Tag: healthcare

Health & Care Bill: Bishop of Carlisle supports amendments on health inequality on behalf of the Bishop of London

On 13th January 2022 the House of Lords debated the Health & Care Bill in its second day of committee. On behalf of the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Carlisle spoke in support of amendments seeking to reduce health inequalities:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, I will speak on behalf of my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of London. She has added her name to Amendment 65, and we on these Benches support the other amendments in this group that seek to reduce health inequalities. As we have heard, these amendments would help to ensure that the Bill does not forget the underserved and disadvantaged in our society, many of whom have been mentioned already.

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Health & Care Bill: Bishop of London advocates for improved funding for mental health services

On 11th January 2022, the Bishop of London spoke in support of a group of amendments to the Health and Care Bill aimed at addressing shortfalls in mental health funding:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lords who have tabled the amendments in this group. I am very aware of the expertise that exists within this Chamber. As we have heard, mental health has not always been funded in the same way as physical health. However, we have seen improvements, not least in the way we speak about our own mental well-being. We have seen a reduction in stigma and an improvement in services, but the pandemic has taught us that there is a huge unmet need around mental health, and I suspect we will not know the full impact of the pandemic for a number of years. Clearly, those groups of people requiring support around their mental health will include us and our children as well as our health and social care workers.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about expanding tertiary education to allow Britain to educate overseas doctors

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on capacity to educate doctors from overseas as part of the Global Britain Initiative on 13th December 2021, during a debate on the amount of training places available in UK medical schools:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, this latest Covid omicron variant has made us realise that we are one human race, and we are now facing a scandal whereby we are relying on bringing in doctors from some of the poorest parts of the world to look after our needs. For centuries, this country was renowned for sending doctors and nurses abroad and founding hospitals in all parts of the world. What consideration have Her Majesty’s Government given to ensuring not only that we are producing enough of our own doctors =but that we are expanding our tertiary education and bringing in more people to send them back to help some of these countries as part of our global Britain initiative?

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Health and Care Bill: Bishop of Carlisle welcomes legislation and highlights multifaceted aspects of care

On 7th December 2021, the House of Lords debated the Health and Care Bill in its second reading. The Bishop of Carlisle made a speech welcoming the bill and outlining the multiple aspects of care in need of attention going forwards:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, this is a health and care Bill. I will address certain specific aspects of that care that deserve further attention.

First, on integrated care, like the noble Lord, Lord Kakkar, I welcome the clear desire for integration, collaboration and local flexibility, and the placing of integrated care systems on a statutory footing. But can the Minister assure us that, in ICBs and ICPs working together to ensure co-ordination in the design and delivery of integrated care, there will be an adequate focus on prevention rather than just cure, especially in mental health needs, not least among young people with learning disabilities?

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Bishop of London asks about effects of Long COVID:

The Bishop of London received the following written answers on 20th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that long-COVID disproportionately affects women, what consideration they have given to the production of gender-sensitive guidelines for primary care professionals.

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Bishop of Durham asks about healthcare costs for EU nationals resident in the UK

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 8th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government whether EU nationals living in the UK before 31 December 2020 and who go on to be granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme will be liable for chargeable healthcare as set out in NHS Charging Regulations guidance or whether they are entitled to free healthcare.

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Bishop of London asks about assessments of patients opting out of surgery

The Bishop of London received the following written answer on 26th April 2021:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the breakdown by (1) protected characteristic, and (2) socio-economic background, of the patients who choose to opt out of surgery following the waiting list validation process.

Lord Bethell (Con, DHSC): No formal assessment has been made. Data on protected characteristics and socio-economic background is not collected centrally.

Hansard

Bishop of London asks about potential health inequalities in Patient Choice Schemes

The Bishop of London received the following written answer on 16th March 2021:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Patient Initiated Follow Up does not create barriers for deprived and excluded patients to access NHS care.

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Bishop of Durham asks about access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment for migrants

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what funding has been provided to local authorities (1) to support (a) asylum seekers, (b) refugees, and (c) migrants, to register with a GP, and (2) to ensure that those people are factored into COVID-19 vaccination plans.

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Bishop of Salisbury asks about work of faith communities in health and social care and UK Commitment to overseas aid

The Bishop of Salisbury asked a question on recognition of the work of faith groups in the health and social care sector during the pandemic, and whether the UK would move to restore overseas aid to 0.7% of the GDP commitment, during a discussion on International Year of Health and Care Workers on 1st February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury [V]: My Lords, in Salisbury we have had good reason to recognise the dedication and sacrifice of health and care workers, both at the time of the Novichok poisonings and in this present pandemic. The use of Salisbury and other cathedrals and churches as vaccination centres indicates a partnership between spirituality and health care, so will the Minister join me in thanking chaplains, among all the dedicated healthcare workers at this time? What we see in this country is in marked contrast with the poorest parts of the world, as in Sudan and South Sudan, with which this diocese is linked. Given that this is a global pandemic, when might the Government recognise the self-interest involved in overseas aid and move to restore the 0.7% of GDP commitment? No one will be safe until everyone is safe.

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