Tag: NHS

Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts

On 5th March 2020 Lord Beecham asked the Government “what steps they will take to support the Gambling Commission to address problem gambling.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, at a time when the NHS is facing such unbelievable pressures from the coronavirus, it is also having to set up 14 gambling clinics across the country to try to deal with this situation. The industry has a gross gambling yield of £14 billion a year. Is it not time to bring in a statutory levy, so that the polluter pays for the damage being caused? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts”

Bishop of Carlisle asks Government about recruitment and retention of podiatrists

On 5th March 2020 the Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, received a written answer to a question on podiatry:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: HL1853 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to (1) train, (2) recruit, and (3) retain, sufficient numbers of podiatrists to meet (a) current, and (b) future, needs. Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks Government about recruitment and retention of podiatrists”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about funding for refugee resettlement

On 24th February 2020 Baroness Finlay of Llandaff asked Her Majesty’s Government “what assessment they have made of the case for accepting refugee doctors to the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it is important that Her Majesty’s Government give serious consideration to complementary pathways such as this for refugees to find sanctuary while they are contributing professional skills of all kinds. However, the Minister will be aware that, this year, the existing refugee resettlement schemes will be consolidated into a new global resettlement scheme, for which only one year of funding has been announced. Is the Minister yet able to confirm that funding will continue for refugee resettlement for the full term of this Parliament, to maintain refugee resettlement at current levels?

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about funding for refugee resettlement”

Bishop of Carlisle speaks on need for investment in adult social care

On 6th February 2020 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Hunt of King’s Heath, “That this House takes note of the National Health Service’s performance in relation to its priority area targets; and the impact of adult social care pressures on patients of the National Health Service, and their safety.” The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, this is a very timely debate. I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, for securing it. I also look forward very much to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Wilcox. We have already heard many statistics with regard to NHS targets and shall no doubt hear many more. But there seems to be general agreement that one of the biggest problems facing the NHS is what many now call a crisis in social ​care, which has been highlighted by this debate and emphasised by the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, and to which I will address this contribution.

Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle speaks on need for investment in adult social care”

Bishop of London asks about funding for nurses and midwives’ professional development

On the 15th January 2020 Baroness Watkins of Tavistock asked Her Majesty’s Government “how they intend to ensure safe staffing in social care and the National Health Service in this Parliament.” The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, asked a follow-up question.

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I am sure the Minister knows that safety is about not just numbers but the continuing development and supervision of nurses and midwives. Can she comment on what the Government are doing to ensure that both nurses and midwives are funded properly for clinical supervision and professional development?

Continue reading “Bishop of London asks about funding for nurses and midwives’ professional development”

Bishop of London responds to Queen’s Speech – health and social care

On 9th January 2020 the House of Lords debated the Queen’s Speech for the fourth day. The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, contributed:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak during this debate on Her Majesty’s gracious Speech. I note my interests, which I have declared, and I will limit my comments purely to health and social care.

I welcome Her Majesty’s Government’s focus on the NHS: health, social care and the workforce. I also welcome the additional funding. However, we must not be misled into thinking that this is a funding bonanza; it will serve only to stabilise NHS services. Continue reading “Bishop of London responds to Queen’s Speech – health and social care”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about ‘gamblification’ of sport

Bishop St Albans June 2015On 9th January 2020 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Baroness Barran, repeated a Government statement on the Football Association and Bet365. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the huge rise in what many campaigners are calling the gamblification of sport is happening rapidly before our eyes. The Gambling Commission itself has identified 55,000 teenagers in this country suffering from gambling-related harm and 430,000 adults. Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS, has pointed out that it is costing a hard-pressed NHS up to £1.2 billion a year. Just yesterday, a new gambling clinic opened in Sunderland funded by the NHS. Will this review, which we are grateful that Her Majesty’s Government have promised, include the issue of the gamblification of sport and ​look at things such as logos on shirts and wraparound adverts around pitches—all of which are excluded at the moment, which make a mockery of the whistle-to-whistle ban that we were promised? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about ‘gamblification’ of sport”