Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 10 October 2024 to Question 7591 on Brain: Tumours, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government funding into brain tumour research.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is the largest area of spend, at over £121.8 million in 2022/23, and with the NIHR spending more on cancer than any other disease group, reflecting its high priority.
Over the last five years, the NIHR has directly invested £11.3 million on brain tumour research. In addition, our wider investments in NIHR research infrastructure, facilities, services, and the research workforce, allows us to leverage research funding from other donors and organisations. These investments are estimated to be £31.5 million, between 2018/19 and 2022/23, and have enabled 227 brain cancer research studies to take place in the same period. In total, NIHR investments have enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research in the National Health Service over this time. These investments are complemented by efforts led by UK Research and Innovation and the Medical Research Council.
Brain cancer remains one of the hardest to treat cancers in both adults and children and we urgently need more research to inform our efforts, which is why the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research last month, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-funding-opportunities-novel-brain-tumour-research-launched
Brain cancer and children's cancer research will continue to be a priority into the future, and the Department, through the NIHR, will continue to fund high-quality science to expand lifesaving and life-improving research.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry on access to clinical trials for brain tumour patients.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to working with the pharmaceutical industry to implement the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, maximising our potential to be a world leader in clinical trials.
The current programme governance groups overseeing the delivery on the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review, including improving access to clinical trials across the United Kingdom, includes representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and across the clinical research sector.
Through this programme, the Department is committed to working with the pharmaceutical industry to develop a more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible clinical research system in the UK, ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical research and innovative, lifesaving treatments.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 support (a) adult and (b) paediatric brain tumour patients with a terminal diagnosis to find and participate in clinical trials.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to National Health Service patients, including those with brain tumours, and to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials.
The Department funds research and research infrastructure, which supports brain tumour patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).
In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing brain tumour patients access to clinical trials.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to National Health Service patients, including those with brain tumours, and to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials.
The Department funds research and research infrastructure, which supports brain tumour patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).
In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) public bodies and (b) agencies to run campaigns aimed at encouraging brain tumour patients to participate in clinical trials.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department awards funding to encourage participation of brain tumour patients in clinical trials through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department’s research delivery arm. Funding is awarded through open competition, and researchers are expected to include a robust plan for patient and public involvement as part of their application.
Between 2018/19 and 2022/2, the NIHR has invested £11.3 million directly in brain tumour research, as well as investing £31.5 million in research infrastructure, including facilities, services, and the research workforce, allowing research funding to be leveraged from other donors and organisations. This funding has allowed 227 brain cancer research studies to be carried out and enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research into brain cancer within the National Health Service.
In addition, the NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, such as brain cancer.
In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients who are living with brain tumours and their families, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 issuing guidance with NHS bodies on Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Department has no plans to issue guidance on the treatment of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone on access to healthcare in London.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The decision to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a matter for the Mayor of London. The NHS in London has been engaged in consultations on these plans, and impacts on access to NHS services are being considered. NHS patients may be able to claim the ULEZ charge through their treating NHS provider if they cannot travel by public transport and meet clinical criteria. The existing Zone is making an important contribution to the health of Londoners.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many special schools are currently in receipt of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service; and how many children attend those schools.
Answered by Will Quince
There are 83 special schools with approximately 9,324 children who have participated in the NHS England’s Special Schools Eye Care Service proof of concept programme. NHS England is currently evaluating the programme to inform the future of any special schools’ sight testing service model and will set out the further information in due course.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will publish further information on future plans for the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service.
Answered by Will Quince
There are 83 special schools with approximately 9,324 children who have participated in the NHS England’s Special Schools Eye Care Service proof of concept programme. NHS England is currently evaluating the programme to inform the future of any special schools’ sight testing service model and will set out the further information in due course.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been allocated by Government bodies and agencies to run awareness campaigns on the risks of cancer for (a) children and (b) young adults in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) the year ahead.
Answered by James Morris
There have been no specific campaigns through the Department or its executive agencies. The National Health Service is currently scoping a campaign for 2023/24 to raise awareness of the symptoms of blood cancer, which may include advice for younger people.