Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many invasive surgical procedures to (a) diagnose and (b) treat a reproductive health condition were not completed because of the level of pain experienced by the patient during that procedure in each of the last five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not held centrally. A range of procedures are used to investigate and treat gynaecological conditions. For example, ultrasound can be used in the diagnosis of fibroids, hysteroscopy can be used to investigate symptoms such as unexplained vaginal bleeding, and laparoscopy can be used to diagnose and treat endometriosis.
The Government recognises that some procedures, such as hysteroscopy, can result in pain, and the level of pain experienced will vary between individual women. It is important that healthcare professionals provide women with information prior to their procedure so that women can make an informed decisions about the procedure and pain relief options, including the option of local or general anaesthetic.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of GP practices are commissioned to fit long-acting reversible contraception for purposes of gynaecological care; and what the (a) fitting fee and (b) cost is of fitting long-acting reversible contraception in primary care.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on the proportion of general practices commissioned to fit long-acting reversible contraception for the purposes of gynaecological care, as well as the fitting fee and cost of fitting in primary care, is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has made in developing guidelines for polycystic ovary syndrome.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following referral from the Department, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently planning the development of a guideline on the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. The NICE is exploring the possibility of collaboration with a reputable, guidance-producing partner to enhance the speed and efficiency of this work. The NICE’s website will be updated at the earliest opportunity, when expected timings are confirmed.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established; and in which integrated care board areas they are located.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. The 2024/25 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance asks integrated care boards (ICBs) to establish and develop at least one women’s health hub in every ICB by December 2024, working in partnership with local authorities.
NHS England has asked the ICBs to report regularly on their progress implementing the funding. As of September 2024, 36 of the 42 ICBs had had reported to NHS England that their women’s health hub was open. Those ICBs are:
The Birmingham, RAND, and Cambridge Evaluation, published in September 2024, identified 17 women’s health hubs in England which were established between 2001 and 2022. The report is available at the following link:
https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr/JYFT5036/#/abstract
The research notes the difficulty in locating models for women’s health hubs, meaning the research may not have captured all open women’s health hubs, in particular hubs that have opened more recently as locally-led initiatives.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) medical relief and (b) humanitarian aid his Department has provided to Sudan in the context of recent trends in the number of Cholera related deaths.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Sudan conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with 24.8 million people in need of assistance. The UK is extremely concerned about the increasing cases of cholera in Sudan with death rates from the outbreak surging up to three times the global average. The UK is responding though our humanitarian programmes in Sudan. The UK has spent £113.5 million this year in response to the conflict in Sudan and the resulting regional refugee crisis. As part of this funding, we support the Sudan Humanitarian Fund which provides flexible, muti-sector support to NGOs, including medical relief for the cholera outbreak.