Parliamentary round-up for year end
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- Published: Friday, 06 January 2017 07:59
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In a number of announcements before the recess the Government has confirmed that the standard of Capita’s work under its (primary care) contract has not been acceptable, on the costs of child extractions in hospital and a new health minister in the House of Lords.
Capita contract
In answer to a Parliamentary Question junior minister, Nicola Blackwood said her focus was on raising the quality of Capita’s primary care support contract. She said she was clear ‘that the standard of Capita’s work under the contract has not been acceptable and it must improve’. She said she continued to ‘meet regularly’ with Capita and NHS England ‘as they work to improve the performance of the service’.
Margaret Greenwood, who had questioned the minister said that several GP practices in her constituency had reported serious delays in the transfer of medical records. In some cases, the records have gone missing altogether, with serious implications for patient safety. She wanted assurance that not just NHS England, but the Government, take seriously the safe delivery of their confidential medical records.
The minister said she takes this issue extremely seriously, which is why she is personally meeting NHS England and Capita fortnightly and ensuring that detailed rectification plans are in place for each service delivery programme. The improvements should happen between January and April next year.
Childrens’ extractions
In answer to a Parliamentary Question junior minister, David Mowat told the House that the cost of the extraction of multiple teeth in hospital for those18 years and under was £834 and for a ‘minor extraction’ for the same age group it was £439.
New minister in the Lords
The Government has announced that Lord O’Shaughnessy has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and as well as a Government Whip. James Richard O'Shaughnessy, Baron O'Shaughnessy was Director of Policy to the Prime Minister from May 2010 to October 2011. He wrote the Conservative Party’s 2010 general election manifesto and was made a life peer in October 2015.
He replaces Lord Prior of Brampton, who becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
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