Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an a) estimate of the number of NHS refrigerators and other medical equipment containing cellular internet of things modules manufactured by Chinese companies and b) assessment of the risks relating to remote access and device control of such equipment.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Care to 2030 sets out a vision for a cyber resilient health and care sector, including focusing on the greatest risks and harms. Through the mandatory Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), we set a cyber security standard for National Health Service organisations proportionate to their risk profile and in response to the cyber threat. Adherence to this standard, in addition to the standards and guidance that we publish around procurement of medical devices, will help organisations to ensure that their networks are secure and that risks with associated Internet-of-Things medical devices are suitably understood and mitigated. The strategy is available at the following link:
Individual organisations are responsible for the procurement of medical devices. No estimate of the number of NHS refrigerators and other medical equipment containing cellular internet of things modules manufactured by Chinese companies is currently held nationally. As part of the procurement, risk assessments of equipment will be carried out in accordance with the Guidance on protecting connected medical devices, which is available at the following link:
Implementation of these guidelines and standards are monitored through the mandatory DSPT which is independently audited for NHS trusts. To further strengthen the resilience of the NHS critical supply chain, the Cyber Security Supply Chain Charter has been published. The charter allows current and future suppliers to publicly pledge to be a trusted partner to health and care system. We have a dedicated workstream in the Cyber Improvement Programme that is focused on this particular risk, developing tools and processes to increase cyber assurance and resilience. The charter is available at the following link:
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of NHS refrigerators containing cellular internet of things modules manufactured by Chinese companies.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Care to 2030 sets out a vision for a cyber resilient health and care sector, including focusing on the greatest risks and harms. Through the mandatory Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), we set a cyber security standard for National Health Service organisations proportionate to their risk profile and in response to the cyber threat. Adherence to this standard, in addition to the standards and guidance that we publish around procurement of medical devices, will help organisations to ensure that their networks are secure and that risks with associated Internet-of-Things medical devices are suitably understood and mitigated. The strategy is available at the following link:
Individual organisations are responsible for the procurement of medical devices. No estimate of the number of NHS refrigerators and other medical equipment containing cellular internet of things modules manufactured by Chinese companies is currently held nationally. As part of the procurement, risk assessments of equipment will be carried out in accordance with the Guidance on protecting connected medical devices, which is available at the following link:
Implementation of these guidelines and standards are monitored through the mandatory DSPT which is independently audited for NHS trusts. To further strengthen the resilience of the NHS critical supply chain, the Cyber Security Supply Chain Charter has been published. The charter allows current and future suppliers to publicly pledge to be a trusted partner to health and care system. We have a dedicated workstream in the Cyber Improvement Programme that is focused on this particular risk, developing tools and processes to increase cyber assurance and resilience. The charter is available at the following link:
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on (a) which NHS trusts provide staff with statutory paternity leave and pay, (b) which NHS trusts provide staff with enhanced paternity leave and pay and (c) levels of take up of those across trusts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the uptake of these arrangements by National Health Service trusts in England.
Employing organisations are legally bound to provide two weeks of statutory paternity leave and pay where individuals meet the required eligibility criteria.
The national terms and conditions for staff on Agenda for Change, resident doctor, specialty and specialist doctor, and consultant contracts provide an enhanced paternity pay offer which uprates statutory pay to full pay where the additional eligibility criteria, as set out in the respective national contracts, is met.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what methods the NHS uses to sterilise equipment to help prevent vCJD contamination; how long these methods have been used for; and what assessment he has made on the effectiveness of these methods.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The National Health Service in England employs a stratified approach, combining extended autoclaving, enhanced washing, prion specific chemicals, and the destruction of high-risk instruments. The Health Technical Memorandum 01-01: Management and decontamination of surgical instruments (medical devices) used in acute care, published in 2013 and owned by the Department, outlines the decontamination practices and the various ways to sterilise reusable medical devices used in acute care in England. This technical memorandum is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/decontamination-of-surgical-instruments-htm-01-01/
The Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) issued new guidance to the NHS in April 1998 in response to the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) outbreak, to improve decontamination practices. Its guidance is reviewed and updated to ensure it remains accurate, effective, and compliant with current scientific evidence, and was last updated in November 2021. The ACDP’s guidance is available at the following link:
Since decontamination measures were put in place, there have been no confirmed cases of vCJD via surgical instruments in England.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to health boards on whether they should consider (a) the mental health impacts of alopecia and (b) other factors prior to prescribing Ritlecitinib.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations for the National Health Service in England on the use of new medicines, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.
