Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of available places on the Foundation Programme for medical students who studied in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) facilitates the operation and continuing development of the UK Foundation Programme. The UKFPO is jointly funded and governed by NHS England and the four United Kingdom Health Departments.
The UKFPO confirmed on 1 September 2023 that all eligible applicants in the application process will be allocated a place on the UK Foundation Programme in 2024. UKFPO estimates the UK number of eligible applicants to be approximately 9000 for 2024.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which covers the workforce, education and training in England contained a commitment to ensure there is adequate growth in foundation placement capacity, as students begin to graduate from the expanded number of medical school places in England, and a commensurate increase in specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS in England in the future. We will work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.
Future workforce growth in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including future foundation programme and speciality training places is a matter for each of the Devolved Administrations.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2023 to Question 3472 on Cystic Fibrosis: Drugs, when she expects the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to publish their final guidance on the use of ivacaftor–tezacaftor–elexacaftor.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published draft guidance on 3 November 2023 which does not recommend Orkambi (lumacaftor-ivacaftor), Symkevi (ivacaftor-tezacaftor) and Kaftrio (ivacaftor–tezacaftor–elexacaftor) for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
The draft guidance has recently been subject to a public consultation and NICE’s Appraisal Committee met on 14 December 2023 to consider the comments received in response to the consultation.
NICE will be liaising with key stakeholders to determine the most appropriate next steps for its appraisal, which will include exploring potential commercial solutions, and will provide a further update to stakeholders outlining next steps and timelines in the week commencing 22 January 2024.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 adequacy of support available for patients recovering from a stroke in west London.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The national service model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service (ICSS) was published in February 2022. It sets out the transfer of care of stroke survivors from hospital, and provides home-based stroke rehabilitation through a specialist multidisciplinary team structure. It provides an integrated seven days per week service, providing early supported discharge, high-intensive and needs-based community stroke rehabilitation and disability management
NHS England have developed a plan to address gaps in intensity community stroke therapy within the West London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow and community services, including critical Early Supported Discharge teams within the borough of Harrow. NHS England plan to have common community stroke service offers across North West London for 2024/25.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to increase the number of physiotherapy appointments available to patients who have had a stroke.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Provision of physiotherapy as part of stroke rehabilitation is a key part of the stroke care pathway as outlined in NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the national service model for an integrated community stroke service (ICSS).
Plans are in place to increase access to rehabilitation closer to home. This includes the £200 million Discharge Fund, a commitment to digital rehabilitation for those who would benefit from it, and access to physiotherapy in community settings as part of the ‘Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services’, which was published earlier this year. This is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/delivery-plan-for-recovering-urgent-and-emergency-care-services/
The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) reported that the number of patients accessing community stroke services has risen from 39,655 in 2018/19 to 47,152 in 2022/23.
NHS organisations have been asked to ensure that adequate space is allocated to functions such as physiotherapy, so that such services can operate efficiently.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 supply of Ozempic pens for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of a supply issue with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medicines, including Ozempic pens. We have issued guidance in the form of Medicine Supply Notifications and, on 18 July 2023, issued a National Patient Safety Alert with advice for healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring this medicine.
Our guidance is clear that GLP-1 RA medicines that are solely licensed to treat Type 2 diabetes should only be used for that purpose and should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.
The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have also issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines. We have also added some of these products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the United Kingdom.
We are continuing to work closely with manufacturers and others working in the supply chain to help ensure the continued supply of these medicines for UK patients, for example by asking suppliers to expedite deliveries. We have provided advice for healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring this medicine whilst there are shortages and are keeping this under review as the situation evolves.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of prescription medication used to treat ADHD.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some issues have now been resolved. However, we know that there are currently disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. These issues are expected to resolve by end December 2023.
We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine shortages can be and we want to assure patients that we are working intensively with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom, in the short and long term.
We have issued communications to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients whilst there continue to be disruptions to supplies. Patients are advised to speak to their clinician regarding any concerns they have and to discuss the suitability of treatment with alternative medicines.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase the availability of Ozempic pens for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of a supply issue with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medicines, including Ozempic pens. We have issued guidance in the form of Medicine Supply Notifications and, on 18 July 2023, issued a National Patient Safety Alert with advice for healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring this medicine.
Our guidance is clear that GLP-1 RA medicines that are solely licensed to treat Type 2 diabetes should only be used for that purpose and should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.
The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have also issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines. We have also added some of these products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the United Kingdom.
We are continuing to work closely with manufacturers and others working in the supply chain to help ensure the continued supply of these medicines for UK patients, for example by asking suppliers to expedite deliveries. We have provided advice for healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring this medicine whilst there are shortages and are keeping this under review as the situation evolves.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 effectiveness of the use of penalty charge notices for individuals incorrectly claiming free prescriptions.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have made no such assessment. The Department and NHS England have delegated responsibility to the NHS Business Services Authority to carry out checking and recovery procedures on their behalf where claims for exemption from National Health Service prescriptions and dental charges cannot be validated.
It is right that the Government takes steps to recoup money for the NHS that is lost to fraud, including using penalty charge notices, so that it can be reinvested into caring for patients.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the guidance entitled Vaccination against shingles guide from September 2023, updated on 22 August 2023, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential merits of providing all people aged between 65 and 69 a free vaccination for shingles.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised Government on the rollout of the cohort expansion for the Shingles programme. Their advice was that the expansion should be done in stages, beginning with those aged 65 and 70 years old, and was based on various considerations, including population impact. The Government has accepted this advice, and it forms the basis of NHS England guidance on the programme.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people working in laundry businesses that supply NHS hospitals are eligible for the covid-19 booster vaccination in winter 2023.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease (hospitalisation and death) arising from COVID-19. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended a targeted approach focussed on those most vulnerable to serious outcomes from COVID-19 including older individuals and individuals with specified existing clinical conditions.
On 8 August 2023, the Government accepted advice from the JCVI on who should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine in the autumn 2023 booster programme. This includes residents in a care home for older adults, all adults aged 65 years and over, persons aged six months to 64 years old in a clinical risk group, frontline health and social care workers, persons aged 12 to 64 years old who are household contacts and persons aged 16 to 64 years old who are carers.
The objective of immunisation of frontline health and social care staff is to protect those workers at high risk of exposure who may also expose vulnerable individuals whilst providing care. Individuals working in laundry businesses that supply National Health Service hospitals are not in direct contact with vulnerable individuals and are therefore not, as a group, eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in autumn. However, if individuals meet any of the other criteria for eligibility set out above, they will be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.