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Written Question
Lyme Disease: Health Services
Monday 15th April 2024

Asked by: Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)

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 (a) promote better awareness within the NHS of the symptoms of Lyme disease and (b) speed up (i) testing and (ii) analysis of test results for Lyme disease.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) are specifically aimed at general practices (GPs), and cover the availability of testing services. The entomology group in the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also has a tick awareness scheme, which sends out information on avoiding tick bites in a spring campaign, and supports local authorities in areas with a high prevalence of Lyme disease. Further information on Lyme disease, access to testing, and the NICE’s CKS’ is available respectively at the links below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lyme-disease-guidance-data-and-analysis

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng95

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/lyme-disease/management/management/

All confirmatory testing in England is performed by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). Delays may occur in the referring laboratory when submitting the sample, during testing at the RIPL, or when accessing the results, which are sent back electronically, before being passed onto GPs. Only the RIPL is within the UKHSA’s control, and the RIPL is planning to introduce new technology to speed up tests for neuroborreliosis.

National data analysis is released through the Fingertips system, which is regularly updated. The annual number of cases of Lyme disease varies from year to year, depending on weather conditions in the Lyme season, the effects of weather and human activities on animals that harbor the disease, and the tick population. Further information on the Fingertips system is available at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/health-protection/data

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 21 Mar 2024
Business of the House

Speech Link

View all Geoffrey Cox (Con - Torridge and West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Business of the House
Division Vote (Commons)
18 Mar 2024 - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - View Vote Context
Geoffrey Cox (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 320 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 328 Noes - 250
MP Financial Interest
Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)
Original Source (18th March 2024)
1. Employment and earnings
15 February 2024, received £58,826.33 (no VAT) for legal services provided between 1 September 2023 and 31 January 2024. Hours: 50 hrs approx.
MP Financial Interest
Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)
Original Source (18th March 2024)
1. Employment and earnings
15 February 2024, received £1,500 (no VAT) for legal services provided between 5 January 2024 and 15 February 2024. Hours: 1.5 hrs approx.
MP Financial Interest
Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)
Original Source (18th March 2024)
1. Employment and earnings
15 February 2024, received £5,000 (no VAT) for legal services provided between 5 January 2024 and 15 February 2023. Hours: 5 hrs approx.
Division Vote (Commons)
14 Mar 2024 - Asylum and Migration - View Vote Context
Geoffrey Cox (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 215 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 36 Noes - 220
Division Vote (Commons)
14 Mar 2024 - Asylum and Migration - View Vote Context
Geoffrey Cox (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 215 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 218 Noes - 35
Division Vote (Commons)
13 Mar 2024 - National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) (No.2) Bill - View Vote Context
Geoffrey Cox (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 296 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 44 Noes - 300
Division Vote (Commons)
13 Mar 2024 - Business without Debate - View Vote Context
Geoffrey Cox (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 288 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 291 Noes - 147