Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of shingles vaccines for all over 65s.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
From September 2023, the routine shingles vaccination programme changed from the Zostavax vaccine to the two dose Shingrix vaccine, to better protect individuals from the effects of shingles, provide better clinical outcomes, and reduce pressures on the health system. The programme was also expanded, and as a result, almost 1 million more people became eligible for the shingles vaccination.
The expansion of the shingles programme currently includes those turning 65 years old on or after 1 September 2023, as well as those aged 50 years old and over who are at increased risk of serious complications. Once everyone aged 65 to 70 years old has received the vaccine, the eligible age will be reduced to 60 years old. Phasing the roll-out of the shingles vaccination over time to everyone aged 60 years old maximises cost effectiveness and population benefit, ensures consistent messaging over time to maximise coverage, and takes account of National Health Service capacity, all while being consistent with the approach taken by all four nations in the United Kingdom. This is a newly expanded programme, and anyone unsure if they are eligible for the shingles vaccination should check online, on the NHS.UK website, or should speak to their general practice.
In November, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation provided advice to the Department on eligibility for the shingles vaccination programme. This included advice that the Government should consider expanding the shingles vaccination offer to include older adult cohorts aged 80 years old and over. The Department will consider this advice and will update in due course.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a new dementia strategy which references the use of music to support people living with dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.
The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a social care strategy which includes support for the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.
The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Lyme disease.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are several studies and projects being undertaken in the United Kingdom looking at the prevalence and distribution of Lyme disease. Examples include two studies undertaken in association with National Institute of Health Research. One is focussing on studying the evolution of the disease in patients, and the second is examining the evidence of exposure to the Lyme disease bacteria in the English population.
Clinical advice for general practitioners (GPs) and hospital physicians on Lyme disease is available from the National Health Service. Most cases are diagnosed based on clinical signs by GPs, and laboratory testing is widely available for more complicated cases.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides Lyme disease laboratory testing services for England and Wales and issues detailed advice on sample testing.
Lyme disease is treatable with a course of antibiotics in accordance with national guidelines. However, if left untreated, the infection can spread to affect the nervous system, joints, or the heart. More information on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is available at the following link:
The UKHSA’s Be Tick Aware toolkit provides information resources to enable local stakeholders to deliver public health information on ticks and tick-borne disease prevention directly to their population and visitors. The toolkit is available at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/642e966bfbe620000f17ddbe/Be_tick_aware_toolkit.pdf