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 guidance on asthma care; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Action on chronic respiratory diseases is crucial as they are the third biggest contributor to Years of Life Lost in England. The Major Conditions Strategy will cover treatment and prevention for chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma. The Strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that sets out a shift to integrated, whole-person care, building on measures that we have already taken forward through the NHS Long Term Plan. Interventions set out in the Strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the Government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve care for people suffering from asthma; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Action on chronic respiratory diseases is crucial as they are the third biggest contributor to Years of Life Lost in England. The Major Conditions Strategy will cover treatment and prevention for chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma. The Strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that sets out a shift to integrated, whole-person care, building on measures that we have already taken forward through the NHS Long Term Plan. Interventions set out in the Strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the Government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to provide funding for the assessment of toxic indoor air exposure by (a) a new environmental assessment clinic at the Royal London Hospital and (b) other hospital services managing (i) children with asthma and (ii) other vulnerable individuals.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

National Health Service commissioners determine funding for specific local health services. In September 2021, NHS England published ‘National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma: Phase one’ which sets out standards for the care pathway for children and young people with asthma. This includes assessments for patients on environmental impacts such as indoor and outdoor air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is for patients to be first seen at each severe asthma centre.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This information is not collected in the format requested.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the roll out of asthma diagnostic hubs, set out in NICE Guidance NG80.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Community Diagnostic Hubs (CDHs), which diagnose a number of conditions, will be launched in place of asthma diagnostic hubs. Diagnostics for respiratory conditions are part of the proposed ‘core’ services to be provided by CDHs. A review of diagnostics in the NHS Long Term Plan, highlighted that patients with respiratory symptoms would benefit from this facility due to the number of diagnostic tests that they use.

In 2021/22, £325 million has been allocated for diagnostic services. Discussions on how funding will be allocated are ongoing. Plans for mobilisation of CDHs from across England are currently under review. NHS England and NHS Improvement have approved the mobilisation of some early adopter sites from summer 2021 with more CDHs opening from autumn 2021.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to restore severe asthma referrals to pre-covid-19 levels.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon MP) on 7 July to Question 13943.

Found: Asthma: Health Services 07 Jul 2021 | 13942 Asked by: Jim Shannon To ask the Secretary of State