Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of clinical commissioning groups offer three full cycles of IVF treatment paid for by the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
In England and Wales, guidance on the provision of National Health Service funded in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment services is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in its guideline ‘Fertility: Assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems’. To assist clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to effectively commission IVF services for their local population, the Department, NHS England, professional and stakeholder groups are working together to develop a benchmark price for IVF to ensure that CCGs can get best value for their money. Additionally, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, has developed commissioning guidance to improve the quality of commissioning. NHS England has agreed to disseminate and promote the guidance to all CCGs in England.
The provision of funded treatment services in other parts of the United Kingdom is a matter for the devolved administrations.
Information on local provision of NHS funded IVF treatment is not collected centrally. A survey carried out by Fertility Fairness in 2016 indicated that 16% of CCGs in England offered three cycles of IVF to qualifying couples.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure equal access to IVF treatment across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
In England and Wales, guidance on the provision of National Health Service funded in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment services is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in its guideline ‘Fertility: Assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems’. To assist clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to effectively commission IVF services for their local population, the Department, NHS England, professional and stakeholder groups are working together to develop a benchmark price for IVF to ensure that CCGs can get best value for their money. Additionally, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, has developed commissioning guidance to improve the quality of commissioning. NHS England has agreed to disseminate and promote the guidance to all CCGs in England.
The provision of funded treatment services in other parts of the United Kingdom is a matter for the devolved administrations.
Information on local provision of NHS funded IVF treatment is not collected centrally. A survey carried out by Fertility Fairness in 2016 indicated that 16% of CCGs in England offered three cycles of IVF to qualifying couples.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has had communications with iNHouse Communications Ltd in connection with any current commercial tender process.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Department can confirm following a detailed search of its internal record systems and all registered interest in the current commercial tenders process, that iNHouse Communications Ltd are not a registered supplier and consequently there are no records of any commercial tenders or communications being held with this company.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has awarded any commercial contracts to iNHouse Communications Ltd in the last five years.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Department can confirm following a detailed search of its internal record systems that iNHouse Communications Ltd are not a registered supplier and consequently there are no records of any commercial contracts being awarded during the past five years.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which branch of the NHS has responsibility for funding the diagnosing of (a) autism and (b) Asperger's syndrome.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Clinical diagnosis of autism and Asperger syndrome would usually be made by National Health Service paediatric, psychiatric or mental health services, commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. The exception would be where a diagnosis was made by a specialised service, which would be commissioned by NHS England. Professionals funded by local authorities (such as educational psychologists) may also make a diagnosis.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to ensure the continued development of GP networks.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund has enabled groups of general practitioner (GP) practices, often collaborating with others such as community pharmacies or ambulance services, to provide new and expanded services together. Operating under a single contract within a local area and sharing work and resources has enabled the 2,500 practices in the programme to significantly develop their networks.
Most of the GP Access Fund schemes have, through the programme, strengthened their arrangements for collaboration, developed a more prominent identity with patients, and grown their leadership and management capabilities. This has been facilitated by the support programme put in place by NHS England, helping the networks to make faster progress on issues such as information technology, governance and care redesign. It has also built a legacy of more cohesive and capable teams for the future.
NHS England has supported the creation of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ network of federations, which is growing rapidly as a high quality resource for practices wishing to deepen their collaboration and improve services for patients. Funding for this to continue into 2016/17 has been confirmed.
The New Care Models Programme is also supporting networks of GP practices to come together with community, mental health and hospital services to provide more joined-up care for patients.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effects on general practices of increases in the number of patients presenting at GP surgeries in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking to ensure that GP surgeries can cope with the number of patients presenting.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We recognise the vital job that general practitioners (GPs) do. We know how hard GPs and their practice teams work and the challenges that they are facing in providing care for growing numbers of older people and patients with more complex needs.
Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that the number of patients registered with a GP has increased from 28,595,310 in 2015 to 28,893,403 in 2016, an increase of 1.0%. The GP Patient Survey, published in January 2016 shows a slight decline in the number of patients reporting that they are able to get a convenient GP appointment. Taken together, this suggests that GP workload may be increasing.
The Government is committed to providing the support GPs need so they can spend more time with patients. The new contract will see an investment of £220 million for 2016 to 2017, and we are keen to reduce administrative demands on those delivering care where practicable.
We are also investing in the primary and community care workforce and are committed to increasing the workforce by 10,000 by 2020, including an extra 5,000 doctors working in general practice.
GPs are changing the way patients can access GP appointments, not just 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. The Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund is a £175 million investment to test improved and innovative methods of accessing general practice, including opening from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and weekends; better use of telecare and apps; more innovative ways to access services by video call, telephone and email; and more integrated services.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on the number of GPs in Great Grimsby constituency who have given notice of their retirement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
This information is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs in Great Grimsby constituency have retired in the last 12 months.
Answered by Alistair Burt
This information is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making the drug nabilone available on the NHS for people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by George Freeman
We have made no such assessment. Nabilone is not licensed for use in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.