Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 7 February (HL5154), what is the upper age limit for screening for bowel cancer; and whether those who have been screened in the past but have now passed the previous upper age limit for screening will be invited to re-apply under the new rules.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening programme is currently offered to people between the ages of 60 years old and 74 years old. The programme is expanding to make it available to everyone aged 50 years old to 59 years old, this is happening gradually over four years and started in April 2021.
If people over the age of 74 years old have concerns about bowel cancer, they should speak to their general practitioner who will determine the best course of actions to take.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department will take to consult those affected by bowel cancer on its Major Conditions Strategy.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Major Conditions Strategy will draw on previous work on cancer, including over 5,000 submissions provided to the Department as part of our Call for Evidence last year. Many of those submissions will have included feedback on bowel cancer. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders, citizens and the National Health Service in coming weeks to identify actions for the Strategy that will have the most impact.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce levels of bowel cancer in England.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England are extending the age of the eligible cohort for bowel cancer screening in line with the National Health Service Long Term Plan commitment and the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendations approved by ministers. This will allow for the early detection and treatment of cancer or polyps that could develop into cancer.
Additionally, the Government aims to reduce obesity rates, which increase people’s risk of developing bowel cancer. We have introduced new regulations on out-of-home calorie labelling for food sold in large businesses, which came into force in April 2022. Further regulations restricting the location of products high in fat, salt, or sugar in key selling locations in store and online came into force on 1 October 2022.
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: 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, whether he has had recent discussions with the Royal College of Physicians on the impact of a diet rich in (a) vegetables, (b) whole grains, (c) beans and (d) lentils on the risk of bowel cancer.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
There have been no recent discussions. The Eatwell Guide advises the population to consume a diet which is based on fruits, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates, including wholegrain options where possible.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the prevalence of colorectal cancers in (a) the North East and (b) rest of the country; what assessment she has made of the reasons for potential disparities; and what steps she is taking to reduce disparities.
Answered by Will Quince
There are many factors which affect the risk of developing cancer, including age, genetic factors and lifestyle factors. Geographic variation in the distribution of these factors could influence disease incidence. Efforts to support cancer prevention and improve the health of people and communities may help to reduce variation in cancer incidence.
The Northern Cancer Alliance commissions and supports cancer awareness workers in the North East and North Cumbria to work in communities, especially those affected by health inequalities, to promote the uptake of bowel screening and highlight cancer prevention messages, including healthy eating.
Bowel screening uptake in Newcastle and the North East has improved in recent years since the introduction of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT). This test is easier to use and more sensitive in detecting bowel conditions which need further investigation and treatment. The implementation of FIT in primary care for people with colorectal symptoms has been supported by raising community awareness and increased uptake and sensitivity of bowel cancer screening. Work also continues to ensure equitable access to the test including support for people with visual impairment and people without English as a first language. The regional learning disability network is also ensuring that people with learning disabilities are offered support alongside the offer of screening.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
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 reasons for a lower survival rate for colorectal cancer in the UK compared with the European average; and what steps she is taking to improve the five year relative survival rate for colorectal cancer.
Answered by Will Quince
No assessment has been made. However, the NHS Cancer Programme aims to improve cancer survival in all cancers to meet the NHS Long Term Plan’s ambition that by 2028, 55,000 more people each year will survive their cancer for at least five years after diagnosis.
The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) aims to support earlier diagnosis of bowel cancers by finding cancer at an earlier stage or by detecting changes in the bowel which could lead to cancer if left untreated among people aged 60 to 74 years old. The BCSP invites approximately 4.5 million people to take part in screening each year and reduces the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 25% in those who participate. The NHS is currently expanding the bowel screening programme in England to offer the home testing faecal immunochemical test kit to 58 year-olds.
A recent National Health Service ‘Help us help you’ campaign focused on the barriers to earlier presentation in all cancer types and aimed to address some underlying challenges to earlier diagnosis. A campaign for abdominal and urological symptoms is planned later this year, which will address symptoms relevant to bowel cancer. The impact of Deborah James’ campaign also increased the number of visits to the NHS website’s bowel cancer symptoms page. A Best Practice Timed Pathway for suspected bowel cancer has been developed which outlines the timings of clinical steps in order to reach a diagnosis or rule out cancer within 28 days of referral.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
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 reduce levels of bowel cancer in the UK.
Answered by Will Quince
Since 2019, the National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) in England has issued a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit to eligible people for use at home, which can detect changes in the bowel which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer. The FIT kit requires one sample to be taken and replaced the previous test which required three samples, which has increased uptake in England.
The FIT home testing kit is currently available to everyone aged 60 to 74 years old and the majority of 56-year-olds. The NHS BCSP is expanding the FIT kit offer to 58-year-olds and the programme will be offered to all those aged 50 to 74 years old by 2025. In 2023, an NHS bowel cancer screening communications and marketing campaign is planned to increase the uptake of the FIT home testing kit in eligible people across England.
Obesity can increase the likelihood of developing bowel cancer therefore we have introduced measures to help people to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. New Regulations on out-of-home calorie labelling for out of home food sold in large businesses including restaurants, cafes and takeaways came into force on 6 April 2022. These aim to ensure people can make more informed, healthier choices when eating food out or ordering takeaways. We are also working to make the food and drink that is available to consumers healthier through reformulation programmes.
Reducing tobacco use and supporting smokers to quit can prevent 15 types of cancers, including bowel cancer. An independent review of the Government’s tobacco control policies led by Javed Khan, published on 9 June 2022, makes recommendations to support the Government’s ambition for England to be smoke-free by 2030. We are currently considering the recommendations to inform a new Tobacco Control Plan.
Asked by: Andy Carter (Conservative - Warrington South)
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 take steps to make Avastin available on the NHS for people with stage 3 or 4 bowel cancer.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is not routinely funded on the National Health Service in England. In 2012, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) considered the clinical and cost-effectiveness of bevacizumab for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in adults. However, it was unable to recommend the drug as an effective use of resources. NICE monitors new evidence which may affect its guidance and would consult on proposed changes with stakeholders if any such evidence emerges.
Where a treatment is not routinely commissioned by the NHS, a patient’s clinician may submit an individual funding request if they consider it is in the patient’s best interests.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of regional variations in bowel cancer survival rates; and what steps his Department is taking to help tackle these variations.
Answered by James Morris
The National Bowel Cancer Audit is currently underway which aims to improve care for bowel cancer patients and ensure equity in services.
The bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit, introduced in England from April 2019, has increased uptake of bowel cancer screening. FIT has increased accessibility as it requires one stool sample, replacing multiple samples used by its predecessor. Information for patients on bowel cancer screening and how to use the screening kit is available in different languages and formats, including easy read and animations, to increase awareness and address potential variations in patient outcomes.