Asked by: Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative - Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing self-sufficiency in UK stem cell donations.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum, a Departmental advisory body, has recommended in its report A 10 Year Vision for Stem Cell Transplantation and Advanced Cellular Therapies that donor to patient unrelated donations in the United Kingdom should be increased to 45%. This will improve the sustainability and resilience of UK stem cell supply, maintain the UK’s expertise in stem cell provision and support adoption of advanced cellular therapies. The Department is investing £2.4 million between April 2022 and March 2025 to recruit stem cell donors to improve resilience and help address health inequalities.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients in pursuing a safe return to work while maintaining protections for their health.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are no plans to assess the potential benefits and costs of establishing a patient travel fund for stem cell transplant and CAR-T recipients. NHS England does not provide any specific cost of living support for patients receiving stem cell transplantation, however, trusts can exercise discretion to provide accommodation and/or other support depending on local and individual patient circumstances. The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) provide funded transport where it is considered essential to ensuring an individual’s safety, safe mobilisation, condition management or recovery.
Depending on a patient’s financial circumstances, they may be eligible for financial support with costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Those who do not qualify for NEPTS and need financial help with travel can access the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. This is aimed specifically at those with a low income and allows patients to claim for all or part their travel costs should they meet the eligibility criteria.
We recognise the pressures people are facing with the rising cost of living. Our extensive arrangements to help people afford NHS prescription charges, means that almost 89% of prescription items dispensed in community pharmacies in England are already provided free of charge. For those not exempt from charges, pre-payment certificates can be used to cap costs at just over £2 a week for regular prescriptions.
People with long-term health conditions or disabilities, including those requiring stem cell transplants, may be entitled to financial support to contribute towards their extra costs such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.
The Government does not any specific support to stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients pursuing a safe return to work. However, the Government has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include increasing Work Coach and Disability Employment Advisers’ support in Jobcentres, the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work grants, Disability Confident, the Information and Advice Service and support in partnership between Department for Work and Pensions and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to assess (1) the potential benefit of establishing a patient travel fund for stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy recipients, and (2) the potential cost to the Treasury.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are no plans to assess the potential benefits and costs of establishing a patient travel fund for stem cell transplant and CAR-T recipients. NHS England does not provide any specific cost of living support for patients receiving stem cell transplantation, however, trusts can exercise discretion to provide accommodation and/or other support depending on local and individual patient circumstances. The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) provide funded transport where it is considered essential to ensuring an individual’s safety, safe mobilisation, condition management or recovery.
Depending on a patient’s financial circumstances, they may be eligible for financial support with costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Those who do not qualify for NEPTS and need financial help with travel can access the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. This is aimed specifically at those with a low income and allows patients to claim for all or part their travel costs should they meet the eligibility criteria.
We recognise the pressures people are facing with the rising cost of living. Our extensive arrangements to help people afford NHS prescription charges, means that almost 89% of prescription items dispensed in community pharmacies in England are already provided free of charge. For those not exempt from charges, pre-payment certificates can be used to cap costs at just over £2 a week for regular prescriptions.
People with long-term health conditions or disabilities, including those requiring stem cell transplants, may be entitled to financial support to contribute towards their extra costs such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.
The Government does not any specific support to stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients pursuing a safe return to work. However, the Government has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include increasing Work Coach and Disability Employment Advisers’ support in Jobcentres, the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work grants, Disability Confident, the Information and Advice Service and support in partnership between Department for Work and Pensions and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of the increased cost of living on stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy recipients.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are no plans to assess the potential benefits and costs of establishing a patient travel fund for stem cell transplant and CAR-T recipients. NHS England does not provide any specific cost of living support for patients receiving stem cell transplantation, however, trusts can exercise discretion to provide accommodation and/or other support depending on local and individual patient circumstances. The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) provide funded transport where it is considered essential to ensuring an individual’s safety, safe mobilisation, condition management or recovery.
Depending on a patient’s financial circumstances, they may be eligible for financial support with costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Those who do not qualify for NEPTS and need financial help with travel can access the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. This is aimed specifically at those with a low income and allows patients to claim for all or part their travel costs should they meet the eligibility criteria.
We recognise the pressures people are facing with the rising cost of living. Our extensive arrangements to help people afford NHS prescription charges, means that almost 89% of prescription items dispensed in community pharmacies in England are already provided free of charge. For those not exempt from charges, pre-payment certificates can be used to cap costs at just over £2 a week for regular prescriptions.
People with long-term health conditions or disabilities, including those requiring stem cell transplants, may be entitled to financial support to contribute towards their extra costs such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.
