Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Major Conditions Strategy on the needs of children and young people that are diagnosed with cancer; and whether she plans to produce a bespoke strategy for them.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.
Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.
NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.
Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.
While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.
The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.
In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.
These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.
The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to insert an addition to the Major Conditions Strategy requiring children and young people with cancer to receive (a) age appropriate care and (b) personalised care.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.
Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.
NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.
Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.
While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.
The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.
In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.
These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.
The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for South Shields of 2 November 2023.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We replied to this correspondence on 21 December 2023. With apologies, this case was delayed as part of our continued backlog of cases following the pandemic and we are currently working through an urgent recovery plan to resolve this.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
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 11 December 2023 to Question 4438 on Healthy Start Scheme: Expenditure, whether Healthy Start costs have now been published.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2021/22 are due to be published by the end of January 2024. Healthy Start costs will be available following this publication.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many incidents of (a) self-harm, (b) suicide and (c) attempted suicide by patients within (i) 24 and (ii) 48 hours of discharge from a mental health hospital have been been recorded in the past year.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Mental Health Services Dataset (MHSDS) does not hold the information requested.
The University of Manchester provides data on suicides for people in contact with mental health services annually. Their reports are available at the following link:
https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/ncish/reports/
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 1 June 2023 from the hon. Member for South Shields.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Markham) has received the hon. Member’s letter and will reply shortly.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much her Department spent on the Healthy Start Scheme in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
2022-23 financial year spend information is subject to the upcoming DHSC Annual Report and Accounts publication, which is due to be published imminently. Healthy Start costs will be available following this publication.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
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 reduce waiting times for cancer treatment.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving cancer treatment waiting times is a top priority for the government and is a key focus of our elective recovery plan, backed by an additional £8bn in revenue funding across the Spending Review Period.
In the 2023/24 Operational Planning Guidance, NHS England announced it is providing over £390m to Cancer Alliances. This will support delivery of operational priorities for cancer which includes increasing and prioritising cancer treatment capacity.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospital admissions there were for (a) scurvy, (b) rickets, (c) vitamin D deficiency and (d) malnutrition in age groups (i) up to four, (ii) five to nine, (iii) 10-16 and (iv) over 17 years in (A) 2020/21 and (B) 2021/22.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The following tables show activity in National Health Service hospitals and NHS-commissioned activity in the independent sector in England, with a count of Finished Admission Episodes with a “primary” or “primary or secondary diagnosis” of scurvy, rickets, vitamin D deficiency and malnutrition by age group for 2020/21 and 2021/22:
2020/21 | Primary Diagnosis | |||
Patient Age (years) | Scurvy | Rickets | Vitamin D Deficiency | Malnutrition |
0-4 | 1 | 41 | 28 | 11 |
5-9 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 |
10-16 | 2 | 8 | 50 | 16 |
17 or over | 2 | 0 | 586 | 765 |
2020/21 | Primary or Secondary Diagnosis | |||
Patient Age (years) | Scurvy | Rickets | Vitamin D Deficiency | Malnutrition |
0-4 | 3 | 41 | 1,715 | 71 |
5-9 | 4 | 1 | 1,698 | 43 |
10-16 | 10 | 8 | 4,713 | 165 |
17 or over | 151 | 0 | 126,785 | 9,681 |
2021/22 | Primary Diagnosis | |||
Patient Age (years) | Scurvy | Rickets | Vitamin D Deficiency | Malnutrition |
0-4 | 2 | 41 | 64 | 14 |
5-9 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 11 |
10-16 | 4 | 3 | 91 | 15 |
17 or over | 3 | 1 | 863 | 843 |
2021/22 | Primary or Secondary Diagnosis | |||
Patient Age (years) | Scurvy | Rickets | Vitamin D Deficiency | Malnutrition |
0-4 | 5 | 41 | 2,054 | 73 |
5-9 | 17 | 8 | 1,810 | 67 |
10-16 | 29 | 3 | 6,022 | 140 |
17 or over | 144 | 1 | 167,169 | 10,242 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS England
The root causes of malnutrition may be clinical, for example disease-related, social and/or economic. These problems often interact in a complex cycle. Some health conditions can lead to malnutrition including eating disorders, although malnutrition itself is not an eating disorder.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of recipients of Healthy Start paper vouchers have not re-enrolled via the online registration system.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The NHS Business Services Authority estimate that as of 15 October 2023 there were 20,500 households which previously were in receipt of paper vouchers which have not successfully applied to the NHS Healthy Start prepaid card scheme. This is around 7% of the 286,791 households that were in receipt of paper vouchers in August 2021. The 7% figure includes households that are no longer eligible to apply for the Healthy Start scheme.
In September 2023, uptake for the Healthy Start scheme was 68.2%. Uptake of the fully digitised scheme is higher than the previous paper voucher scheme. Healthy Start now supports around 367,000 beneficiaries.