Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a technical standard for microplastic filters in washing machines; and whether his Department has had recent discussions with industry representatives on developing a technical standard.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In Defra’s Plan for Water, there is a commitment for industry and businesses to develop low cost, effective microfibre filters in washing machines and encourage their use.

Defra commissioned an evidence assessment to understand the efficiencies, costs and benefits of installing filters in washing machines to trap microplastic fibres shredded from clothing during washing cycles. The report showed that filters demonstrated a range of efficiencies and costs associated with them. We recommended that filter manufacturers collaborate with the washing machine industry to develop and implement standardised tests to provide unequivocal performance data for the relevant government departments to consider. We await industry’s proposals.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the level of microplastic pollution in biosolids; and whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle this issue.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government continues to review the regulatory framework for biosolids spread to land to protect human health and the environment.

The Government has taken a range of steps to stop sources of plastics and microplastics entering sewers and moving into biosolids, including:

• We have already banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and the Government has been working at pace with devolved administrations to deliver a ban on wet wipes containing plastic. We recently ran a consultation on this and a government response setting out more information will be published in the spring.

• We have funded research to examine wider sources of microplastics, including tyres and textiles. Defra has also contributed to the design and development of the UK Water Industry Research funded and led Chemicals Investigation Programme (CIP) to improve our understanding of quantity and source of contaminants, including microplastics, in biosolids. This research will help to inform future policy.

• In Defra’s Plan for Water, there is a commitment for industry and businesses to develop low cost, effective microfibre filters in washing machines as a measure to reduce a primary source of microplastic fibres to wastewater treatment and the wider environment and encourage their use. Defra commissioned an evidence assessment to understand the efficiencies, costs and benefits of installing filters in washing machines to trap microplastic fibres shredded from clothing during washing cycles. The report showed that filters demonstrated a range of efficiencies and costs associated with them. We recommended that filter manufacturers collaborate with the washing machine industry to develop and implement standardised tests to provide unequivocal performance data for the relevant government departments to consider. We await industry’s proposals.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make a comparative assessment of the cost to the NHS of different kinds of absorbent continence products based on the (a) item price and (b) patient experience and outcome including (i) whole system cost, (ii) laundry cost and (iii) environmental impact.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to ensure that NHS organisations take into account (a) patient experience and outcomes, (b) whole system costs, (c) laundry costs and (d) the environmental impact when purchasing absorbent continence products.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

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 with NHS England to (a) promote the adoption of the principles of value-based procurement in the purchase and dispensing of absorbent continence products and (b) help ensure that those principles continue to be adopted in the context of short-term savings being pursued by NHS organisations.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when her Department plans to make a decision on financial redress for those harmed by pelvic mesh or sodium valproate.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Government commissioned the Patient Safety Commissioner to produce a report on redress for those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. We are grateful to the Commissioner and her team for completing this report and our sympathies remain with those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. The Government is now carefully considering the Commissioner’s recommendations and will respond substantively in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the (a) cost to the NHS of lack of specialist bowel care for patients with neurogenic bowel disorders and (b) additional costs incurred by (i) diagnosis and treatment of pressure sores resulting from inadequate care and (ii) other secondary complications.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans at present to establish a national policy on neurogenic bowel disorder. To help ensure that patients with neurogenic bowel receive timely and appropriate care, NHS England has developed a range of guidance, including its Excellence in Continence Care guidance. NHS England has also published a service specification for spinal cord injury services, which makes specific reference to bowel care. It outlines that patients with spinal injury should be provided with advice and care by specialist nursing staff in specialist fields, including in the field of bladder and bowel management. In addition, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on faecal incontinence set out the care that patients with neurogenic bowel should receive, including a neurological bowel management programme.

No estimate has been made of the cost to the National Health Service of a lack of specialist bowel care for patients with neurogenic bowel disorders. Nor has an estimate been made of the costs incurred by the diagnosis and treatment of pressure sores, resulting from inadequate care and other secondary complications.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her policy is on establishing a national policy for neurogenic bowel cancer; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate care is available for people who need it.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans at present to establish a national policy on neurogenic bowel disorder. To help ensure that patients with neurogenic bowel receive timely and appropriate care, NHS England has developed a range of guidance, including its Excellence in Continence Care guidance. NHS England has also published a service specification for spinal cord injury services, which makes specific reference to bowel care. It outlines that patients with spinal injury should be provided with advice and care by specialist nursing staff in specialist fields, including in the field of bladder and bowel management. In addition, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on faecal incontinence set out the care that patients with neurogenic bowel should receive, including a neurological bowel management programme.

No estimate has been made of the cost to the National Health Service of a lack of specialist bowel care for patients with neurogenic bowel disorders. Nor has an estimate been made of the costs incurred by the diagnosis and treatment of pressure sores, resulting from inadequate care and other secondary complications.

Found: Duncan Smith Caroline Ansell Julie Marson Tim Loughton Nick Fletcher Bob Seely Greg Smith Andrew

Found: Duncan Smith Caroline Ansell Julie Marson Tim Loughton Nick Fletcher Bob Seely Greg Smith Andrew

Found: Duncan Smith Caroline Ansell Julie Marson Tim Loughton Nick Fletcher Bob Seely Greg Smith Andrew

Found: Duncan Smith Caroline Ansell Julie Marson Tim Loughton Nick Fletcher Bob Seely Greg Smith Andrew

Found: Duncan Smith Caroline Ansell Julie Marson Tim Loughton Nick Fletcher Bob Seely Greg Smith Andrew