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Written Question
Congenital Hyperinsulinism
Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Asked by: Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with NHS England to embed knowledge of Congenital Hyperinsulinism among medical professionals and associations responsible for neo-natal, post-natal and paediatric care, to ensure urgent diagnosis to prevent neurological harm.

Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.


Written Question
Congenital Hyperinsulinism: Children
Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Asked by: Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for prioritising early diagnosis of Congenital Hyperinsulinism to prevent Hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm in babies and children.

Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.


Written Question
Congenital Hyperinsulinism: Children
Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Asked by: Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken (1) to offer children with Congenital Hyperinsulinism continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in order to avoid Hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm, and (2) to ensure equality of funding for children with Hyperinsulinism regardless of geographical location in England.

Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.


Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 23 Nov 2022
Tobacco Control Plan

"My Lords, the Health Foundation recently published figures showing that the budgets for tobacco control and smoking cessation have been cut in real terms by 41%. Is not part of the answer to funding treatment for addiction to tobacco, alcohol and gambling the extension of the “polluter pays” principle? What …..."
Lord Rennard - View Speech

View all Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Tobacco Control Plan

Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 09 Nov 2022
Bereavement Support

"My Lords, I lost my father at the age of three and lost my mother just before I was 17. At that point, my schoolfriends did not know what to say, my teachers’ concern was confined to my academic progress, and when I was suffering from the consequences of bereavement …..."
Lord Rennard - View Speech

View all Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Bereavement Support

Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 09 Nov 2022
Ambulance Delays

"My Lords, as the Minister has already suggested, part of the problem is unnecessary call-outs to ambulance services for people who do not need admission to hospital. Care homes regularly call on ambulance services to lift their fallen residents, even though more than 45% are uninjured and do not require …..."
Lord Rennard - View Speech

View all Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Ambulance Delays

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 17 Oct 2022
Childhood Obesity

"My Lords, this morning, this month’s Chancellor reversed nearly all last month’s Chancellor’s tax changes. Meanwhile, increasing levels of childhood obesity are adding considerably to the cost to the NHS of treating conditions such as diabetes. Can the Minister confirm the commitment to the soft drinks industry levy, which has …..."
Lord Rennard - View Speech

View all Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Childhood Obesity

Written Question
Cystic Fibrosis: Mental Health Services and Social Workers
Thursday 28th July 2022

Asked by: Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) paediatric, and (2) adult, cystic fibrosis centres in England had a (a) social worker, and (b) clinical psychologist, vacancy for more than six months for each year since 2015.

Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)

The information requested is not held centrally.


Written Question
Diabetes: Medical Treatments
Wednesday 20th April 2022

Asked by: Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the status of the forthcoming medicines update of the NG28 Type 2 Diabetes Guideline; and how long it will take for updated guidance to be produced.

Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the updated guidance Type 2 diabetes in adults: management on 31 March 2022. A copy of the guidance is attached. NICE made new recommendations on the use of medicines for adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in November 2021 and for adults with type 2 diabetes in February 2022. NICE is also updating its recommendations on medicines for type 2 diabetes in children and young people and expects to publish updated guidance in January 2024.


Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 05 Apr 2022
Health and Care Bill

"My Lords, if I understood the Minister correctly in his introductory remarks, he was saying that the Government’s case against the amendment is that they do not want to consult on something to which they are not already committed. So what is the point of consultations if they are only …..."
Lord Rennard - View Speech

View all Lord Rennard (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Health and Care Bill