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, what steps her Department is taking to help improve genomics testing for bowel cancer patients.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A National Health Service testing programme is helping to diagnose thousands of people with a genetic condition, Lynch Syndrome, that increases the chance of developing certain cancers including bowel cancer. The national programme ensures all people diagnosed with bowel cancer are offered genomic testing, with a diagnosis for Lynch Syndrome not only helping to guide more personalised cancer treatment but enabling their families and relatives to be offered testing too. Relatives who receive a diagnosis of Lynch Syndrome can be referred to genetic services to discuss regular testing options to help catch any cancers as early as possible, as well as to consider preventive options such as taking aspirin or undergoing risk-reducing surgery.
Genomic testing in the NHS in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory (NGTD) which outlines the full range of genomic testing offered by the NHS in England including tests for 3,200 rare diseases and over 200 cancer clinical indications, including both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and non-WGS testing. The NGTD sets out the eligibility criteria for patients to access testing as well as the genomic targets to be tested and the method that should be used, including testing for bowel cancer patients.
The NHS GMS cancer genomic testing strategy has facilitated a move to a consolidated laboratory network through the seven NHS GLHs delivering more extensive panel testing using cutting edge high throughput Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. For patients, including those with bowel cancer, this technology enables testing for a larger number of genetic variations to give a more precise diagnosis, identify biomarkers to target treatment and opportunities to access innovative medicines, and can support enrolment into molecularly stratified clinical trials.
Testing is available for all eligible patients across the whole of England. Individuals should discuss with their healthcare professional (for example, their general practitioner or other healthcare professional if they are already being seen in a relevant service) whether genomic testing is appropriate for them. Their healthcare professional will then make a decision whether to refer the individual either directly or via an NHS clinical genomics service or other relevant clinical speciality for genomic testing following clinical review of their and their family’s medical history if known, and the relevant genomic testing eligibility criteria.
The 17 NHS Clinical Genomic Services (NHS CGSs), commissioned by NHS England, deliver a comprehensive clinical genomic and counselling service that directs the diagnosis, risk assessment and lifelong clinical management of patients of all ages and their families who have, or are at risk of having, a rare genetic or genomic condition. As part of the NHS CGS, the patient and their family will access diagnosis, and management relevant to their particular condition, but also receive support and guidance so that they are able to understand their condition, its implications, and their options in relation to reproduction, screening, prevention and clinical management.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to (a) identify young people most at risk of poor health in later life and (b) mitigate that risk.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the significant impact that youth health can have across a person’s life course, and is committed to keeping young people healthy, preventing ill-health, and providing treatment and support where needed. The Department leads a range of universal public health interventions and guidance for those aged between zero and 19 years old, that provide universal support, and help identify further needs and safeguarding concerns for children and young people most at-risk.
People with both physical and mental health conditions face poorer clinical outcomes, and a significantly lower quality of life, than people with a physical health condition alone. This is why the Government is rolling out mental health support teams to schools and colleges in England, to detect and offer evidence-based interventions to young people experiencing mild-to-moderate mental health issues. These currently cover 3.4 million children, or approximately 35% of pupils, which will increase to 50% by 2025. When deciding where to introduce mental health support teams, integrated care boards consider how teams will reach young people most at risk of poor outcomes. In addition, on 27 February 2024 we announced extra funding for 24 early support hubs for young people across England, so that thousands of children and young people will receive earlier, open-access mental health interventions in local communities.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
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 help prevent (a) death and (b) serious illness of (i) mothers and (ii) babies from Group B Streptococcal Infection.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in combatting Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection both through routine service activities and innovative research. Trends, characteristics, and outcomes of infection are monitored through surveillance, vital for prevention efforts, providing means to understand differential risk within our population, which has informed guidance change. Emergence of new strains is monitored at the reference laboratory, vital to understanding the potential vaccine coverage and escape once vaccines are licensed. Furthermore, genomic assessment of strains identified the presence clusters, an important finding highlighting the potential for spread of infection within hospitals.
The Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre at UKHSA Porton Down is part of an international consortium funded by the Gates Foundation to develop standardised assays to quantify immune responses to GBS in natural immunity studies and vaccine trials.
