Cystic Fibrosis
(asked on 22nd February 2017) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of treatment provisions for people diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
NHS England is responsible for securing high quality care for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) as part of its national commissioning responsibilities for specialised services. NHS England has published two CF service specifications, one for adults and one for children, recognising that adults and children with CF have differing needs and that the services provided should reflect this. These specifications are important in clearly defining what NHS England expects to be in place for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective care and they support equity of access to a nationally consistent, high quality service.
Although there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, specialist care and treatment can provide symptom relief, and can also prevent or reduce the long-term damage caused by infections and other complications and improve quality of life. The services commissioned by NHS England ensure patients are cared for by consultant-led multi-disciplinary teams of experienced, specialist healthcare professionals including CF nurse specialists, physiotherapists and psychologists and dieticians. The teams are also responsible for determining when high cost CF drugs should be prescribed. Outreach services also ensure patients can receive support closer to home, and in their home, when it is needed. The specifications are available at the following links: