Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of the research by Young Lives vs Cancer, The cost of waiting, whether they have considered the recommendations of the report, and if so, what action they are taking to ensure children and young people receive disability benefits immediately after their cancer diagnosis.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer and we are aware that the cost of travel is an important issue for many cancer patients and their families.
NHS England and the integrated care boards are currently responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service runs schemes in England to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to patients in England who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. The provision of disability benefits is also the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Department of Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the cost to the NHS, and long-term health outcomes, of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to lack of support with travel costs. The Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce will explore a range of issues, including patient experience alongside clinical care, to identify improvements for children and young people with cancer and their families.
Young Lives vs Cancer is a valued stakeholder with a unique perspective on the issue of travel support for children and young people with cancer. We will continue to engage with Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as other children and young people cancer charity stakeholders as we progress this important work.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the cost to the NHS, and (2) long-term health outcomes, of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to lack of support with travel costs.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer and we are aware that the cost of travel is an important issue for many cancer patients and their families.
NHS England and the integrated care boards are currently responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service runs schemes in England to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to patients in England who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. The provision of disability benefits is also the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Department of Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the cost to the NHS, and long-term health outcomes, of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to lack of support with travel costs. The Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce will explore a range of issues, including patient experience alongside clinical care, to identify improvements for children and young people with cancer and their families.
Young Lives vs Cancer is a valued stakeholder with a unique perspective on the issue of travel support for children and young people with cancer. We will continue to engage with Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as other children and young people cancer charity stakeholders as we progress this important work.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will introduce a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund as proposed by Young Lives vs Cancer.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer and we are aware that the cost of travel is an important issue for many cancer patients and their families.
NHS England and the integrated care boards are currently responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service runs schemes in England to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to patients in England who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. The provision of disability benefits is also the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Department of Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the cost to the NHS, and long-term health outcomes, of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to lack of support with travel costs. The Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce will explore a range of issues, including patient experience alongside clinical care, to identify improvements for children and young people with cancer and their families.
Young Lives vs Cancer is a valued stakeholder with a unique perspective on the issue of travel support for children and young people with cancer. We will continue to engage with Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as other children and young people cancer charity stakeholders as we progress this important work.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what national initiatives have been introduced to improve the health of the nation by tackling obesity, improving mental health and promoting physical activity, since the establishment of the Office of Health Promotion.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that prevention will always be better, and cheaper, than a cure. Under our Health Mission, we will take preventative public health measures to tackle the biggest killers and support people to live longer, healthier lives. We have a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history – giving every child a healthy start in life.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) was established as a group within the Department in 2021 following the closure of Public Health England. OHID’s role is to improve the nation’s health so that everyone can expect to live more of life in good health, and to reduce health inequalities.
Policies implemented to tackle obesity include the introduction of calorie labelling in large restaurants, cafes and takeaways, and the restriction on placement of less healthy food and drink in key selling locations in store and online.
To address obesity and promote healthy eating and physical activity, OHID has delivered behaviour change tools such as the NHS Weight Loss Plan app, Couch to 5k, Active 10, 10 Minute Shake Up, Start for Life and Healthy Steps email programmes through “Better Health” Campaigns. OHID delivered the Better Health rewards pilot, in Wolverhampton, to test whether financial incentives can be used to support people to make healthier choices in their diet and increase physical activity. With Sport England, OHID has delivered support and training to equip health care professionals to enable patients to move more to improve their physical and mental health.
National initiatives to improve mental health include the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges across England, and the publication of a new five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England in September 2023.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether digital public health schemes have been launched over the last five years to drive improvement in the nation’s health; and, if so, what is their assessment of the success of those schemes.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has launched several digital health schemes over the period requested.
The ‘Better Health’ behavioural support tools, apps, websites, and email programmes are freely available and aligned to policies. They include the NHS Weight Loss Plan, Couch to 5k, Active 10, and NHS Quit Smoking apps, as well as Start for Life, Healthy Steps, and Every Mind Matters email programmes. Data from these tools is routinely analysed and supported by bespoke evaluations, for example an evaluation of the Weight Loss Plan app by Leeds University indicated completers of the twelve-week plan lose an average of 5.8kg.
The Better Health Rewards pilot, which was run in 2023 in Wolverhampton, was designed to test whether financial incentives can be used to support people with their diet and physical activity behaviours. Participants downloaded an app, received a free wearable fitness tracker, and earnt points for completing diet and physical activity challenges which they could redeem for rewards. 28,858 people registered with the app and evaluation is still ongoing.
In April 2021, NHS England launched the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, which is a 12-week behaviour change programme for people living with obesity and hypertension, diabetes, or both. The Programme provides an effective and acceptable delivery method to support weight management on a national scale. Published Year 1 data demonstrates the Programme achieves clinically meaningful weight-loss of almost 4kg for those who complete the Programme. This outcome is not impacted significantly by participants’ socioeconomic status.
The Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is a behaviour change programme that aims to support people identified as being at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Over nine months, participants receive personalised support with practical tools and advice on healthy eating and lifestyle, increasing physical activity and weight management.
Since 2019 individuals referred to the programme choose between a face-to-face group-based service, a digital app-based service, and, if applicable, a tailored remote service for groups that experience health inequalities. Over 1.6 million referrals have been made since the programme started in 2016, and over 700,000 people have been supported on the programme, over 150,000 of which used the digital service. Independent evaluation shows that people who complete the programme reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37%.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a cross-departmental body to ensure improved co-ordination between all departmental providers of (1) sport, (2) health, and (3) wellbeing initiatives; and whether the Department for Health and Social Care intends to lead this initiative.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The Government is currently refreshing the School Sport and Activity Action Plan and developing a new cross-government sport strategy. Government Departments are collaborating to embed evidence-based approaches to address inactivity and support health. This includes enabling national and local action to create increase physical activity, supporting health and addressing inequalities. Options for coordination across these strategies are currently being considered by the Departments involved.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Health Promotion Taskforce has had its first meeting; and if so, (1) who chaired it, (2) what items were on the agenda, and (3) what decisions were made.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The Heath Promotion Taskforce is a Cabinet Committee. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to complete the interview process for the post to lead the Office for Health Promotion.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We expect to complete recruitment for senior posts in the Office for Health Promotion by this autumn.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure the cross-departmental coordination necessary for the functioning of the Office for Health Promotion; and whether this will involve regular ministerial meetings with all interested departments.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Alongside the creation of the Office for Health Promotion, we will establish a new ministerial board on prevention to co-ordinate cross-Government action to improve accountability on the wider determinants of health.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Health Promotion will be their lead organisation for the promotion of physical activity.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will work with teams across the Department, the health system and wider partners to support action on physical activity. We will present more detail on our plans and ambitions for the OHP in due course.