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Written Question
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8042 on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs, whether it remains her Department's policy to resolve disruptions with the supply of ADHD medication by April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues and expedite deliveries to boost supplies of medicines uses for the management of ADHD, as quickly as possible. We have been informed that these should largely be resolved by April or May 2024.

As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. Certain strengths of lisdexamphetamine, guanfacine, and all strengths of atomoxetine capsules are now available. While supply issues remain for some ADHD medicines, we continue to escalate these issues with manufacturers to ensure action is taken to resolve regulatory issues and expedite deliveries, to alleviate these shortages as soon as possible.

Health is a devolved matter and as such decisions on availability of medicines in Wales are a matter for the devolved administrations. However, the Department works closely with suppliers, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the devolved administrations, and other stakeholders to ensure patients continue to have access to the treatments they need.

The Department’s officials regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the Welsh Health and Social Services, including on the access to medicines. The Department has had no specific discussions with the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services.


Written Question
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services on the availability of (a) atomoxetine, (b) lisdexamfetamine, (c) methylphenidate and (d) other ADHD medication.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues and expedite deliveries to boost supplies of medicines uses for the management of ADHD, as quickly as possible. We have been informed that these should largely be resolved by April or May 2024.

As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. Certain strengths of lisdexamphetamine, guanfacine, and all strengths of atomoxetine capsules are now available. While supply issues remain for some ADHD medicines, we continue to escalate these issues with manufacturers to ensure action is taken to resolve regulatory issues and expedite deliveries, to alleviate these shortages as soon as possible.

Health is a devolved matter and as such decisions on availability of medicines in Wales are a matter for the devolved administrations. However, the Department works closely with suppliers, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the devolved administrations, and other stakeholders to ensure patients continue to have access to the treatments they need.

The Department’s officials regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the Welsh Health and Social Services, including on the access to medicines. The Department has had no specific discussions with the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services.


Written Question
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Wales
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure adequate availability of (a) atomoxetine, (b) lisdexamfetamine, (c) methylphenidate and (d) other Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medication within (i) NHS Wales and (ii) Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues and expedite deliveries to boost supplies of medicines uses for the management of ADHD, as quickly as possible. We have been informed that these should largely be resolved by April or May 2024.

As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. Certain strengths of lisdexamphetamine, guanfacine, and all strengths of atomoxetine capsules are now available. While supply issues remain for some ADHD medicines, we continue to escalate these issues with manufacturers to ensure action is taken to resolve regulatory issues and expedite deliveries, to alleviate these shortages as soon as possible.

Health is a devolved matter and as such decisions on availability of medicines in Wales are a matter for the devolved administrations. However, the Department works closely with suppliers, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the devolved administrations, and other stakeholders to ensure patients continue to have access to the treatments they need.

The Department’s officials regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the Welsh Health and Social Services, including on the access to medicines. The Department has had no specific discussions with the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services.


Written Question
NHS: Older Workers
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) physical and (b) mental ability of NHS staff to work beyond the state pension age.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No recent assessment has been made. National Health Service staff are not expected to work beyond state pension age, though some choose to do so. The NHS Pension Scheme is generous, and provides good pensions for retirement. The scheme offers a partial retirement option, which allows staff to draw down part of their pension and continue working in a more flexible way.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan commits to going beyond statutory requirements in supporting and promoting flexible working opportunities. NHS England have produced guidance for employers on supporting their older workforce, together with a wide-ranging package of support for NHS staff. This includes tools and resources to support line managers to hold meaningful conversations with staff to discuss their well-being, and emotional and psychological health and wellbeing support.


Written Question
NHS: Pay
Friday 26th January 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress her Department has made on (a) reviewing the timing and appointment process for the NHS pay review bodies, (b) increasing NHS Staff Council input into NHS pay review bodies and (c) implementing the other non-pay elements of the 2023-24 NHS pay agreement relating to the future pay-setting process.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that the pay setting process and the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) operates effectively. As part of non-pay commitments from the Agenda for Change deal, we are working with stakeholders to explore four themes: the timing of rounds; the interaction between the Staff Council and the NHSPRB; common data sources between stakeholders; and how appointments are made to the NHSPRB.

The work to review these elements of the process is currently underway, and the outcomes will be agreed in due course. The Government will continue to engage constructively with trade unions and employers to deliver all of the non-pay commitments to support the National Health Service workforce, including the pay-setting process.


Written Question
Physician Associates
Monday 8th January 2024

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of requiring physician associates to work under a named registered medical practitioner.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Both in training, and subsequently qualified practice, physician associates (PAs) must work with a dedicated medical supervisor which will be a consultant, general practitioner, or other senior medical personnel.

Training to become a PA involves supervised practice with real patients in clinical attachments. The dedicated medical supervisor is responsible for the supervision and management of a student’s educational progress throughout the clinical placements of the course. However, any professional in a placement location who is competent to do so may train, supervise, and assess a PA student in a particular skill, procedure, or competence. This includes practising PAs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.


