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Written Question
Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome
Monday 29th January 2024

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the paper in Epidemiology and Infection 2023; 151: e160, entitled Haemolytic uraemic syndrome in children England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland: A prospective cohort study, published on 1 September 2023, if she will take steps to publish more accurate data on the number of cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome identified by the UK Health Security Agency; and if her Department will take steps to increase funding for research into (a) cures and (b) treatments to improve long-term health outcomes for this illness.

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

Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS) is a notifiable disease and cases are reported on a weekly basis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The most common type of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli associated with HUS is also a notifiable pathogen, and the number of laboratory reported cases is published on a weekly basis by UKHSA. This data covers England and Wales, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-diseases-causative-agents-reports-for-2024/noids-causative-agents-week-2-week-ending-14-january-2024

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As the largest public funder for health and care research, the NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including cures and treatments for HUS.


Written Question
Food: Safety
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps (a) her Department, (b) the Food Standards Agency and (c) the UK Health Security Agency have taken to help ensure that unsafe food is not placed on the market by companies that were involved in the outbreak of E.coli O157 in August 2020 and August 2022.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other health protection agencies undertook a thorough investigation of this outbreak linked to fresh produce, which involved the appropriate food safety enforcement authorities for each site involved. A review of food safety management systems provided reassurance that robust controls were in place. Where opportunities for improvement were identified, the FSA along with the enforcing local authorities provided risk management advice to food businesses.

Following engagement with industry trade associations to assess industry practices and approaches to risk assessment mitigation across the fresh produce sector, a multi-agency working group has been formed to review standard practices across the industry.

The UK Health Security Agency undertook a surveillance study which included a retail sampling survey of fresh produce in 2023. Early monitoring of results indicates good safety practices in the fresh produce sector with no evidence of serious public health consequences.


Written Question
Paediatrics: Standards
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

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 reduce waiting times for children and young people to access community paediatric services.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

  • The government is working hard to bring down NHS waits, including in community services.
  • The latest data shows fewer children are waiting for community health services, and we’re boosting access to speech therapy and mental health support in schools.

Written Question
E. coli
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable for publishing the report on the E.coli O157 outbreak that started in August 2022.

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

The report is expected to be published in March 2024.


Written Question
Health Services: Children
Monday 22nd January 2024

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in average waiting times to access (a) community paediatric services, (b) occupational therapy and (c) speech and language therapy in the last three years.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Addressing waiting lists is a priority for the Department and the National Health Service, and NHS England has asked local systems to develop and agree plans for reducing their community services waiting lists.

Community Health Service data was first published in October 2022 and is now published monthly. It is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnosis
Friday 15th December 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

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 merits of (a) improving and (b) adapting the SNOMED CT classification system in primary care when diagnosing suspected myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has not undertaken an assessment of the coding for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Whilst we are unable to estimate the numbers of patients misdiagnosed or missed, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline NG206 estimates that there are over 250,000 people in England and Wales with ME/CFS. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206


Written Question
NHS: Drugs
Friday 15th December 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of NHS spending on branded drugs under the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We plan to publish the forecasts of branded medicines sales for the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth alongside the full scheme documents published later this month.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnosis
Friday 15th December 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the number of patients with suspected myalgic encephalomyelitis that have been (a) misdiagnosed and (b) missed due to the SNOMED CT classification system in primary care.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has not undertaken an assessment of the coding for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Whilst we are unable to estimate the numbers of patients misdiagnosed or missed, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline NG206 estimates that there are over 250,000 people in England and Wales with ME/CFS. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Health Services
Thursday 30th November 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress her Department has made on implementing the interim delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome; and if she has an expected timeline on when the plan will be fully implemented.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have been consulting on ‘My Full Reality’, the cross-government interim delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which seeks to improve the experiences and outcomes of people living with this condition.

We are analysing the results of the consultation and the views and experiences gathered through this consultation will be used to build a picture of how well the interim delivery plan identifies and meets the needs of the ME/CFS community and to highlight any significant gaps where further action may be necessary.

We will publish the final delivery plan in due course.


Written Question
Brain: Tumours
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the APPG on Brain Tumours' report entitled Pathway to A Cure, whether his Department has taken steps to implement that report's recommendations on engaging healthcare professionals with research.

Answered by Will Quince

The Department welcomes the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) report, recommendations of which continue to be worked through with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation and the Medical Research Council (MRC), and with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In February 2023 the APPG report recommended that NIHR and UKRI should build research capacity, encouraging and retaining talent through fellowships and research incentives. In July 2023, NIHR jointly funded with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM), the first two TJBCM Neuro-Oncology Fellowships, a new Fellowship Programme to support high quality training in neuro-oncology clinical practice and research to ensure clinicians are equipped with the relevant research skills needed to lead neuro-oncology trials that change practice.

Other capacity-building initiatives underway include: the designation of 28 TJBCM adult Centres of Excellence within the National Health Service, creating a world-class network of brain tumour treatment and research centres to provide the best care and share best practice; the Tessa Jowell Academy Programme, a free national learning and networking digital platform for NHS brain tumour professionals to share excellence in research, treatment and care; and the TJBCM Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator programme, to review and provide guidance on the translation and development of novel treatments, guided by a multidisciplinary international group of experts.

The NIHR is continuing to work with the TJBCM to develop further capacity-building initiatives.