Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 help support people with post-polio syndrome in the North West; and if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the care provided to those people.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
Although there is currently no cure for post-polio syndrome, a range of treatments and support is available to help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Once post-polio syndrome is identified, patients with the condition, including those in the North West, can usually be managed through routine access to primary or secondary care provided via a general practice or consultant. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve pain-relieving medication, physiotherapy, dietary and exercise advice, and counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. It is for commissioners, providers, and clinicians, supported by relevant clinical practice, to determine the best treatment for people with post-polio syndrome. There are no plans currently to make an assessment of the adequacy of the care provided to people with post-polio syndrome in the North West.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish a response to the consultation on Licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
We are currently analysing the responses to our consultation and will publish our response in the new year.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what digital health collaboration is in place between the UK and (a) India, (b) Japan and (c) Israel as of 13 October 2023.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has been working with India during its G20 presidency this year, to achieve resilient, equitable and sustainable Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all through digital health, one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Department has also been working with Japan during its G7 presidency this year, to ensure United Kingdom digital health priorities are appropriately reflected within this year’s Health Track and to explore how innovation, including digital, can help overcome some of our most pressing health challenges such as ageing populations and rising comorbidities.
In November 2021, the UK and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to deepen and expand cooperation across mutual priorities, including Cyber, Health, Science and Technology. Israel and the UK committed to leveraging their combined research and innovation strengths to address mutual challenges, in areas such as, the COVID-19 pandemic, the future effectiveness and streamlining of health systems, and the life sciences.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 tackle youth vaping.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Education)
We have regulations in place to discourage underage vaping. The law protects children through restricting sales of vapes to people aged 18 years old and over, limiting nicotine content, refill bottle and tank sizes, labelling requirements and through advertising restrictions.
In October 2022, we published new content on the potential risks of vaping for young people on the FRANK and Better Health websites and we have provided input to educational resources produced by partners including the PSHE Association. We have recently added new resources for schools on the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ (OHID) Schools Zone online platform to support schools in educating children about vapes.
Earlier this year, OHID launched a call for evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vape products. The call for evidence has now closed and we will respond shortly.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to provide additional funding for Bolton Hospice; and what steps his Department is taking to support hospice services in (a) Bolton and (b) surrounding areas.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Integrated care boards are responsible for determining the level of National Health Service-funded palliative and end of life care, including hospice care, locally. They are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population.
Currently, nine hospice facilities are supported by funding from NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board: Bury Hospice; Dr Kershaw's Hospice; Bolton Hospice; Springhill Hospice; St Ann's Hospice; Tameside and Glossop Hospice Limited (Willow Wood); Wigan and Leigh Hospice; Francis House Family Trust (Children’s); and Derian House (Children’s, located outside the Greater Manchester area).
Whilst all of these provide inpatient end of life care, several also offer Hospice at Home and other community palliative care services.
The commissioning and funding of these arrangements are a legacy from Clinical Commissioning Groups, however, NHS Greater Manchester, as a statutory organisation, now has the opportunity to review commissioning and funding arrangements to meet the needs of the population, working across our Integrated Care Partnership.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of technology on secondary healthcare at Royal Bolton Hospital.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department marked the 75th Anniversary of the National Health Service over the course of June and July, working closely with NHS England. The Department and NHS England made a number of flagship announcements, including the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan; a new national targeted lung cancer screening programme; the Government’s Mandate to NHS England; an additional one million health checks to tackle cardiovascular disease through the new NHS Digital Health Checks; and a £21 million fund for NHS trusts to bid and procure artificial intelligence diagnostic imaging tools.
In December 2022, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust published their Digital Strategy for 2022-2025, which sets out their ambition to become a 'Digital Trust' via four objectives, digital integration, digital care, digital workforce and digital infrastructure. The Strategy sets out the proposed changes to the local health and social care system and benefits to patients, the workforce and system. In 2022/23, the Department provided Royal Bolton £1.29 million to “digitise the frontline” by improving access to electronic patient record data across the NHS. £18 million has also been provided for the development of a Community Diagnostic Centre to support the creation of a digitally enabled estate.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnoses of pulmonary fibrosis.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The NHS Long Term Plan includes ambitions to increase early and accurate diagnosis of respiratory conditions. To deliver this commitment, NHS England has established 13 respiratory clinical networks. The National Health Service has been asked to restore spirometry checks to pre-pandemic levels in 2022/23, supported by the ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made on the effectiveness of nintendanib for patients suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
Answered by Will Quince
Nintedanib is routinely available to eligible National Health Service patients according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which recommends nintendanib for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for patients with a Forced Vital Capacity of between 50 to 80% predicted.
NICE is currently reviewing its recommendations on the use of nintedanib for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in those with a forced vital capacity above 80% predicted and currently expects to publish final guidance in March 2023.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to make nintendanib available on the NHS for patients suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
Answered by Will Quince
Nintedanib is routinely available to eligible National Health Service patients according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which recommends nintendanib for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for patients with a Forced Vital Capacity of between 50 to 80% predicted.
NICE is currently reviewing its recommendations on the use of nintedanib for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in those with a forced vital capacity above 80% predicted and currently expects to publish final guidance in March 2023.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the new licensing scheme for practitioners who operate in England for non-surgical cosmetic procedures will be announced.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Officials are currently exploring how a future licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England might be implemented, and a potential timetable for its introduction. The scope and details of any future licensing scheme would be set out in secondary legislation and subject to stakeholder engagement and public consultation.