Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure a stable supply of contrast media agents used in medical imaging; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
While the Department is aware of supply issues affecting a number of contrast media agents, we expect this to be fully resolved by the end of 2022. We have regular discussions with the suppliers and continue to provide supply updates to the National Health Service.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that new community diagnostic centres do not move diagnostic healthcare professionals from acute hospital sites.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England is ensuring that local systems develop workforce plans for community diagnostic centres (CDCs), which include reliable recruitment routes to deliver the required staffing. Investment in digital diagnostics is anticipated to deliver an approximate increase of 10% in workforce productivity and reduce demands on staff in diagnostic services.
Where a dedicated workforce for a CDC is not yet in place, local systems are asked to rotate staff between acute settings and CDCs, which minimises the risk to acute services and includes the use of digital staff passports.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that all patients who present to the GP with symptoms of leukaemia get a blood test within 48 hours, in accordance with the NICE NG12 guidelines.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
NHS England’s cancer programme is working with the Blood Cancer Alliance on the development of a potential national blood cancer symptom awareness campaign for 2023/24. The programme will also consider ways to improve GPs’ awareness of blood cancer symptoms, including the 48-hour blood test recommendation.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the need for a National Carers Strategy, to support unpaid carers to stay in paid work and have access to adequate breaks and support services, whilst continuing with their caring role.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
We are supporting for the hon. Member for North East Fife’s (Wendy Chamberlain MP) Private Members’ Bill, which would introduce a new entitlement to one week of Carer’s Leave for all employees providing care for a dependant with a long-term care need. Funding for respite and short breaks for carers is also included in the National Health Service contribution to the Better Care Fund (BCF). In 2022/23, £291.7 million from the BCF will provide short breaks and respite services and advice and support for carers under the Care Act.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the (a) rate of and (b) average time taken to fill clinical radiology vacancies in the North East.
Answered by Will Quince
No specific assessment has been made. National Health Service trusts are responsible for managing vacancies and recruitment processes locally.
As of July 2022, there were 696 full time equivalent doctors working in the clinical radiology specialism in the North East and Yorkshire. This is an increase of 2.7% compared to July 2021 and a 34% increase since July 2010. From 2016 to 2021, there has been an increase in entry points of 63% in clinical radiology specialty training places in England.
We have funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places each year for domestic students in England, with the first graduates entering foundation training from August 2022. We have also delivered five new medical schools in England, including at the University of Sunderland.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for her policies of the (a) rate of and (b) average time taken to fill clinical radiology vacancies in the North East.
Answered by Will Quince
No specific assessment has been made. National Health Service trusts are responsible for managing vacancies and recruitment processes locally.
As of July 2022, there were 696 full time equivalent doctors working in the clinical radiology specialism in the North East and Yorkshire. This is an increase of 2.7% compared to July 2021 and a 34% increase since July 2010. From 2016 to 2021, there has been an increase in entry points of 63% in clinical radiology specialty training places in England.
We have funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places each year for domestic students in England, with the first graduates entering foundation training from August 2022. We have also delivered five new medical schools in England, including at the University of Sunderland.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that recent data on the rates of emergency diagnosis of leukaemia are published.
Answered by Will Quince
The National Disease Registration Service publishes the Emergency Presentations of Cancer, which includes three sub-types of leukaemia. The latest data shows information to December 2021 and further publications will be available in due course.