Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 and proportion of prescriptions that were written by pharmacists in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service does not currently commission prescribing services from community pharmacists but pharmacists working in other NHS settings, including general practices, can prescribe on the NHS.
The following table show the total number of items prescribed, the number of items prescribed by a pharmacist, and the percentage this equates to in terms of overall prescribing in England, in each of the last five years:
Year | Total number of items | Items prescribed by a pharmacist | Percentage of items prescribed by a pharmacist |
2019 | 1,118,845,270 | 22,089,868 | 1.97% |
2020 | 1,122,769,640 | 30,824,967 | 2.75% |
2021 | 1,128,633,578 | 36,145,631 | 3.20% |
2022 | 1,162,723,444 | 40,701,768 | 3.50% |
2023 | 1,203,435,207 | 45,713,123 | 3.80% |
Source: NHS Business Services Authority
The number of pharmacists that are independent prescribers is increasing. From 2026 all newly qualified pharmacists will be prescribers and we are upskilling the current workforce. NHS England are piloting services with varying models to evaluate how this could work in future clinical services in community pharmacy. In future, prescribing in community pharmacy has the potential to unlock more clinical services in community pharmacy, taking further pressure off general practice.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many community diagnostic centres are providing bone density scans.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of May 2024, 19 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are providing bone density scans, also known as DEXA scans. A total of 35 CDCs are planning to provide these scans in 2024/25.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason there was an increase in death rates among 20-44 year olds in 2023 from 2019.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities provides recent estimates of excess mortality in England by age group. Estimates for 20 to 44 year olds are not available, but data are published for those aged 25 to 49. These show that in 2023, deaths in this age group were 3% lower than expected. The number of expected deaths is based on the trend in mortality rates for this age group in the 5 years before 2023. This baseline excludes periods with particularly high numbers of deaths from COVID-19.
This estimate for excess mortality in 2023 reflects, in part, an increase in mortality for this age group over the preceding 5 years. However, official estimates of mortality rates for this age group have not been published. The Office for National Statistics have also not yet released final mortality data or mid-year population estimates for 2023.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the announcement at page 34 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, published on 6 March 2024, on upgrading more than 100 MRI scanners with AI, what the average time taken for patients to receive relevant test results is; and if she will make an estimate of the average time for such results to be received when the new scanners are in use.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the average time taken for patients to receive relevant Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test results. The Department is, therefore, unable to make an estimate of the average time for such results to be received when the new scanners are in use.
The National Health Service expects that upgrading one MRI scanner with Artificial Intelligence (AI) acceleration software will lead to an average of 3.71 additional patients being scanned per day in addition to the current average of 24 scans a day.
The table below provides the figures which estimate that upgrading 100 MRI scanners will mean 130,000 additional patients receive an MRI test each year.
Additional tests per upgraded scanner (hourly) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (daily) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (weekly) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (annual) | Scanners upgraded | Additional Activity (annual) |
0.31 | 3.71 | 26 | 1,300 | 100 | 130,000 |
MRI AI acceleration software enables scan acquisition time to be reduced, in turn enabling scans to be delivered in shorter time frames and therefore improving the time taken for patients to receive a test result from the point of referral. This is currently supporting the achievement of optimal levels of throughput to be achieved in 80 trusts, where 216 scanners have been upgraded.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 2.20 of Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, if she will publish the modelling used to estimate the number of patients that will be impacted by the proposed upgrading of 100 MRI scanners.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the average time taken for patients to receive relevant Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test results. The Department is, therefore, unable to make an estimate of the average time for such results to be received when the new scanners are in use.
The National Health Service expects that upgrading one MRI scanner with Artificial Intelligence (AI) acceleration software will lead to an average of 3.71 additional patients being scanned per day in addition to the current average of 24 scans a day.
The table below provides the figures which estimate that upgrading 100 MRI scanners will mean 130,000 additional patients receive an MRI test each year.
