Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to support research into developing low carbon propellant inhalers for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Department funds research for the health and care system through the National Institute for Health and Social Care (NIHR). The NIHR has no immediate plans to encourage researchers to move into that specific area - though our research funding programmes are open and we would welcome applications in any area, including low carbon inhalers. The NIHR has also previously issued a cross-programme call for research into the evaluation of a range of interventions and services to support the delivery of a more sustainable United Kingdom health and care system and is considering how to support further research in this area in future.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, published on 9 May 2023, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of the pharmacy sector in helping patients to monitor (a) high blood pressure and (b) other long-term conditions at home.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
On 9 May, as part of the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, we announced a further investment of up to £645 million over two years to expand the role of community pharmacy including the expansion of existing blood pressure services. This service offers a blood pressure cuff check, as well as ambulatory monitoring where appropriate. General practitioners can also refer their patients directly to the community pharmacy for ambulatory blood pressure measurements, supporting care closer to home and self-care. Pharmacists are experts on medicines and any prescription which is dispensed by a community pharmacist requires the pharmacy to provide to the patient information and advice including how to use the medicines safely. This includes products patients require to monitor their long-term conditions, for example blood glucose testing strips for diabetic patients and peak flow monitors for patients with asthma.
Asked by: Lord Warner (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any adverse effects on children as a result of not establishing a consistent child identifier, especially those children with (1) complex needs and disabilities, (2) long-term conditions such as asthma, autism and epilepsy and (3) looked after children and those at risk; and whether they will publish such an assessment.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
No specific assessment has been made. Every child is assigned an National Health Service number at birth or the first time they have contact with NHS services. The NHS number acts as is a unique patient identifier and is used to share information within electronic healthcare records. This contributes to improved health outcomes for children, including looked after children and those with complex needs, disabilities and long-term conditions, by ensuring that health professionals identify patients correctly and have access to information to inform the delivery of appropriate care.
Through the Health and Care Act 2022, the Government has committed to report on Government’s policy on information sharing in relation to the safeguarding of children, including looked after children and those at risk, by summer 2023. The report will include an explanation of whether it is the Government’s policy that a consistent child identifier should be used across agencies.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle child health (a) inequalities and (b) issues linked to child poverty.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
In November 2022, NHS England published Core20PLUS5, an approach to reducing health inequalities for children and young people at a national and system level. The approach defines a target population and identifies five clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement: asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, oral health, and mental health.
The Department leads a range of public health interventions and guidance for ages 0 to 19 years old that provide universal support, but also help identify further needs and safeguarding concerns. We also deliver programmes targeted at particular populations, including the Family Nurse Partnership to support vulnerable young mothers, the Healthy Start scheme for low-income families, and targeted Mental Health Support Teams in schools.
On 9 February 2023, the Government confirmed the 75 eligible local authorities who will deliver approximately £300 million Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and the 14 local authorities selected as programme trailblazers. The programme’s objective is to join up and enhance services delivered through transformed Family Hubs. This will ensure all parents and carers can access the support they need at the time they need it.
By investing in 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation, we aim to help reduce inequalities in health and education outcomes for babies, children, and families across England.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
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 19 December 2022 to Question 108144 on NHS: Staff, with which (a) trades unions, (b) medical royal colleges, (c) NHS system leaders, (d) voluntary organisations his Department consulted on the NHS workforce plan.
Answered by Will Quince
The following table shows the organisations that have been engaged. This list is not exhaustive because NHS England and Health Education England leaders and programme teams are also working with external stakeholders and their contribution is also informing the plan’s development.
