Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that female-only medical conditions are included in medical training and research.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The General Medical Council (GMC) sets and enforces the standards that all doctors, Anaesthesia Associates, and Physician Associates must adhere to. The standard of training for doctors is the responsibility of the GMC, who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level. Individual medical schools set their own curricula, which must meet the standards and expected outcomes set by the GMC. The GMC has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment for the majority of doctors, including all medical students graduating from the 2024/25 academic year and onwards. Within this assessment are a number of topics relating to women’s health, including fibroids, endometriosis, and urinary incontinence. This will encourage a better understanding of common health problems for women among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR expects to implement its sex and gender policy in spring 2025. Implementing such a policy will ensure that research accounts for sex and gender across every stage of the research cycle, thus facilitating both an assessment of the funding into topics that impact men and women and, crucially, a greater understanding of how women might be impacted differently.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 potential economic impact of seeking unlicensed products as an alternative to Creon to mitigate ongoing pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy shortages on pharmacies.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There has been no assessment on the potential economic impact of seeking unlicensed products as an alternative to Creon.
The Department is continuing to engage with suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) and special importers of unlicensed medicines to increase the availability of PERT to mitigate the supply issue. The supplier of Creon expects to receive increased quantities for 2025. In December, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public-facing page which includes the latest updates on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice, including advice on preserving available stock of alternative PERT for certain patient cohorts.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 effect of access to nutritious, appetising hospital food on patient's health, recovery and time spent in hospital; and what plans he has to introduce policies to improve access to that food.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Independent Review of Hospital Food, applicable to hospitals in England only, and published in October 2020, made a suite of recommendations for improving hospital food. The review made clear the positive effect on patient recovery and wellbeing of access to nutritious, healthy food.
In response to the Independent Review of Hospital Food, NHS England published their updated Food and Drink Standards in November 2022. These set out the expectations for National Health Service trusts regarding the food they provide to patients and staff. Emphasis is placed on providing healthy, nutritious food options.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 ensure that immunocompromised people with conditions that render them more vulnerable to covid-19 have timely access to effective (a) protective drugs and (b) support measures.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Since June 2023, the pathway for COVID-19 treatments has been delegated from the former national pandemic-specific arrangements to more routine local arrangements for assessment and treatment. Integrated care boards are now responsible for ensuring that local health systems understand local pathways and how to refer patients for assessment and treatment. Information on treatments for COVID-19 is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/treatments-for-covid-19/
This autumn, individuals who are immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk will receive booster vaccinations, following the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The UK Health Security Agency supports engagement within its remit with the voluntary and community sector, including through the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance, the Immunocompromised Coalition, and organisations representing inclusion health groups.