Written Question
Social Services: Labour Turnover and Recruitment
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

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 increase staff recruitment and retention in the adult social care sector.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

  • We have embarked on ambitious reforms for the care workforce, including a new career structure, creating new qualifications, and providing subsidised training places.

  • In addition, through grant funding we have made almost £2 billion available to Local Authorities over this year and next with a particular focus on workforce pay, recruitment and retention.

  • We have also relaunched the next phase of our “Made with Care” national recruitment campaign which promotes social care as a career.


Written Question
Bereavement Counselling
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on helping ensure all NHS England trusts provide bereavement services seven days a week by the end of 2023-24.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

In 2023/24, NHS England is investing £5.9 million to support the delivery of daily bereavement care services for women and families who suffer pregnancy/baby loss and growing the number of staff trained in bereavement care.

The commitment to ensure availability of bereavement services seven days a week by the end of 2023/24 is part of NHS England’s three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. National Health Service trusts are working to ensure appropriate services are available on a daily basis, in line with the essential actions outlined in the Ockenden review. NHS England has also included training for staff who encounter bereaved parents in our national core competency framework, which sets out the minimum expected training for all maternity units.


Written Question
Childbirth: Death and Injuries
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) stillbirths, (b) neonatal deaths, (c) maternal deaths and (d) brain injuries in babies occurring soon after birth there have been in each year since 2010.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The below tables contain data for the four metrics requested from 2010 up until the most recent year available. The metrics relate to England only, except for maternal deaths which covers the United Kingdom. The metrics are used to monitor the Government’s National Maternity Safety Ambition which aims to halve rates of stillbirth, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries by 2025 from their 2010 baseline. The ambition also aims to reduce the pre-term birth rate from 8% to 6% by 2025.

The following table shows the number of stillbirths in England since 2010:

Year

Number

Rate per 1,000 total births

2010

3,506

5.1

2011

3,619

5.2

2012

3,357

4.8

2013

3,103

4.6

2014

3,047

4.6

2015

2,952

4.4

2016

2,895

4.3

2017

2,679

4.1

2018

2,520

4.0

2019

2,346

3.8

2020

2,231

3.8

2021

2,451

4.1

2022

2,276

3.9

Source: Office for National Statistics, Births in England and Wales

Note: The definition of stillbirth used is a baby born after 24 or more weeks completed gestation and which did not, at any time, breathe or show signs of life.

The following table shows the number of babies with a brain injury occurring during or soon after birth in England since 2010:

Year

Number

Rate per 1,000 live births

2010

2,594

4.3

2011

2,906

4.4

2012

2,950

4.2

2013

2,966

4.5

2014

3,097

4.7

2015

3,055

4.6

2016

3,074

4.6

2017

2,947

4.6

2018

2,872

4.6

2019

2,591

4.2

Source: Brain injury occurring during or soon after birth: annual incidence and rates of brain injuries to monitor progress against the national maternity ambition, 2018 and 2019 national data (Imperial College London).

Notes:

  1. To account for incomplete Brain Injuries data in 2010 and 2011, brain injury numbers and rates for these two years were estimated.
  2. Definition used: "Babies admitted to a neonatal unit in England, receiving at least one episode of care for a brain injury occurring during or soon after birth."

The following table shows the number of neonatal deaths in England since 2010:

Year

Number

Rate per 1,000 total births

2010

1,329

2.0

2011

1,344

2.0

2012

1,269

1.8

2013

1,154

1.7

2014

1,075

1.6

2015

1,078

1.6

2016

1,059

1.6

2017

1,030

1.6

2018

947

1.5

2019

844

1.4

2020

733

1.3

2021

812

1.4

Source: ‘All data related to Child and infant mortality in England and Wales: 2021’, Office for National Statistics.

Note: Definition used: A neonatal death is the death of an infant under 28 days for babies born at a gestational age of 24 weeks or over.”

The following table shows the number of maternal deaths in England since 2009:

Years

Number

Rate per 100,000 maternities

2009-11

253

10.6

2010-12

243

10.1

2011-13

214

9

2012-14

200

8.5

2013-15

202

8.8

2014-16

225

9.8

2015-17

209

9.2

2016-18

217

9.7

2017-19

191

8.8

2018-20

229

10.9

2019-21

241

11.6

Source: “Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2019-21”, MBRRACE-UK

Notes:

  1. Definition used: “A maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.”
  2. Due to the small number of maternal deaths, rates are published in three-year periods.


Written Question
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Friday 8th September 2023

Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the letter of 14 June 2023 from the Minister of State for Social Care to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, when he plans to publish a revised Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Last year, the Government ran a public consultation on an updated Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice, including the Liberty Protection Safeguards. Although the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards has been delayed beyond the life of this Parliament, the Department still intends to publish a summary of the consultation responses and work with the Ministry of Justice to make further revisions to the Code, to ensure all those who work with the Act and those who are affected by it have access to accurate practical guidance. The revised Code will be published as soon as practicable and the sector will be updated further in due course.