Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans NHS England has to consult (a) the British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (b) the British Dietetic Association and (c) other organisations on guidance for commissioning nutrition and hydration services in 2018.
Answered by Steve Brine
The NHS England guidance ‘Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration (2015-2018)’ supports commissioners to develop strategies and address issues related to improvements in delivery and commissioning of nutrition and hydration needs in acute services and the community. The guidance has been developed in conjunction with key partners including the British Dietetic Association and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. NHS England has no plans to issue any further guidance at this time. Commissioners will be expected to continue to give due regard to the existing guidance, which remains relevant.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle opioid abuse?
Answered by Steve Brine
The Government takes seriously the issue of the misuse of opioid substances. In July we published a comprehensive new drug strategy setting out a balanced approach to tackling drug abuse, including opioid abuse, which brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drugs trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around. The Department leads on the Building Recovery strand and co-leads, with the Home Office, on the Reducing Demand strand of the cross-Government Drug Strategy. The strategy can be accessed at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-strategy-2017
We are committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug problem can access the help and support they need to overcome it. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services to meet the needs of their population and they are supported in this by Public Health England through the provision of data, guidance and targeted support.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on aiding medical research using NHS data gathering.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Government is committed to ensuring the health and care system in England realises the full benefits of sharing data in a safe, secure and legal way and is developing a simple, accessible way for patients to opt out of sharing their data for reasons other than their individual care and treatment.
Recognising that sharing information and data offers immense potential to improve the National Health Service and social care system, unlock new treatments and medical breakthroughs, and improve our and others lives, we are keen to ensure these benefits are understood by the public.
It is crucial, if data and information is to be used effectively to support better health and care outcomes that the public has trust and confidence that there are strong safeguards in place to protect their data from inappropriate use.
The Government has committed to put the role of the National Data Guardian on a statutory footing. This function will work to ensure that citizens’ confidential information is safeguarded securely whilst being used legally and transparently.
The Government is also committed to supporting innovation and improvement through the safe and secure use of data from the health and care system. NHS Digital is the trusted national provider of high-quality information, data and IT systems for health and social care, with a statutory duty in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, to assure the quality of all the data it collects, publishes and makes available, under strict controls, to the research community.
At present a wide range of data are collected from the NHS to support a range of secondary uses including within the research community. Recognising the value and importance of this data, NHS Digital has made a number of commitments to the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy. These include leading, alongside NHS England and Health Data Research UK, the development of Local Care Record exemplars and regional Digital Innovation hubs. The hubs will create controlled environments for real-world clinical studies and the comprehensive evaluation of new innovations so that patients can benefit from scientific breakthroughs much faster.
In addition, NHS Digital has set out national standards and approaches for data and interoperability and sponsors the Professional Records Standards Body to define the standards needed for good care records which are the foundation of strong data for research.
To support researchers understanding of the data access environment, NHS Digital is also rolling out a series of Roadshows for Researchers which will take place throughout the winter.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the findings of clinical trials at Rice University on women diagnosed with fibromyalgia that the condition is improved by providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In April 2013, NHS England produced a clinical commissioning policy specification for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) which sets out that HBOT will only be commissioned for the following indications:
― decompression illness;
― gas embolism; and
― acute carbon monoxide.
Patients with other conditions who are seeking HBOT would need to make an Individual Funding Request (IFR). Both the HBOT specification and guidance on the IFR process can be found at the following links:
www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/10/d11-p-a.pdf
Whilst the results of the Rice University trial are interesting, larger, high quality clinical trials would be needed to demonstrate the efficacy of HBOT in treating fibromyalgia.
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, some treatments can ease symptoms and support improved quality of life for patients. The treatments offered will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but may include:
― pharmacological pain relief;
― physiotherapy;
― dietary and exercise advice;
― counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy; and
― self-management programmes which aim to give patients the skills and confidence to manage their conditions more effectively.
