Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
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 adequacy of the age profile of CT and MRI scanners in use across NHS trusts; what steps he has taken to develop guidelines on optimal scanner replacement cycles; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of modernising the imaging fleet with newer technologies on (a) scanner capacity, (b) diagnostic throughput and (c) patient outcomes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to ensuring that imaging services are supported to be as resilient and effective as possible, including reviewing the standards of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
In recognising the risks that outdated scanners present to service delivery, resilience, quality of care, and equity of access, NHS England has published guidance referencing the optimal cycle for CT and MRI scanner replacement as 10 years. The Diagnostic Imaging Network Capital Equipment Planning Guide (2021) was developed alongside the Royal College of Radiologists, Society of Radiographers, and Institute of Physics and Engineering, and outlines the expectation for timely and planned equipment replacement.
NHS England monitors the number, age, and distribution of imaging assets across England via its annual, retrospective National Imaging Data Collection. The latest publication from March 2024 focuses on the assets reported within the collection, and is available at the following link:
Whilst National Health Service providers maintain their own capital budgets for replacing imaging equipment that has reached its expected end of life, over the last five years approximately £260 million of national capital investment has been deployed to support replacement of failing and antiquated CT and MRI systems. This supported a reduction in the proportion of CT and MRI scanners over 10 years old in recent years to 17%, as of March 2024. NHS England has also developed national recommendations for equipment specification which are regularly reviewed. The standardisation of scanner specifications for imaging departments and the inclusion of new technologies ensures appropriate standards for purchase. An example of this is the addition of MRI acceleration software to national specifications ensuring that replacement MRI scanners can deliver a 30% reduction in some scan times, increasing throughput, environmental efficiency, and service resilience simultaneously.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
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 ensure the long-term future of Crawley Urgent Treatment Centre.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Urgent Treatment Centres have played a vital role in supporting patients while A&Es were under high demand this winter. We’ve taken action – announcing an extra £26 billion at the budget, rolling out the new RSV vaccine, and ending the resident doctor strikes. The NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for decisions on commissioning services for the local community.Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
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 make ormeloxifene available.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently no plans to make ormeloxifene available. It is critical that medicines used in the United Kingdom are safe and effective and as such, medicines cannot be marketed in the UK without a marketing authorisation. These are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which assesses all medicines with regard to their quality, safety, and effectiveness. Ormeloxifene has not been licensed by the MHRA. It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for a marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly.
In England, most new licensed medicines are appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of ormeloxifene seeks a licence from the MHRA, then it may be considered for evaluation by the NICE.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for mental health professionals to be present in schools; and what qualifications they will have.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for children and young people. That is why we will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across child and adult mental health services, and introduce a specialist mental health professional in every school.
We will set out our timeline for introducing access to specialist mental health professionals in due course. It is a minimum for a specialist mental health professional to have at least a level three vocational qualification, or equivalent level of relevant study.