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 assessment they have made of the cost and resource savings to NHS England that could be realised through (1) a broader focus on preventative healthcare, and (2) a reduction in malnutrition across the population.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is good evidence that preventative action can benefit individuals and promote efficient and effective use of National Health Service resources. This is an important factor in Government’s determination to tackle the drivers of preventable poor health, such as smoking and obesity.
Efforts to prevent malnutrition and to treat it early could potentially have major effects in reducing both the clinical and economic burden of malnutrition. We know better diagnosis and detection are key. This is why we continue to train all health staff to spot the early warning signs of malnutrition so effective treatment can be put in place. Everyone from the health and social care professionals to individuals in the wider community have a role to play.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential efficacy of the use of (a) exoskeletons and (b) wearable robotics as a technical aid to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders; and whether the Government is taking steps to promote such technologies.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been currently made on use of exoskeletons or wearable robotics as a technical aid, and NHS England is not currently exploring the use of exoskeletons or wearable robotics within their musculoskeletal work.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is developing medical technologies guidance on GaitSmart, which is looking at its use for people at risk for falling. Gaitsmart is a sensor-based digital technology that monitors limb movement, for gait and mobility issues. This guidance is due to be published this month.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding he has allocated to spending on preventive healthcare in the next fiscal year.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
Core annual allocations are made to integrated care boards and Local Authorities for their health functions, and do not specify amounts allocated for preventative health care. The balance of local spend between preventative care and other services is determined by local commissioners.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
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 assess the cost-effectiveness of his Department's preventive healthcare strategies; and whether his Department has conducted research on the (a) cost-effectiveness and (b) impact on public health outcomes of preventive healthcare interventions.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Department assesses the cost-effectiveness of prevention measures through a rigorous and evidence-based approach. The Department publishes impact assessments for policy proposals applying the methodology outlined in the Green Book, which provides guidance on appraising Government policy, programmes and projects. The Green Book is available at the following link:
There is a wide range of published research and evidence on preventative healthcare interventions, which informs both the development of policy and advice issued to health services including by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. In 2017, Public Health England published the Health Economics Evidence Resource which summarized the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of various prevention interventions used by local authorities. The Health Economics Evidence Resource is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-economics-evidence-resource
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the effectiveness of preventive healthcare (a) programs and (b) interventions at (i) increasing average life expectancy and (b) reducing the incidence of preventable diseases in the last 10 years; and whether his Department has conducted research on the effectiveness of individual preventive healthcare (A) programs and (B) interventions.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Department is taking action to improve healthy life expectancy (HLE), improve average life expectancy (LE) and reduce incidence of preventable disease. We monitor the impact of our programmes and interventions on their target metrics, and we are working towards understanding their impact on HLE as part of our work to drive progress on our Levelling Up health mission.
On 24 January 2023, we announced our plan to publish the Major Conditions Strategy. This strategy will explore how we can tackle the key drivers of ill-health in England. The strategy will focus on six major groups of conditions, namely cancers, mental health, cardiovascular disease (including stroke and diabetes), dementia, chronic respiratory diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders, that account for approximately 60% of ill-health and early death in England.
There is a wide range of published research and evidence on preventative healthcare interventions, which informs both the development of policy and advice issues to health services including by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. In 2017, PHE published the Health Economics Evidence Resource, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-economics-evidence-resource
This summarised the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of various prevention interventions used by local authorities.
Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department has funded research on preventative healthcare interventions. For example, the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme funded study ‘What happens after an NHS Health Check? A survey and realist review’ has recently reported. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including preventative healthcare interventions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. NIHR funded research is published in its journals library which is available at the following link:
https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
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 20 June 2023 to Question 188379 on Rabies: Preventive Medicine, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the (a) supply of and (b) demand for rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis on its price.
Answered by Will Quince
Rabipur is currently available but due to increased demand the manufacturer is capping orders to help widen access to supply.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 13 February to Question 139217 on Mental Health: Preventive Medicine, what progress NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have made on the development of a policy framework to assess digital health technologies.
Answered by Will Quince
The policy framework clarifying the market pathway for Digital Health Technologies will be published in autumn 2023. Several evaluations, through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Early Value Assessment (EVA) have now been published, including technologies delivering digitally enabled therapy. A procurement platform has been established, via the London Procurement Partnership, for EVA recommended products.