There are also a number of NHS trusts that offer specialist fibromyalgia clinics, such as the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, which patients can access on referral from the clinician responsible for their care.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to support patients with fibromyalgia.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In April 2013, NHS England produced a clinical commissioning policy specification for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) which sets out that HBOT will only be commissioned for the following indications:
― decompression illness;
― gas embolism; and
― acute carbon monoxide.
Patients with other conditions who are seeking HBOT would need to make an Individual Funding Request (IFR). Both the HBOT specification and guidance on the IFR process can be found at the following links:
www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/10/d11-p-a.pdf
Whilst the results of the Rice University trial are interesting, larger, high quality clinical trials would be needed to demonstrate the efficacy of HBOT in treating fibromyalgia.
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, some treatments can ease symptoms and support improved quality of life for patients. The treatments offered will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but may include:
― pharmacological pain relief;
― physiotherapy;
― dietary and exercise advice;
― counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy; and
― self-management programmes which aim to give patients the skills and confidence to manage their conditions more effectively.
There are also a number of NHS trusts that offer specialist fibromyalgia clinics, such as the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, which patients can access on referral from the clinician responsible for their care.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make hyperbaric oxygen tanks available on the NHS for fibromyalgia patients.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In April 2013, NHS England produced a clinical commissioning policy specification for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) which sets out that HBOT will only be commissioned for the following indications:
― decompression illness;
― gas embolism; and
― acute carbon monoxide.
Patients with other conditions who are seeking HBOT would need to make an Individual Funding Request (IFR). Both the HBOT specification and guidance on the IFR process can be found at the following links:
www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/10/d11-p-a.pdf
Whilst the results of the Rice University trial are interesting, larger, high quality clinical trials would be needed to demonstrate the efficacy of HBOT in treating fibromyalgia.
Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, some treatments can ease symptoms and support improved quality of life for patients. The treatments offered will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but may include:
― pharmacological pain relief;
― physiotherapy;
― dietary and exercise advice;
― counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy; and
― self-management programmes which aim to give patients the skills and confidence to manage their conditions more effectively.
There are also a number of NHS trusts that offer specialist fibromyalgia clinics, such as the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, which patients can access on referral from the clinician responsible for their care.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for Government policies of medical and scientific evidence on the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers have made an assessment of the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease, as well as other conditions such as cancer, as part of their review of the alcohol guidelines. The alcohol guidelines give the public the latest and most up to date scientific information so they can make informed decisions about their own drinking. The advice can be read here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-risks-from-alcohol-new-guidelines
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the declaration by Sir James Munby in the matter of Z (A Child) (No. 2), on 20 May 2016, that sections 54(1) and (2) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 are incompatible with rights under Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights taken in conjunction with Article 8.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward proposals to change surrogacy law to give single parents with children born through surrogacy the same rights as couples.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to reduce the financial burden on people with cancer which arises from their condition and affects their ability to recover.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In its report Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020 (July 2015), the independent Cancer Taskforce called for an acceleration of the commissioning and provision of services to support people affected by cancer to live as healthy and as happy lives as possible. Over the last few years, NHS England has been working with Macmillan Cancer Support to roll out the Recovery Package, which describes a set of actions that ensure that the individual needs of all people going through cancer treatment and beyond are met by tailored support and services. By working through a Recovery Package, patients and clinicians assess patients’ holistic needs and plan appropriately for their care and support. They ensure that a treatment summary is sent between a patient’s hospital and their general practitioner (GP), that they are appropriately followed up by their GP, and can attend health and wellbeing events for patients and carers.
In September 2015, we announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. In April 2016, NHS England published guidance on the commissioning of these services to support people living with and beyond cancer, and will continue to support both Sustainability and Transformation Plan footprints and clinical commissioning groups to put this guidance into action. Support for patients living with and beyond cancer should be tailored specifically to the needs of every patient, including to access the financial support they need.