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Written Question
Respiratory System: Drugs
Tuesday 22nd June 2021

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 assessment he has made of the progress on delivery against article 3.57 of the 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access agreement within respiratory, relating to five highest health gain categories.

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

The Department, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and NHS England and NHS Improvement set the objective of reaching the upper quartile of uptake in relation to comparator countries for the five highest health gain categories during the first half of the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, which was published in 2019. This objective is not intended as a target for the prescription of medicines. Medicines prescribing, including the highest health gain categories, remains a decision between the clinician and patient in line with guidance and recommendations made by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

When selecting the countries for international comparison of uptake of the five highest health gain categories, NHS England and NHS Improvement looked for countries with similar health systems and populations to England. NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned an independent third party to develop an objective methodology to compare uptake rate between countries.

The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) worked closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement in the identification of potential five highest health gain categories for support through its Rapid Uptake Products programme. Following the open selection process, asthma biologics were selected for tailored support to increase their adoption in the National Health Service for the treatment of severe asthma as part of the 2021/22 programme. The Academic Health Science Networks are also providing leadership and support to NHS organisations to implement changes to transform severe asthma services locally and improve access to these medicines. Support for the programme will continue to be kept under review.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Friday 18th June 2021

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 November 2020 report of the all-party Parliamentary group for Respiratory Health entitled Improving Asthma Outcomes in the UK, whether his Department has plans to establish unified asthma guidelines as recommended in that report.

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

The British Thoracic Society, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have begun work to develop a joint guideline relating to asthma care. The recruitment process for the roles of guideline group co-chair and topic expert is underway, with the first scoping workshop due to take place on 6 August 2021. The likely publication date is 2023.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Thursday 3rd June 2021

Asked by: Baroness Masham of Ilton (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Asthma UK Asthma Care in a Crisis, published on 5 May, what plans they have to improve the percentage of people with asthma who are receiving all elements of basic asthma care.

Answered by Lord Bethell

The content of the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) asthma review, which ensures all general practitioner practices establish and maintain a register of patients with an asthma diagnosis, has been amended to incorporate the key elements of basic asthma care positively associated with better patient outcomes and self-management, including:

- An assessment of asthma control;

- A recording of the number of exacerbations;

- An assessment of inhaler technique; and

- A written personalised asthma action plan.

The QOF for 2021/22 has been implemented from April 2021 with these updated indicators for asthma.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Thursday 3rd June 2021

Asked by: Baroness Masham of Ilton (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Asthma UK Asthma Care in a Crisis, published on 5 May, what plans they have to ensure that people who are most at risk of having an asthma attack are (1) prioritised, and (2) seen face-to-face, when clinically necessary.

Answered by Lord Bethell

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s rapid guidance, on severe asthma during the pandemic recommends using technology to reduce in-person appointments. However, guidance on face-to-face appointments throughout the pandemic has been in line with clinical need.

Work is continuing to recover primary care services, including services for asthma patients, to an appropriate level balance between phone/online and face to face appointments. NHS England and NHS Improvement’s updated practice on standard operating procedures for patient consultations states that although the use of video and remote consultations may be suitable for some people, face to face appointments will be offered.


Written Question
Lung Diseases
Monday 24th May 2021

Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what role charities have played in collecting data for asthma and lung conditions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; and what role they plan for charities who could collect such data to have in any future pandemics.

Answered by Lord Bethell

During the COVID-19 pandemic charities such as the British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK partnership and those working under the umbrella of the Lung Health Taskforce have collected data by conducting patient surveys and producing several reports.

The patient surveys and research have provided the NHS England and NHS Improvement with useful insight into the experience of patients with lung disease during the pandemic, particularly their priorities and level of confidence in accessing services and how remote care can be best used. No assessment has yet been made of what role charities will have during future pandemics in collecting data for asthma and lung conditions.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Asthma UK’s report, Asthma Care in a Crisis, Annual Asthma Survey 2020, what plans he has to improve the percentage of people with asthma who are receiving all elements of basic asthma care.

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

The content of the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) asthma review, which ensures all general practitioner practices establish and maintain a register of patients with an asthma diagnosis, has been amended to incorporate the key elements of basic asthma care positively associated with better patient outcomes and self-management, including:

- An assessment of asthma control;

- A recording of the number of exacerbations;

- An assessment of inhaler technique; and

- A written personalised asthma action plan.

The QOF for 2021/22 has been implemented from April 2021 with these updated indicators for asthma.


Written Question
Employment Schemes: Asthma
Thursday 20th May 2021

Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the economic benefits of assisting people with severe asthma to participate fully in the labour market.

Answered by Justin Tomlinson

The Government recognises the important economic contribution of disabled people in the labour market and is committed to seeing 1 million more disabled people in work. DWP delivers a range of programmes to support disabled people, including those with severe asthma, to stay in or move into work.

These include the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work, Disability Confident and initiatives in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services and Individual Placement and Support.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Thursday 20th May 2021

Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Asthma UK’s report entitled Asthma Care in a Crisis, Annual Asthma Survey 2020, if he will take steps to help ensure that people who are most at risk of having an asthma attack are prioritised and seen face-to-face when clinically necessary.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Rapid Guidance on severe asthma during the pandemic recommend using technology to reduce in-person appointments.

NHS England’s letter of 13 May 2021 outlined that patients and clinicians have a choice of consultation mode. Patients’ input into this choice should be sought and practices should respect preferences for face to face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary. The letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/B0497-GP-access-letter-May-2021-FINAL.pdf


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the finding by Asthma UK that one in every five severe asthma patients receive a referral, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients with severe asthma receive timely referrals to specialist care.

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

Information on patients who were first made aware of their severe asthma via shielding letters is not held centrally. However, respiratory disease is a national clinical priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working in close partnership with patients and partners, including the British Lung Foundation, and are developing and implementing policy on provisions of respiratory services in England.

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) programme supported by the severe asthma toolkit, is increasing treatment adherence, biologic choice, optimising multidisciplinary teams and has been shared widely with the severe asthma clinical community. The AAC programme for severe asthma biologics has increased uptake of asthma drugs including ones covered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Technology Appraisals where it has been identified that there is suboptimal uptake.


Written Question
Asthma: Health Services
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)

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 ensure that patients who were first made aware of their severe asthma via shielding letters received in 2020 have been seen in a specialist asthma clinic.

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

Information on patients who were first made aware of their severe asthma via shielding letters is not held centrally. However, respiratory disease is a national clinical priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working in close partnership with patients and partners, including the British Lung Foundation, and are developing and implementing policy on provisions of respiratory services in England.

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) programme supported by the severe asthma toolkit, is increasing treatment adherence, biologic choice, optimising multidisciplinary teams and has been shared widely with the severe asthma clinical community. The AAC programme for severe asthma biologics has increased uptake of asthma drugs including ones covered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Technology Appraisals where it has been identified that there is suboptimal uptake.