Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the availability of Estraderm patches in each region.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, a range of factors including an increase in demand has led to issues with a limited number of products.
There are currently Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP) in place for Sandrena gel, Lenzetto spray and Estraderm MX 75 microgram patches. We are aware of ongoing supply issues with these products and have extended the SSP
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
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 monitor the national availability of HRT.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, factors including an increase in demand has led to supply issues with a limited number of products. We regularly engage with suppliers, the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of disrupted HRT products.
We have issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on HRT products to ensure an even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed as necessary. Since April 2022, 17 SSPs for HRT products have been issued and seven remain in place as the supply of several products affected by short term supply issues has been resolved. We regularly communicate with the NHS on shortages and discontinuations, including HRT products currently affected by supply issues and via the Specialist Pharmacy Service Medicine Supply tool.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Healthy Start vouchers for funding the cost of infant formula.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Healthy Start scheme is kept under continuous review.
In April 2021, the value of the Healthy Start benefit was raised from £3.10 to £4.25 per week, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices. Children aged under one year old receive £8.50 per week, an increase from £6.20.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the availability of Fluoxetine in each region.
Answered by Will Quince
There is currently a Serious Shortage Protocol in place for fluoxetine 10 milligram tablets, which allows pharmacists to supply a specified alternative fluoxetine product. All other fluoxetine products remain available.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the average cost of safely feeding a baby requiring infant formula for the first six months of its life.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
There are no current plans to make such an estimate.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports that women are struggling to access HRT despite medical bodies reporting no supply issues.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, a range of factors including an increase in demand has led to issues with a limited number of products. We have been working with suppliers, stakeholders and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products.
Since Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on specific HRT products were introduced to ensure even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed, supplies have now improved and recently, several SSPs have been removed. Suppliers have secured additional stock of products experiencing shortages and deliveries have been expedited. We share regular communications on shortages, discontinuations and supply information with the NHS.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports of shortages of hormonal replacement therapies.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, a range of factors including an increase in demand has led to issues with a limited number of products. We have been working with suppliers, stakeholders and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products.
Since Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on specific HRT products were introduced to ensure even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed, supplies have now improved and recently, several SSPs have been removed. Suppliers have secured additional stock of products experiencing shortages and deliveries have been expedited. We share regular communications on shortages, discontinuations and supply information with the NHS.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports of shortages of HRT.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, a range of factors including an increase in demand has led to issues with a limited number of products. We have been working with suppliers, stakeholders and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products.
Since Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on specific HRT products were introduced to ensure even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed, supplies have now improved and recently, several SSPs have been removed. Suppliers have secured additional stock of products experiencing shortages and deliveries have been expedited. We share regular communications on shortages, discontinuations and supply information with the NHS.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of reports that women are struggling to access HRT despite medical bodies reporting no supply issues.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, a range of factors including an increase in demand has led to issues with a limited number of products. We have been working with suppliers, stakeholders and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products.
Since Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on specific HRT products were introduced to ensure even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed, supplies have now improved and recently, several SSPs have been removed. Suppliers have secured additional stock of products experiencing shortages and deliveries have been expedited. We share regular communications on shortages, discontinuations and supply information with the NHS.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to have discussions with podiatrists on the future of NHS treatment for diabetic foot complications.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department currently has no plans to have discussions with podiatrists on this topic. A national Recovery Fund was established in 2021/22 with the aim of supporting recovery of routine diabetes care with innovative projects. This funding will support the recovery of routine care but also delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan commitments which includes: the provision of Multidisciplinary Footcare Teams (MDFT); Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurses (DISN); and actions that increase achievement of treatment targets.