The NICE issued guidance in March 2024 that recommends ritlecitinib, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health. At the present time, there are no plans to update this guidance.
As health is a devolved issue, information relating to guidance on the use of ritlecitinib in Scotland would be held by the Scottish health authorities.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to health boards on the factors that should be used to determine the severity of alopecia prior to a decision on treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Healthcare is a devolved matter, and our response outlines information for England only. The Scottish Government is responsible for the activities and decisions of health boards in Scotland.
We have made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Severity of Alopecia Tool’s (SALT) scores in determining the correct treatment of alopecia areata. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for issuing clinical guidance in England, including clinical guidelines on the treatment and care for specific conditions, as well as health technology assessments on new and existing medicines and technologies. It develops its guidance and recommendations independently from the Government, informed by scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder input.
Technology appraisal guidance published by the NICE in March 2024, code TA958, recommends ritlecitinib for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years old and over.
Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a SALT score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health.
It is the responsibility of a clinician to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of their patient, while also ensuring they are taking account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards in England.
Responsible clinicians should work with their patients and decide on the course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what factors health boards are advised to use in addition to Severity of Alopecia Tool scores when determining the correct treatment for alopecia.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Healthcare is a devolved matter, and our response outlines information for England only. The Scottish Government is responsible for the activities and decisions of health boards in Scotland.
We have made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Severity of Alopecia Tool’s (SALT) scores in determining the correct treatment of alopecia areata. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for issuing clinical guidance in England, including clinical guidelines on the treatment and care for specific conditions, as well as health technology assessments on new and existing medicines and technologies. It develops its guidance and recommendations independently from the Government, informed by scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder input.
Technology appraisal guidance published by the NICE in March 2024, code TA958, recommends ritlecitinib for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years old and over.
Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a SALT score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health.
It is the responsibility of a clinician to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of their patient, while also ensuring they are taking account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards in England.
Responsible clinicians should work with their patients and decide on the course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Severity of Alopecia Tool scores are the only factor that health boards are advised to use when determining the correct treatment for alopecia.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Healthcare is a devolved matter, and our response outlines information for England only. The Scottish Government is responsible for the activities and decisions of health boards in Scotland.
We have made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Severity of Alopecia Tool’s (SALT) scores in determining the correct treatment of alopecia areata. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for issuing clinical guidance in England, including clinical guidelines on the treatment and care for specific conditions, as well as health technology assessments on new and existing medicines and technologies. It develops its guidance and recommendations independently from the Government, informed by scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder input.
Technology appraisal guidance published by the NICE in March 2024, code TA958, recommends ritlecitinib for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years old and over.
Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a SALT score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health.
It is the responsibility of a clinician to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of their patient, while also ensuring they are taking account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards in England.
Responsible clinicians should work with their patients and decide on the course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
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 effectiveness of Severity of Alopecia Tool scores to determine the correct treatment of alopecia.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Healthcare is a devolved matter, and our response outlines information for England only. The Scottish Government is responsible for the activities and decisions of health boards in Scotland.
We have made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Severity of Alopecia Tool’s (SALT) scores in determining the correct treatment of alopecia areata. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for issuing clinical guidance in England, including clinical guidelines on the treatment and care for specific conditions, as well as health technology assessments on new and existing medicines and technologies. It develops its guidance and recommendations independently from the Government, informed by scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder input.
Technology appraisal guidance published by the NICE in March 2024, code TA958, recommends ritlecitinib for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years old and over.
Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a SALT score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health.
It is the responsibility of a clinician to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of their patient, while also ensuring they are taking account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards in England.
Responsible clinicians should work with their patients and decide on the course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to health boards on the prescription of Ritlecitinib to treat alopecia.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations for the National Health Service in England on the use of new medicines, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.
The NICE issued guidance in March 2024 that recommends ritlecitinib, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health. At the present time, there are no plans to update this guidance.
As health is a devolved issue, information relating to guidance on the use of ritlecitinib in Scotland would be held by the Scottish health authorities.