Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help increase uptake levels of the license for access to controlled drugs in UK care homes with nursing provision.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Most care homes will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a licence. In addition, all care homes with nursing provision are exempt from needing a licence for medicines containing controlled drugs in Schedules 3-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and Schedule 2 drugs in circumstances where medication is patient prescribed. Any care home that does need a licence can apply for one from the Home Office. Details of how to register and then apply are available on GOV.UK.
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of the current controlled drugs licensing regime specifically in relation to care homes, however information about the process is easily available and the Home Office regularly receives applications from care homes to which it gives due consideration. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission provides guidance and tools to healthcare providers around the use of controlled drugs in care, and supports collaboration and consistent practice through its Controlled Drugs National Group.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the existing licensing scheme for access to controlled drugs in UK care homes.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Most care homes will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a licence. In addition, all care homes with nursing provision are exempt from needing a licence for medicines containing controlled drugs in Schedules 3-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and Schedule 2 drugs in circumstances where medication is patient prescribed. Any care home that does need a licence can apply for one from the Home Office. Details of how to register and then apply are available on GOV.UK.
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of the current controlled drugs licensing regime specifically in relation to care homes, however information about the process is easily available and the Home Office regularly receives applications from care homes to which it gives due consideration. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission provides guidance and tools to healthcare providers around the use of controlled drugs in care, and supports collaboration and consistent practice through its Controlled Drugs National Group.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of controls on stocking (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs on the (i) adequacy of access to medication for patients in care homes and (ii) levels of wastage.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs for patients in care homes.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of misdiagnosis of women’s health symptoms on levels of diagnosis of ovarian cancer in (a) all women and (b) women under the age of 50.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of the target to increase the percentage of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 from the NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance on women with ovarian cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made on the number of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer at an advanced stage.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the Family Nurse Partnership to include more than the existing 44 local authorities.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Family Nurse Partnership Programme (FNP) is the Department’s current service for the most vulnerable first-time parents, for example, teenagers, care leavers, those known to the care system, or those who would otherwise have extremely poor clinical outcomes, affecting both themselves and their children. The FNP has been shown to improve vulnerable children’s development, school readiness and early educational attainment.
Provision of the FNP is currently a choice for local authorities. The programme is currently available in 45 local authorities. Local authorities have a statutory duty for commissioning public health services for children and young people aged between zero and 19 years old. The Public Health Grant, from which various programmes for children and young people are funded, including FNP, has been uplifted for 2025/26 by 5.4%, a percentage equalling almost £200 million.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered the implications of the more costly staffing ratios for Special Educational Needs Schools and Alternative Provisions (APs) in the funding arrangement for the new national primary breakfast club program.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The early adopter scheme will test and learn how schools are able to use programme funding, support and guidance to ensure inclusive and accessible provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities, in a range of schools, including special schools and alternative provision (AP).
In recognition of the need for higher staff to pupil ratios in these settings, special schools and AP will receive a higher funding rate per pupil in addition to the fixed termly payments and set up cost funding.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has provided guidance to Personal Independence Payment assessors on the impact of surgical mesh on women's ability to work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people with a long-term health condition or impairment, whether physical, sensory, mental, cognitive, intellectual, or any combination of these. It is paid to contribute to the extra costs that disabled people may face, to help them lead full, active and independent lives. PIP can be paid to those who are in full or part-time work as well as those out of work.
From 09 September 2024 Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took ownership of the core training and guidance material (CTGM) for the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS); this is provided by DWP to the HAAS assessment suppliers (AS). AS must use the material to inform the development of their final training product(s) and use all content from CTGM that relates to specific condition(s) and assessment policy.
DWP has provided AS with CTGM on mesh injury/implants. This contains clinical and functional information relevant to the condition and is quality assured to ensure its accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective.