Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delegation of specialised commissioning responsibility from NHS England to Integrated Care Systems on multiple sclerosis care.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England retains overall accountability for specialised services which are delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England is currently reviewing which specialised services could be delegated and move to direct management by ICBs, if it is advantageous for these services to be overseen locally. This approach will allow ICBs to work with service providers to deliver the care to meets the needs of the community.
By April 2023 we expect that some Integrated Care Boards will have taken on delegated commissioning responsibility for a portion of specialised services. This will be subject to local system and service readiness.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support her Department provides to Integrated Care Systems to help ensure people affected by multiple sclerosis receive the best possible care.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care, which are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England commissions the specialised elements of MS care for those with more complex health needs.
ICBs are responsible for developing a forward plan for its health services, including for MS and neurology.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department are taking to encourage local commissioning areas to incorporate the needs of individuals affected by multiple sclerosis and neurology condition within local strategic planning processes.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care, which are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England commissions the specialised elements of MS care for those with more complex health needs.
ICBs are responsible for developing a forward plan for its health services, including for MS and neurology.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the level of prioritisation of multiple sclerosis and neurology within the strategic planning documents of each of England’s 42 Integrated Care Systems.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
No specific assessment has been made. The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care commissioned locally by integrated care boards. NHS England commissions the specialised elements of MS care for those with more complex health needs.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on making an assessment of the adequacy of Government support for (a) fuel and (b) other costs for people with sickle cell disease during winter 2022.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from long-term health conditions and disabilities, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter and the next, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.
Depending on their specific circumstances, it is possible that people with multiple sclerosis will qualify for disability benefits. People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments.
The Government is also providing a £650 Cost of Living Payment to recipients of means-tested benefits, to support people with low incomes with the rising cost of living. Individuals in receipt of means-tested disability benefits, such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the Universal Credit Health top up are eligible for this support.
Those suffering from sickle cell disease may also benefit from other forms of non-means tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households’ energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter. This will support people with a disability who may need to use more energy due to their condition or treatment.
Secondly via the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide £400 to help with domestic energy bills. All households in Council Tax bands A-D will also receive the Government-funded £150 Council Tax Rebate, which will be delivered by Local Authorities.
Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials, via the Household Support Fund.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to conduct an impact assessment of the increased costs of living on the health of people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from multiple sclerosis, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter and the next, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way. The impact of the cost of living on households and those with disabilities is something that officials continue to review.
Depending on their specific circumstances, it is possible that people with multiple sclerosis will qualify for disability benefits. People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments.
The Government is also providing a £650 Cost of Living Payment to recipients of means-tested benefits, to support people with low incomes with the rising cost of living. Individuals in receipt of means-tested disability benefits, such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the Universal Credit Health top up are eligible for this support.
Those suffering from multiple sclerosis may also benefit from other forms of non-means tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households’ energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter.
- This will support people with a disability who may need to use more energy due to their condition or treatment.
Secondly, the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide £400 to help with domestic energy bills. All households in Council Tax bands A-D will also receive the Government-funded £150 Council Tax Rebate, which will be delivered by Local Authorities.
Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials, via the Household Support Fund.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of patients with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other progressive conditions who face unnecessary repeat assessments.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Award rates and their durations are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing. Award reviews allow for the correct rate of PIP to remain in payment, including where needs have increased as a consequence of a congenital, degenerative or progressive condition. No such estimate has been made concerning numbers of patients with any specific health condition.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to commission an independent assessment of the adequacy of disability benefits rates to enable disabled people, including people with multiple sclerosis, to cover all their costs and meet their needs.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
As referenced in the Government’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee report on The Cost of Living published on 8 September 2022 (HC 671), the Government does not intend to commission a review into the adequacy of disability benefit levels.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and role of the NICE guidance for Tourette’s Syndrome and other neurological disorders.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No specific assessment has been made. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidelines on a range of neurological disorders, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. It has also published a guideline and quality standard for the recognition and referral of suspected neurological conditions. NICE guidelines represent best practice which healthcare professionals are expected to take fully into account in the treatment of individual patients.
NICE has not published a guideline on Tourette’s Syndrome. Decisions on the topics where NICE will develop guidelines are based on factors such as the evidence base and clinical need. A topic selection oversight group at NICE considers topics for guideline development on this basis. Clinical guideline topics prioritised through this process are formally referred to NICE by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Asked by: Lord Dubs (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the support that people with long term degenerative conditions like multiple sclerosis receive when they are no longer able to work.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.