Trade unions, royal colleges and representative bodies | Regulators | Members of Cancer Charities Group |
Unison | Professional Standards Authority | Alike |
Unite | General Medical Council | AMMF – the cholangiocarcinoma charity |
GMB | Care Quality Commission | Anthony Nolan |
Managers in Partnership | Healthcare and Professions Council | Blood Cancer UK |
British Medical Association | Nursing and Midwifery Council | Bloodwise |
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges | Think tanks | Bone Cancer Research Trust |
Royal College of Nursing | Nuffield Trust | Bowel Cancer UK |
Royal College of Midwives | The Health Foundation | Brain Trust – the brain cancer people |
Royal College of Physicians | The King’s Fund | The Brain Tumour Charity |
Royal College of Surgeons | Regulators | Brain Tumour Research |
Royal College of General Practitioners | Professional Standards Authority | British Liver Trust |
Royal College of Psychiatrists | General Medical Council | Breast Cancer Now |
Royal College of Anaesthetists | Care Quality Commission | Cancer 52 |
Royal College of Pathologists | Healthcare and Professions Council | Cancer Research UK |
Royal College of Ophthalmologists | Nursing and Midwifery Council | CATTS (Cancer Awareness for Teens & Twenties) |
Royal College of Occupational Therapists | Think tanks | Chai Cancer Care |
Royal Pharmaceutical Society | Nuffield Trust | Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group |
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists | The Health Foundation | CLIC Sargent |
Royal College of Ophthalmologists | The King’s Fund | CoppaFeel! |
Royal College of Emergency Medicine |
| DKMS |
Royal College of Podiatry |
| Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust |
The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine |
| Eve Appeal |
The Society of Radiographers |
| Fight Bladder Cancer |
Institute of Osteopathy |
| GO Girls Support |
College of Operating Department Practitioners |
| Guts UK |
British Association of Art Therapists |
| Haven House |
British Association of Drama therapists |
| Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust |
British Association for Music Therapy |
| Kidney Cancer UK |
The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists |
| Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce |
British Dietetic Association |
| Leukaemia Care |
British and Irish Orthoptic Society |
| Leukaemia UK |
British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists |
| Lymphoma Action |
College of Paramedics |
| Macmillan Cancer Support |
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy |
| Maggie's – everyone’s home of cancer care |
College of General Dentistry |
| Marie Curie |
Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive healthcare |
| MDS UK Patient Support Group |
Queen’s Nursing Institute |
| Melanoma Focus |
Institute of Health Visiting |
| Melanoma UK |
British Society of Rheumatology |
| Mesothelioma |
The Richmond Group of Charities (including Macmillan Cancer Support, Diabetes UK, Asthma UK, Age UK) |
| Mylenoma UK |
Cancer Charities Group (*see separate list for members) |
| National Cancer Research Institute |
Council of Deans of Health |
| Neuroendocrine Cancer UK |
Medical Schools Council |
| OcuMel UK |
Universities UK |
| Ovacome |
University Alliance |
| Ovarian Cancer Action |
Office for Students |
| Pancreatic Cancer Action |
Skills for Care |
| Pancreatic Cancer UK |
Local Government Association |
| Paul's Cancer Support |
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services |
| Penny Brohn UK |
Social Partnership Forum |
| Prostate Cancer Research |
NHS providers |
| Prostate Cancer UK |
NHS Employers |
| Race Against Blood Cancer |
The Shelford Group |
| Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation |
ICS leaders |
| Salivary Gland Cancer UK |
NHS Confederation |
| Sarcoma UK |
Community Providers Network |
| Shine Cancer Support |
|
| Solving Kids Cancer |
|
| Target Ovarian Cancer |
|
| Teenage Cancer Trust |
|
| Trekstock |
|
| The Joshua Tree |
|
| WMUK – The charity for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia |
|
| World Cancer Research Fund |
Further discussions will take place before the plan is finalised. This will include engagement with patient representative groups. NHS England can discuss with any organisations interested in the development of the Plan.
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
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 - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
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.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to improve the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
NHS England has established 13 respiratory clinical networks with primary care and community services to manage the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Quality Outcomes Framework for 2022/23 includes respiratory indicators in relation to the diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which was fully re-instated in April 2022.
Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also delivering additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity. This includes a pilot pathway for the diagnosis of undifferentiated breathlessness in a number of CDCs, with a view to wider deployment.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to improve the rates of diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
NHS England has established 13 respiratory clinical networks with primary care and community services to manage the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Quality Outcomes Framework for 2022/23 includes respiratory indicators in relation to the diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which was fully re-instated in April 2022.
Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also delivering additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity. This includes a pilot pathway for the diagnosis of undifferentiated breathlessness in a number of CDCs, with a view to wider deployment.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure patients with multiple allergies such as asthma and eczema have access to a multidisciplinary team who can consider the best care for the patient across their conditions; and whether he will make a statement.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
NHS England commissions specialist allergy services for patients with complex and severe allergy. The service specification sets out that specialist allergy centres should ensure that multidisciplinary care is provided for patients. There are regular review meetings between the regional commissioning teams and providers to ensure compliance with service standards.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Life sciences vision published on 6 July 2021, what steps (a) the Government and (b) the NHS plan to take to reduce COPD mortality in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme, led by the Royal College of Physicians, aims to improve the quality of care, services and clinical outcomes for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by collecting and providing data on a range of indicators. Through the NHS Long Term Plan, access to pulmonary rehabilitation will be expanded by 2028. This is an exercise and education programme for COPD, with 90% of patients who complete the programme experiencing improved exercise capacity or increased quality of life. The expansion of pulmonary rehabilitation services over 10 years aims to prevent 500,000 exacerbations and avoid 80,000 hospital admissions.
The Government has worked with global academic and industrial leaders to identify areas of scientific and research potential which could address the seven identified healthcare missions in the ‘Life Sciences Vision’. The respiratory mission aims to reduce pressure on the National Health Service and improve clinical outcomes, treatment and diagnosis.
Detailed implementation plans are being developed to deliver the Life Sciences Vision. We are working with academics, the NHS and industry on plans for the respiratory mission to reduce morbidity and mortality due to respiratory disease, including COPD.