Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to section 1.17 of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines entitled Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy) chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published on 29 October 2021, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that hospital staff are aware of NICE guidelines for caring patients with very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The guidance states that where possible, patients with ME should be provided with a single room, and that factors such as the level of lighting and sound should be taken into consideration, and necessary adjustments made.
It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff in providing better care and improving patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
We have finished consulting on My Full Reality, the cross-Government interim delivery plan on ME, which seeks to improve the experiences and outcomes of people living with this condition. We are in the process of analysing the results of the consultation. The views and experiences gathered through this consultation will be used to build a picture of how well the interim delivery plan identifies and meets the needs of the ME community, and to highlight any significant gaps where further action may be necessary. We will publish a summary of the consultation responses, which will inform the final delivery plan being published later this year, in due course.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to increase inpatient provision for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The guidance states that where possible, patients with ME should be provided with a single room, and that factors such as the level of lighting and sound should be taken into consideration, and necessary adjustments made.
It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff in providing better care and improving patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
We have finished consulting on My Full Reality, the cross-Government interim delivery plan on ME, which seeks to improve the experiences and outcomes of people living with this condition. We are in the process of analysing the results of the consultation. The views and experiences gathered through this consultation will be used to build a picture of how well the interim delivery plan identifies and meets the needs of the ME community, and to highlight any significant gaps where further action may be necessary. We will publish a summary of the consultation responses, which will inform the final delivery plan being published later this year, in due course.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
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 11 March 2024 to Question 16630 on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, when she plans to publish the final myalgic encephalomyelitis delivery plan.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management, published in October 2021, outlines the expectations for inpatient care for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The guidance states that where possible, patients with ME should be provided with a single room, and that factors such as the level of lighting and sound should be taken into consideration, and necessary adjustments made.
It is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. Whilst guidelines are not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take them fully into account when designing services that meet the needs of their local population. The NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.
The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff in providing better care and improving patient outcomes. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME.
We have finished consulting on My Full Reality, the cross-Government interim delivery plan on ME, which seeks to improve the experiences and outcomes of people living with this condition. We are in the process of analysing the results of the consultation. The views and experiences gathered through this consultation will be used to build a picture of how well the interim delivery plan identifies and meets the needs of the ME community, and to highlight any significant gaps where further action may be necessary. We will publish a summary of the consultation responses, which will inform the final delivery plan being published later this year, in due course.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much her Department (a) paid in apprenticeship levy fees and (b) spent from its apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has contributed £1,013,354 in levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023. During the same period, the Department spent £354,742 from the levy fund.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her most recent estimate is of the number of children aged under 16 who are prescribed Elvanse but do not have access to it due to the shortage.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, including Elvanse, have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working closely with the manufacturer and some issues have now been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some Elvanse products, which should resolve by April 2024.
The information requested is not held centrally. However, the following table shows the total number of items prescribed to children aged under 16 years old for chemical substance Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate and includes both generic and branded prescribing of Elvanse:
Time Period | BNF Chemical Substance | Items | Identified Patient Count |
December 2022 to November 2023 | Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate | 80,806 | 13,351 |
November 2023 | Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate | 4,640 | 3,679 |
Source: NHS Business Services Authority
Notes:
The figures show the latest 12 months of data held in the period between December 2022 and November 2023 and for the standalone month of November 2023 as a comparison for prescriptions that have been prescribed in England and dispensed in the community in England.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
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 the number of children that have been waiting for medical procedures from the North West London Integrated Care Board for longer than (a) 126 and (b) 365 days.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The data is not held in the format requested, as published waiting list data by age of patient is not held at integrated care board level.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) schemes and (b) grants their Department administers that are open for (i) individuals, (ii) organisations and (iii) other groups in Feltham and Heston constituency to apply for as of 10 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not currently have any live grant schemes which can be applied for. There is an online service provided by the Cabinet Office which allows individuals and organisations to search for government grants to find out if they are eligible to apply for a grant and how they can apply. This service is available at the following link:
https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of GP provision for the size of the population in Feltham and Heston.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In Feltham and Heston constituency, the median general practitioner (GP)-patient ratio was 3.6 full time equivalent doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in November 2023.
Each GP is required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients. There is no Government recommendation for how many patients a GP should have assigned, or the ratio of GPs or other practice staff to patients. The demands each patient places on their GP are different and can be affected by many different factors, including rurality and patient demographics. It is necessary to consider the workforce for each practice as a whole; not only GPs but also including the range of health professionals available who are able to respond to the needs of their patients.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children have been waiting for medical procedures for longer than (a) 126 days and (b) 365 days in Feltham and Heston constituency.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not available at a constituency level.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reach stillbirth and mortality rates 2025 targets.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government Maternity Safety Ambition is to halve the 2010 rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries in babies occurring during or soon after birth by 2025. The ambition also includes reducing the rate of pre-term births from 8% to 6% by 2025.
We have added £165 million of recurring investment to the annual maternity budget, beginning in 2021, to grow and support the maternity workforce and improve neonatal care.
On 30 March 2023, NHS England published its ‘Three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services’. The delivery plan will make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised and more equitable for women, babies and families.
The NHS Long Term Plan includes new measures to improve safety, quality and continuity of care that will help achieve our ambition to halve stillbirths, maternal and neonatal deaths and brain injuries in babies by 2025. These measures include: ensuring most women can benefit from continuity of carer through and beyond their pregnancy, targeted towards those who will benefit most; providing extra support for expectant mothers at risk of premature birth; and expanding support for perinatal mental health conditions.
The expanded Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle, currently being rolled out across England, includes a new element to reduce the number of pre-term births and optimise care when pre-term delivery cannot be prevented.