Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a national screening programme for prostate cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is guided on screening policy by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The committee has commissioned a university to carry out a high quality review and to create a cost effectiveness model of the evidence for a national prostate cancer screening programme. This includes targeted approaches to high risk groups and an offer to all men defined by age.
However, their previous review advised against screening because the current best test, the prostate specific antigen test, is not accurate. As a result, it can lead to some men receiving false reassurance when they do actually have prostate cancer, and others receiving unnecessary further tests when they did not have prostate cancer.
Black men are twice as likely as white men to get prostate cancer. But using an inaccurate test on this group of men might not reduce health inequalities. Instead, it risks leading to greater levels of misdiagnosis in this group. We need a better test, which is why the Government has invested £16 million in the TRANSFORM trial, to look for a better test. This trial will ensure that one in ten participants are black men.
Many prostate cancers are very slow growing and many men can live and die with prostate cancer, without ever showing any symptoms. Early diagnosis of prostate cancer can lead to unnecessary interventions and treatment that can have nasty and life altering side effects, for a cancer that would never have caused harm. That is why the UK NSC, when reviewing the evidence for a screening programme, must balance the benefits, including a reduction in mortality, against the harms. Only when the committee is confident that high quality evidence suggests a programme will do more good than harm will it be recommended.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 ensure appropriate funding is allocated for (a) early diagnosis and (b) effective monitoring of invasive lobular carcinoma; and what funding is allocated for the (i) development and (ii) availability of treatments for that disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is a priority for the Government. There are multiple National Health Service initiatives and funding streams across the NHS in England that support the early detection of breast cancer.
NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, invest in publishing information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, through the Help Us Help You campaigns.
The Department spends £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being one of the largest areas of spend at £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the treatment of lobular carcinoma.
The Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals programme aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of a new generation of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The programme, however, does not ringfence funding, or run funding programmes specific to cancer types.
Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan later this year, we will publish our National Cancer Plan. The cancer plan will include more details about how to improve outcomes for all tumour types through earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 ensure that people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome are supported financially; and whether he plans to include provisions for people with that syndrome within the 10-year health plan.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We want a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition, their families and carers receive high-quality, compassionate continuity of care.
The NHS Low Income Scheme can provide help with health costs on an income-related basis. Approximately 89% of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge and a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges in place. People with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome who are 60 years old or over are entitled to free prescriptions. For those that must pay for prescriptions, the cost can be capped by purchasing a pre-payment certificate.
Our 10-Year Health Plan will provide a shared vision for the health and care system in 2035, drawing directly from the extensive engagement undertaken with the public, patients and staff. The plan will include how care models and pathways for health conditions will need to change or evolve to better meet patients’ needs.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to increase access to GP appointments.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We’re investing an additional £889 million in funding for general practice in 2025-26, the biggest boost in years, and are recruiting 1,000 new GPs.
With this funding, we are making important reforms to bring back the family doctor and allow patients to request appointments online throughout core opening hours.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 reduce ambulance waiting times in (a) the South West of England and (b) Gloucestershire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ambulance services in Gloucestershire and the South West are provided by the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, with responsibility for commissioning the services a matter for the local NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB). Specific local actions needed to reduce ambulance waiting times should be undertaken and agreed locally by National Health Service organisations in the best interests of the local population and patients.
At a national level, the Government and NHS England are committed to improving ambulance response times. The NHS 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance sets national priorities, which include improving accident and emergency waiting times and ambulance response times compared to 2024/25.