Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the potential merits of a National Clinical Director for coeliac disease.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has invested in senior clinical leadership in gastroenterology as a workstream in the national Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme as one of its priority workstreams, which includes coeliac disease.
To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease, and improve the diagnostic pathway nationally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition, assessment and management of coeliac disease [NG20]. A copy of the guidance is attached.
NICE guidelines represent best practice, and healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and service commissioners are expected to take them fully into account. Guidelines published by NICE are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.
To assist with increasing the visibility of coeliac disease, NICE promotes guidance via its website, newsletters and other media. It also publishes information for the public, which explains the care people with coeliac disease should receive as set out in the NICE guideline.
Information for the public on coeliac disease is also published by the National Health Service and is available on its website in an online-only format.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government which NHS National Clinical Director, if any, is responsible for coeliac disease.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has invested in senior clinical leadership in gastroenterology as a workstream in the national Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme as one of its priority workstreams, which includes coeliac disease.
To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease, and improve the diagnostic pathway nationally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition, assessment and management of coeliac disease [NG20]. A copy of the guidance is attached.
NICE guidelines represent best practice, and healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and service commissioners are expected to take them fully into account. Guidelines published by NICE are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.
To assist with increasing the visibility of coeliac disease, NICE promotes guidance via its website, newsletters and other media. It also publishes information for the public, which explains the care people with coeliac disease should receive as set out in the NICE guideline.
Information for the public on coeliac disease is also published by the National Health Service and is available on its website in an online-only format.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve the (1) information, and (2) resources, on coeliac disease provided to (a) primary healthcare professionals, and (b) the public.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has made no assessment of the diagnostic pathway for coeliac disease. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including the diagnosis of coeliac disease.
To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease, and improve the diagnostic pathway nationally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition, assessment and management of coeliac disease [NG20].
NICE guidelines represent best practice and health professionals, including general practitioners, and service commissioners are expected to take them fully into account. Guidelines published by NICE are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.
To assist with increasing the visibility of coeliac disease, NICE promotes guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media. It also publishes information for the public, which explains the care people with coeliac should receive as set out in the NICE guideline.
Information for the public on coeliac disease is also published by the National Health Service and is available on the NHS.UK website in an online-only format.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the diagnostic pathway for coeliac disease.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has made no assessment of the diagnostic pathway for coeliac disease. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including the diagnosis of coeliac disease.
To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease, and improve the diagnostic pathway nationally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition, assessment and management of coeliac disease [NG20].
NICE guidelines represent best practice and health professionals, including general practitioners, and service commissioners are expected to take them fully into account. Guidelines published by NICE are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.
To assist with increasing the visibility of coeliac disease, NICE promotes guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media. It also publishes information for the public, which explains the care people with coeliac should receive as set out in the NICE guideline.
Information for the public on coeliac disease is also published by the National Health Service and is available on the NHS.UK website in an online-only format.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of research published in Environment International in February 2022 on the presence of microplastics in human blood, what plans they have for creating a National Plastic Health Research Impact Fund for further research in this area.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since 2018, the Government has committed over £100 million for research and innovation support to tackle the broad range of issues that arise from plastic waste. This includes funding research into the health impacts of plastic through UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Whilst it is not typical to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, both funders welcome funding applications for research into the health impacts of plastic.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of research published in Environment International in February 2022 on the presence of microplastics in human blood, what steps they will take to increase research into the health impacts of plastic pollution.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since 2018, the Government has committed over £100 million for research and innovation support to tackle the broad range of issues that arise from plastic waste. This includes funding research into the health impacts of plastic through UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Whilst it is not typical to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, both funders welcome funding applications for research into the health impacts of plastic.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that NHS dietary clinics can reopen to provide support to patients and the NHS quickly.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Some NHS services were temporarily suspended whilst we concentrated on dealing with COVID-19. Now, as a result of the measures put in place, we appear to have come through the peak of new cases being reported and it has been decided to begin the ‘reset’ of services across the National Health Service, including nutrition and dietary services. Decisions on how to do this will be taken locally, based on local demand. The NHS issued guidance to NHS service providers on 29 April outlining the next steps in the NHS response to COVID-19.
Asked by: Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to support charities, in particular those that support the NHS, who have experienced a loss of income at the same time as an increased demand for services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Bethell
On 8 April 2020 the Chancellor announced £750 million to support the charity sector in response to COVID-19. This fund comprises three elements:
- £360 million will be allocated by central Government to charities in England based on evidence of service need.
- £370 million will support charities working with vulnerable people. In England, this support will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund.
- The Government will match the public donations to the BBC Big Night In fundraising event that took place on 23 April, starting with a contribution of at least £20 million to the National Emergencies Trust appeal.