4 July 2024, 18 new Targeted Investment Fund (TIF2) funded surgical hubs have opened. Elective Hub data is only available from April 2024, when the Elective Hub dashboard was established.Of the 18 new TIF2 funded surgical hubs, on...
How many procedures were delivered by surgical hubs opened since the 2021 Spending Review, as of 4 July 2024.
Between the 2021 Spending Review and 4 July 2024, 18 new Targeted Investment Fund (TIF2) funded surgical hubs have opened. Elective Hub data is only available from April 2024, when the Elective Hub dashboard was established.Of the 18 new TIF2 funded surgi...
How many (a) checks, (b) tests and (c) scans were carried out at community diagnostic centres opened since the 2021 Spending Review, as of 4 July 2024.
As of the end of June 2024, community diagnostics centres (CDCs) had delivered 9,292,578 tests, checks and scans since the 2021 Spending Review at the end of October. Over this period, the diagnostic waiting list has increased from 1,428,415 as at the end...
What (a) non-executive directors, (b) other direct ministerial appointees and (c) other public appointees in his Department have left their posts since the general election; what (a) direct ministerial and (b) other public appointments his Department has made since the general election; and if he will publish any political activity declared by each appointee.
As of 3 September 2024, three public appointees left as non-executive board members, those being: Gerry Murphy, who ended his final term of office on the Department’s board as planned on 31 July 2024, following 10 years of service; Amit Bhagwat, a member of the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, who ended his term as planned on 31 August 2024; and Sir David Behan, a non-executive director on the board of NHS England, who ended his term as planned on 31 August 2024.Six public appointees had their terms extended as non-executive board members, and these have been announced as: Nigel Trout and Charlotte Moar, as members on the board of NHS Resolution; and Junaid Bajwa, Graham Cooke, Paul Goldsmith and Rajakumari Long, as members on the board of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.Extensions or re-appointments to the terms of a further 12 public appointees have also been agreed, and are due to be announced shortly. As of 3 September 2024, no new public appointees have taken up roles since the election. In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, any political activity by candidates that is required to be declared, is made public when the appointment is announced.As of 3 September 2024, no direct ministerial appointees have left their posts since the general election. With respect to new direct ministerial appointments made in this period, I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Rt hon. Member for North West Hampshire on 30 July 2024, to PQ2407, which is available at the following link:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-07-30/2407It concerns the number of direct ministerial appointments made by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since the election, as the position remains the same. Both appointees referred to in the answer have declared their political activity.
Whether his Department has appointed civil servants who (a) previously (i) worked for and (ii) were seconded to the Labour Party, (b) previously donated to the Labour Party and (c) have been Labour parliamentarians since the general election.
Previous political activity does not preclude appointment into the Civil Service. All civil servants are expected to support the Government of the day, in accordance with the values of the Civil Service Code, which includes impartiality. Routine recruitment processes are in place to allow candidates to declare any potential conflicts of interest, and to discuss how these should be handled, so that the individuals in question can uphold the Civil Service Code’s values.From the general election to 3 September 2024, the Department has appointed one staff member at delegated grade, who declared on their declaration-of-interest form during the appointment process that they worked for the Labour Party. This appointment has been made by exception to the Civil Service Commission recruitment principles.
How many civil servants who are not special advisers he has appointed without open competition since the general election.
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 sets out the requirement for the Civil Service Commission to establish recruitment principles which departments must follow. The Recruitment Principles 2018 provide the legal requirement for the selection of appointments to the Civil Service to be made on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. In addition, under section 12 of this act, it allows for exceptions to these principles.Appointments by exception are an important part of how we bring talent and expertise into the Civil Service. These routes are long established and have been used properly and extensively by all modern administrations, as they can assist with bringing in individuals with relevant experience and skills for a time-limited basis.In the latest year for which data is available across the civil service, the year ending March 2023, approximately 80,000 people were hired through open competitions, and approximately 9,000 people were hired through the different exception routes. Full details are available at the following link:https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15.101_CSC_ARA-2022-23_FINAL_WEB.pdfIn the period from the general election to 3 September 2024, the Department has made 15 appointments by exception to the recruitment principles.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s preparedness for (a) mpox and (b) future outbreaks and pandemics.
The Secretary of State and I have met regularly with officials from the Department, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the National Health Service on this issue.UKHSA will continue to keep the global situation and our domestic preparations under close review, and ministers across the Government are working together to coordinate our response. Planning is underway, including work by the Department, the UKHSA, and the NHS, to prepare for any cases that we might see in the United Kingdom.The UKHSA is engaged with our international partners, including the World Health Organisation, European, American, and African centres for disease control and prevention and national public health agencies, ensuring we receive updates about international cases in a timely fashion.The risk to the UK population of being exposed to Mpox clade I is currently considered low. However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK. This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and to prevent onward transmission.
What the (a) total and (b) estimated yearly cost to the public purse is of the pay offer award to NHS junior doctors.
The additional pay uplift, worth an average of 4.05% on top of their existing pay award for 2023/24, would have an estimated cost impact of approximately £350 million per year. The estimated £350 million cost for 2023/24 will fall in 2024/25 for accounting purposes.This is additional to the 6% uplift recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Renumeration, plus £1,000 on a consolidated basis, when applied to the revised 2023/24 pay scales, while also averaging an increase of over 8%, and with an effective date of 1 April 2024.If agreed, this offer will bring an end to industrial action by junior doctors. Industrial action has cost taxpayers £1.7 billion since April 2023, and patients nearly 1.5 million cancelled appointments under the previous government.
What progress has been made on the the construction of the new A&E unit at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston; and when he expects the construction to be completed.
The new build and refurbishment of the Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre at the Pilgrim Hospital is taking place in two phases. The first phase, which is a new build, is on track to be completed by February 2025, with the subsequent refurbishment of existing buildings due to be completed by January 2026.
What his planned timetable is for the review of the New Hospitals Programme.
As my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced, and as subsequently confirmed in the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July 2024, we will be undertaking a full and comprehensive review of the New Hospital Programme to provide a realistic and costed timetable for delivery.The Secretary of State will update Parliament on the outcome of the review reporting back to patients, clinicians, and local communities on the next steps for the New Hospital Programme.