Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure new treatment options for pancreatic cancer are made available on the NHS at the earliest opportunity; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In commissioning cancer services, NHS England is supported by clinical reference groups (CRGs) which are responsible for developing strategies, pathways and service specifications for each group of cancer type, including a Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic CRG which covers pancreatic cancer. CRGs consider the latest evidence available.
We take the issue of ensuring rapid access to innovative therapies very seriously, which is why we have launched an Accelerated Access Review to make recommendations to Government later in the year on speeding up access for National Health Service patients to innovative and cost effective new medicines, diagnostics and medical technologies.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to include aortic stenosis in future cardiovascular strategies.
Answered by Jane Ellison
NHS England has no plans to publish a future cardiovascular disease strategy at this time.
Improvements in detection and management of valve disease will be achieved by encouraging practitioners and providers to follow clinical guidelines and by commissioning means. Surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement are commissioned by NHS England through specialised commissioning but investigations, initial diagnosis and medical management are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to task NICE with publication of guidelines for heart valve disease.
Answered by George Freeman
From April 2013, NHS England is the lead commissioner for clinical guidelines for topics which have a principal focus on healthcare.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on chronic heart failure in 2010 that includes recommendations on the management of chronic heart failure caused by valve disease. Further information is available on NICE’s website at:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg108
NICE has reviewed the need to update this clinical guideline and concluded in January 2015 that an update will be scheduled into its work programme. Details of the update will be available on NICE’s guidelines in development webpage in due course.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to ensure earlier referral of heart valve patients from secondary to tertiary care; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
NHS England has no plans to publish a future cardiovascular disease strategy at this time.
Improvements in detection and management of valve disease will be achieved by encouraging practitioners and providers to follow clinical guidelines and by commissioning means. Surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement are commissioned by NHS England through specialised commissioning but investigations, initial diagnosis and medical management are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to investigate cases of orthostatic intolerance and Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.
Answered by Norman Lamb
In 2010, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guidance Transient loss of consciousness ('blackouts') management in adults. Orthostatic intolerance is characterised by the development of symptoms of dizziness, nausea and fainting when standing up, which are only resolved by lying down. The investigation of such symptoms is included in the NICE guidance, which can be found at the following link:
To support clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of patients with chronic/complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has produced a best practice guideline on the condition, which was produced with a range of collaborators, including the British Pain Society. In addition, in 2013 NICE produced a guideline on the pharmacological management of neuropathic pain, including for CRPS. Both the RCP and the NICE guidance can be found at the following links:
www.rcplondon.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/complex-regional-pain-full-guideline.pdf
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg173/resources/guidance-neuropathic-pain-pharmacological-management-pdf
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Palliative Care Funding Review, published on 1 July 2011.
Answered by Norman Lamb
In response to the recommendations of the independent Palliative Care Funding Review, we set up eight pilots to collect a range of data on palliative care and to test the review’s recommendations. The pilot phase was completed in March this year.
NHS England is in the process of analysing the data and designing a new palliative care currency framework. Decisions on how best to develop a fair and transparent funding system for palliative care will be based on this evidence.