The Government does not any specific support to stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients pursuing a safe return to work. However, the Government has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include increasing Work Coach and Disability Employment Advisers’ support in Jobcentres, the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work grants, Disability Confident, the Information and Advice Service and support in partnership between Department for Work and Pensions and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential support for UK leadership in the adoption of cell and gene therapies of the recommendations of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s National Cell and Gene Therapy Vision for the UK, published in March 2022.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department recognises that advanced cell and gene therapies will be an important part of the future of healthcare and the life sciences industry. We have been considering the recommendations of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s ‘National Cell and Gene Therapy Vision for the UK’, a report published by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in March 2022 and the UK Strategic Stem Cell Forum’s latest report ‘A 10-year vision for stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies’ published in July 2022.
As part of this, we have been conducting stakeholder engagement to further understand the challenges raised and whether there is a role for the Department in coordinating activity in this area.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to support patients receiving a stem cell transplant with the cost of living.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
NHS England does not provide any specific cost of living support for patients receiving stem cell transplantation, however, trusts can exercise discretion to provide accommodation and/or other support depending on local and individual patient circumstances. Depending on a patient’s financial circumstances, they may be eligible for financial support with travel costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.
With regards to the Healthcare Travel Scheme, the regulations provide that the amount payable should be calculated by reference to the cost of travelling by the cheapest means of transport which is reasonable having regard to the person’s age, medical condition or any other relevant circumstance.
People with long-term health conditions or disabilities, including those requiring stem cell transplants, may be entitled to financial support to contribute towards their extra costs such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Recipients of extra costs disability benefits, such as PIP, will receive a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment in the summer. They may also be entitled to up to £900 of Cost of Living Payments if they are a member of a household receiving a means tested benefit.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to work with the NHS to change perceptions around organ donation to make it an expected part of care when a potential donor dies.
Answered by Lord Bethell
A system for deemed consent, known as ‘opt-out’, was introduced in England from May 2020, to make deceased organ donation the default position. NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked together to implement the new United Kingdom-wide organ donation and transplantation strategy. NHS Blood and Transplant has launched communication campaigns and partnerships to address barriers, such as the ‘Leave Them Certain’ campaign and the Community Investment Scheme and promotes organ donation at events such as Organ Donation Week and the Transplant Games.
In addition, NHS Blood and Transplant has introduced prompts for organ donation when applying for a driving licence or taxing a car. Teaching resources have been provided in all state-funded secondary schools for blood, organ and stem cell donation.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he plans to make available to (a) stem cell transplantation patients and (b) other clinically extremely vulnerable people who cannot work from home but have been advised by their doctor to not go into work during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown in England.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government recognises the challenges presented by Covid-19 for stem cell transplantation patients and for all those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV). Individuals with underlying health conditions who cannot work from home can access the unprecedented package that the Government has introduced at this difficult time. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) which can both be claimed through the November 2020 lockdown. For clinically extremely vulnerable individuals who are on low incomes or who are out of work, the Government has injected a further £9.3bn into the welfare system according to OBR estimates.
To make a claim under the extended CJRS, employees must have been on their employers’ PAYE payroll on or before 30 October 2020. Moreover, self-employed CEV individuals may be eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) which has recently been extended and been made more generous. The Government is increasing the support to the self-employed under the SEISS from 40 per cent of trading profits to 80 per cent for the month of November. As SEISS grants are calculated over 3 months, this increases the total level of the grant from 40 per cent to 55 per cent of trading profits for November to January.
In addition, those who receive a notification that they need to shield will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from their employer, and New Style Employment and Support Allowance, subject to the wider eligibility criteria. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, for example where they are not eligible for SSP, they may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.
The Government is also providing £32 million in additional funding to local authorities to support CEV people most at risk, including helping them to access food and meeting other support needs to enable them to stay at home as much as possible for the 28 day period that the restrictive advice is in force.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) men aged 16 to 30 years and (b) people from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds to sign up to the stem cell donor register.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Since 2011 the Department has provided over £26.8 million in financial support to NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan to enable the establishment of a unified United Kingdom Stem Cell Registry and improve access to, and outcomes of, stem cell donation.
This includes improving equity of access to unrelated donor stem cell transplantation for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) patients through targeted recruitment to the UK Stem Cell Registry. Current funding includes very specific stipulations about the numbers of newly registered bone marrow donors, and the proportion of umbilical cords stored in the UK Cord Blood Bank that must be from BAME backgrounds (35-40%). The funding also has specific targets about the proportion of young donors, specifically young male donors, due to research identifying that younger donors offer the potential for better patient outcomes and a greater chance of survival.
There are now 1.9 million donors on the UK’s aligned stem cell registry, with 13% of donors from BAME backgrounds. 15% of donors recruited to the registry between 2019-20 were men aged 16-30.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when assessment he has made of the timescale for the approval of lenalidomide as a maintenance drug for post stem cell transplant treatment of Myeloma.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance on lenalidomide for the maintenance treatment of multiple myeloma after autologous stem cell transplantation.
NICE expects to publish final guidance on lenalidomide in January 2021.