Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure the supply of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies for people with cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has been working with suppliers to address current supply issues with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), including Creon, used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis and certain cancers, including pancreatic cancer. The supply issues are impacting countries throughout Europe, and have been caused by the limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints in producing the volumes needed to meet demand. The Department is continuing to work with all suppliers of PERT to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term. This includes asking that they expedite deliveries, source stock from other markets, and increase production.
We have issued comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals about these supply issues, which provides advice on how to manage patients whilst there is disruption to supply. This guidance is being kept under review, and updates will be made as necessary. Serious Shortage Protocols are in place for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules to limit prescriptions to one months’ supply, to allow demand management.
We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be. While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, the Department has a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise, and to help mitigate risks to patients.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 increase access to NHS dental services in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and to recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and retention of NHS dentists.
We recognise that access to NHS dental care in Lincolnshire has been challenging over recent years. The Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes South Holland and the Deepings constituency, has taken a number of steps to help improve access in this area, but we know more must be done. The steps that the Lincolnshire ICB has recently taken to improve access includes uplifting the minimum Unit of Dental Activity rate to £28 across the region, to help recruit and retain staff, and implementing the New Patient Premium.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to improve the (a) diagnosis of and (b) age-appropriate support for young onset dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia at every age, and central to this is the provision of personalised care.
The Well Pathway for Dementia includes diagnosing well, living well, supporting well, and dying well, and highlights that services need to be integrated, commissioned, monitored, and aligned with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s standards for each component of the pathway. It makes it clear that the needs, wishes, and preferences of each individual, including those with young onset dementia, should be taken into account when planning and providing their care.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to improve early diagnosis rates for pancreatic cancer.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer, and earlier diagnosis is imperative in improving treatment options and survivorship. The Government is committed to improving early diagnosis rates for all cancers, and as part of this, supports the NHS Long Term Plan, which includes a principal priority to increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 to 75% by 2028. This threshold is key to improving outcomes and survival rates for all types of cancer, including pancreatic.
We know that pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. To improve diagnosis and outcomes, NHS England is delivering a range of interventions including implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who have symptoms that do not align to a tumour type, as is often the case with pancreatic cancer. 96 pathways are in place, and more are being introduced. NHS England is also increasing general practice direct access to diagnostic tests, alongside providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk, to identify lesions before they develop into cancer, and diagnose cancers sooner.
Additionally, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time programme has appointed a team of five specialist clinicians to lead a national review into services for pancreatic cancer patients in England. The new workstream supports the delivery of the Optimal Care Pathway, a Pancreatic Cancer UK-led initiative which has brought together 300 health professionals and people affected to agree on how standards of diagnosis, treatment, and care of those with pancreatic cancer and their families can be improved.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 help raise awareness of liver disease.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Awareness of liver disease can be raised by providing information to the public and by supporting health and care professionals to discuss liver disease with their patients. The NHS.UK website provides the public with essential information on types of liver disease, their possible causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/liver-disease/
In May 2022, the Department published guidance for health and care professionals on promoting awareness of liver disease in professional practice. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:
Furthermore, the United Kingdom’s clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment, published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities for consultation in October 2023, contain clinical guidance and advice for professionals on the early identification of liver disease among people with alcohol use disorders, and on the treatment of alcohol use disorders in people diagnosed with liver disease. Further information on the guidance is available at the following link:
The Department is currently reviewing these guidelines following a consultation.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase access to specialist dementia nurses in hospitals.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia, and central to this is the provision of personalised care and support planning for post diagnostic support.
Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect the ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, and working closely with the third sector in their geographical area to offer appropriate services. Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population, including carers, under the Care Act 2014.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of staff diversity networks in her Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to increase the availability of auditory verbal therapy for deaf children.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Audiology services are locally commissioned, and responsibility for meeting the needs of non-hearing children lies with local National Health Service commissioners. Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups, was published in July 2016. This framework supports clinical commissioning groups, and now integrated care boards, to make informed decisions about what good value for the populations they serve would be, and to provide more consistent, high quality, integrated care. It also addresses inequalities in access and outcomes between hearing services. Additionally, in 2019, NHS England, with input from the National Deaf Children’s Society, produced a guide for commissioners and providers who support children and young people with hearing loss.
NHS England met with Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK) last year and discussed the need for more high-level research evidence for intervention, and to develop evaluations of impact. AVUK were also invited to join the Chief Scientific Officer’s Audiology stakeholder group. The Government is committed to improving outcomes and experiences for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including children with hearing loss, and we recognise the need to improve access to therapies generally. Since September 2020, all eligible nursing, midwifery, and allied health profession students have received a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she last held discussions with NHS trusts on hospital car parking fees.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not had any discussions with National Health Service trusts about hospital car parking fees.
We have delivered on our commitment to providing free hospital car parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.
All Trusts should follow the NHS Car Parking guidance, which is clear that where hospital car parking charges are in force they should be reasonable and not significantly more than other hospitals in the local area.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 (a) cars and (b) other vehicles used by her Department were made in Britain.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department does not operate any fleet vehicles.