Additional tests per upgraded scanner (hourly) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (daily) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (weekly) | Additional tests per upgraded scanner (annual) | Scanners upgraded | Additional Activity (annual) |
0.31 | 3.71 | 26 | 1,300 | 100 | 130,000 |
MRI AI acceleration software enables scan acquisition time to be reduced, in turn enabling scans to be delivered in shorter time frames and therefore improving the time taken for patients to receive a test result from the point of referral. This is currently supporting the achievement of optimal levels of throughput to be achieved in 80 trusts, where 216 scanners have been upgraded.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 repeat prescriptions that have been ordered through the NHS app in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently over 34.3 million sign-ups on the NHS App, enabling users to access a range of National Health Services, such as booking and managing general practice (GP) and hospital appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions, and viewing their prospective GP health record. The following table shows the number of repeat prescriptions ordered via the NHS App in each of the last 12 months, as well as the mean and total of repeat prescriptions:
Date | Repeat prescription orders via NHS App |
April 2023 | 2,449,182 |
May 2023 | 2,709,129 |
June 2023 | 2,650,714 |
July 2023 | 2,825,324 |
August 2023 | 2,885,337 |
September 2023 | 2,819,310 |
October 2023 | 3,105,964 |
November 2023 | 3,197,218 |
December 2023 | 3,124,667 |
January 2024 | 3,559,170 |
February 2024 | 3,349,017 |
March 2024 | 3,669,727 |
Mean | 3,028,730 |
Total | 36,344,759 |
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 estimate of the number of bone density scans conducted in community diagnostic centres in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of bone density scans, also known as DEXA scans, conducted in community diagnostic centres, is publicly available in the NHS Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity (DM01) dataset. This data has been published monthly since March 2023, and is available at the following link:
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 estimate of the number of scans for suspected prostate cancer performed by the NHS in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While some data on scanning of the prostate is available from the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset, it does not distinguish between scans for non-cancer indications, scans for suspected cancer, namely cancer diagnosis, and scans to inform staging and treatment planning for cancer which is already diagnosed.
Screening for the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer, is complex but we are backing groundbreaking trials to improve diagnostic processes and save thousands more lives. In 2021, 43,378 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, a 9% decrease compared to 2019. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial, which will be led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £16 million of Government funding, aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. The trial will cover the whole of the United Kingdom, although final decisions on specific locations are yet to be taken. The UK National Screening Committee will be reviewing the evidence that is published by this study, which will help to inform any future recommendation on creating a national screening programme for prostate cancer.
To support faster diagnosis, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways and in October 2022 introduced the best practice timed pathway for prostate cancer. This guidance recommends those with suspected prostate cancer undertake multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging before biopsy, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy.
Alongside cutting-edge research, we are helping more people get diagnosed earlier for cancer and other conditions by rolling out additional tests, checks and scans at 160 locations across England through our Community Diagnostics Centres programme.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 estimate of the number of (a) MRI and (b) CT scans for suspected prostate cancer performed by the NHS in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While some data on scanning of the prostate is available from the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset, it does not distinguish between scans for non-cancer indications, scans for suspected cancer, namely cancer diagnosis, and scans to inform staging and treatment planning for cancer which is already diagnosed.
Screening for the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer, is complex but we are backing groundbreaking trials to improve diagnostic processes and save thousands more lives. In 2021, 43,378 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, a 9% decrease compared to 2019. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial, which will be led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £16 million of Government funding, aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. The trial will cover the whole of the United Kingdom, although final decisions on specific locations are yet to be taken. The UK National Screening Committee will be reviewing the evidence that is published by this study, which will help to inform any future recommendation on creating a national screening programme for prostate cancer.
To support faster diagnosis, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways and in October 2022 introduced the best practice timed pathway for prostate cancer. This guidance recommends those with suspected prostate cancer undertake multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging before biopsy, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy.
Alongside cutting-edge research, we are helping more people get diagnosed earlier for cancer and other conditions by rolling out additional tests, checks and scans at 160 locations across England through our Community Diagnostics Centres programme.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 8 February 2024 to Question 12829 on Patient Choice Schemes, how many patients were offered choice at the point of referral in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Constitution allows patients to be treated by any provider who holds a contract for the provision of National Health Services. This is a legal right, although there are certain circumstances in which a choice may not be possible. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose, and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.