Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on where the NHS disposes of (a) crutches, (b) wheelchairs and (c) other mobility equipment.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report, published in October 2020, the NHS is committed to reducing its environmental impact, including by increasing the reuse and recycling of medical equipment. This commitment is then applied locally, taking into account local priorities, through local Green Plans.
NHS England also collaborates with the NHS Supply Chain to increase availability of reusable products, and supports local NHS organisations through the publication of guidance and resources to help with implementing changes.
Furthermore, the Department published the inaugural Medical Technology Strategy in February 2023, which included a focus on improving resource efficiency. The Department’s Design for Life Programme works with industry, the health and care sector, and academic partners to develop medical technology systems that support reuse, remanufacture, and material recovery becoming the default. The Department recognises we will need to define future data requirements and align digital infrastructure to improve the gathering of core data, such as how products are eventually disposed. The Department’s intention is to publish a roadmap later this year, to articulate our relevant findings and plans moving forward.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on how many useable mobility aids and equipment are wasted in the NHS each year.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report, published in October 2020, the NHS is committed to reducing its environmental impact, including by increasing the reuse and recycling of medical equipment. This commitment is then applied locally, taking into account local priorities, through local Green Plans.
NHS England also collaborates with the NHS Supply Chain to increase availability of reusable products, and supports local NHS organisations through the publication of guidance and resources to help with implementing changes.
Furthermore, the Department published the inaugural Medical Technology Strategy in February 2023, which included a focus on improving resource efficiency. The Department’s Design for Life Programme works with industry, the health and care sector, and academic partners to develop medical technology systems that support reuse, remanufacture, and material recovery becoming the default. The Department recognises we will need to define future data requirements and align digital infrastructure to improve the gathering of core data, such as how products are eventually disposed. The Department’s intention is to publish a roadmap later this year, to articulate our relevant findings and plans moving forward.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding her Department has provided to hospices in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since 2020 NHS England has provided hospices with over £350 million nationally, to secure and increase National Health Service capacity and to support hospital discharge. In addition, since 2021/22, nearly £63 million has been provided to children’s hospices as part of the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant. Separate, further investment in children and young people’s palliative and end of life care, including hospices, has also been made through the NHS Long Term Plan’s commitment to match-fund clinical commissioning groups, and subsequently integrated care boards (ICBs), totalling over £23 million.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether all NHS hospitals provide the right for patients to choose where they receive treatment; and whether this right is affected by where a patient lives.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the NHS Constitution allows patients to be treated by any provider who holds a contract for the provision of National Health Services. This includes the independent sector, who already hold multiple contracts with integrated care boards (ICBs) across the country to provide additional capacity to the NHS.
Last year, the Government set out how it will make it easier for patients to exercise their choice by improving the NHS App, increasing choice for patients already on waiting lists, and raising awareness of patients’ right to choose.
At the point of referral, for example at a general practice appointment, patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. Patients will also be informed of their right to choose, and encouraged to raise this at the time of the referral.
Patients can be referred to services outside of their local ICB geography when exercising their legal right of choice of provider and team, if the service meets the criteria to be an appropriate choice for patients. Where there is limited choice in the local vicinity or region of a patient, alternative national providers will be offered.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on (a) improving understanding of and (b) finding a cure for Lobular cancer as of 31 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests over £1 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), with NIHR expenditure for all cancers being £121.8 million in 2022/23.
Current NIHR research into breast cancer includes a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, such as lobular breast cancer. The NIHR also supports research on lobular breast cancer through its research infrastructure, including Biomedical Research Centres which are undertaking research on early detection and genetic aspects of breast cancer. It is difficult to attribute research infrastructure funding allocations to specific disease and therapy areas as the staff and facilities funded through the NIHR infrastructure supports research across disciplines.
Additionally, the NIHR supports breast cancer research funded by research partners in the charity and public sectors through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Network (CRN). Over the last five years the CRN has supported delivery of 10 lobular breast cancer-related studies.
Research on the underpinning science to understand the mechanisms of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is funded through the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Medical Research Council who spend £125 million annually on cancer research. The NIHR also works closely with research funding partners including Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Now, Medical Research Council, and other cancer charities.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of publishing a plan to help support unpaid carers.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable high-quality care and support services, including support for unpaid carers and local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any unpaid carer who appears to have a need for support and to meet their eligible needs on request from the carer.
The enormous contribution made by unpaid carers is reflected throughout Next steps to put People at the Heart of Care published April 2023.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 June 2023 to Question 189024 on NHS: Pay, for what reason no assessment was made of the full cost of passing on the non-consolidated awards for 2022/23 to all staff employed by NHS contractors.
Answered by Will Quince
The pay deal that was accepted by the NHS Staff Council on 2 May 2023 covered staff directly employed by NHS organisations. Independent providers, including not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment. If they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate and how to recoup any additional costs they face.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by the Royal College of Radiologists entitled Improving Paediatric Interventional Radiology services in the UK, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report's findings on (a) the number of consultant paediatric interventional radiology posts in the UK and (b) the proportion of those that are outside London.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will be discussing the geographic spread of posts with NHS England.
I have agreed to meet the Royal College of Radiologists so this matter will also be discussed in a meeting with them.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure equal access to paediatric interventional radiology services in the UK.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department regularly discusses the equity of access to health services with NHS England. We will discuss access to paediatric interventional radiology services specifically with NHS England.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 require all hospitals that provide paediatric services to have paediatric interventional radiology service policies in place.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will discuss these issues with NHS England. National Health Service trusts are expected to have the relevant policies in place, in line with service specification and commissioning guidance produced by NHS England.