Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS appointments have been missed in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Data for missed outpatient appointments in the years 2013-14 to 2017-18 is provided in the following table. This is a count of appointments, not people, as the same person may have had more than one appointment within the same time period:
Year | Total number of appointments | Did not attends (DNAs) | DNA’s as a % of total appointments |
2013-14 | 101,844,824 | 7,095,839 | 7.0% |
2014-15 | 107,188,423 | 7,442,949 | 6.9% |
2015-16 | 113,298,661 | 7,519,829 | 6.6% |
2016-17 | 118,578,912 | 7,938,009 | 6.7% |
2017-18 | 119,378,895 | 7,984,183 | 6.7% |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics – NHS Digital
Information surrounding the cost of missed hospital appointments is not collected or held centrally.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the annual cost to the public purse was of missed NHS appointments in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Data for missed outpatient appointments in the years 2013-14 to 2017-18 is provided in the following table. This is a count of appointments, not people, as the same person may have had more than one appointment within the same time period:
Year | Total number of appointments | Did not attends (DNAs) | DNA’s as a % of total appointments |
2013-14 | 101,844,824 | 7,095,839 | 7.0% |
2014-15 | 107,188,423 | 7,442,949 | 6.9% |
2015-16 | 113,298,661 | 7,519,829 | 6.6% |
2016-17 | 118,578,912 | 7,938,009 | 6.7% |
2017-18 | 119,378,895 | 7,984,183 | 6.7% |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics – NHS Digital
Information surrounding the cost of missed hospital appointments is not collected or held centrally.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
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 29 May to Question 256286 on NHS: Public Appointments, how many NHS posts with salaries above £142,000 are awaiting ministerial sign-off by (a) his Department and (b) HM Treasury.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
This information is not held in the format requested.
National Health Service organisations are not required to seek Departmental approval or comment on salaries of less than £150,000.
As at 6 June there are 17 NHS posts with salaries at or above £150,000 awaiting ministerial approval or comment.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS staff appointments are awaiting ministerial sign-off.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Ministers do not sign-off National Health Service staff appointments. These are managed locally.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
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 improve (a) early diagnosis and (b) treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The United Kingdom Rare Disease Strategy, published in 2013, sets out our commitment to raising awareness about all rare diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and our strategic vision for improving the lives of all those affected. The Strategy promotes improvements to ensure that people living with a rare disease receive high-quality care.
The Government recognizes the need for awareness raising and training of health care professionals for rare diseases. This is being taken forward through the work of the UK Rare Diseases Policy Board and NHS England’s Rare Diseases Implementation plan, which commits NHS England to engaging with the Royal College of General Practitioners (GPs) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council on opportunities for GPs and health visitors to recognise and facilitate earlier diagnosis of rare diseases.
There are limited drug treatment options for IPF and two drugs, Pirfenidone and Nintedanib, are commissioned following National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Technology Appraisals. Alongside this, the Department funds research into rare diseases such as IPF through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential severity of the 2017-18 influenza season.
Answered by Steve Brine
International surveillance data identifies trends in seasonal influenza across different parts of the world. While this provides useful information, it cannot be assumed that influenza activity observed in other countries predicts the influenza strains which might circulate in the United Kingdom nor the level of seasonal influenza activity.
Public Health England is responsible for monitoring data on influenza activity on a weekly basis during the winter months, and this data is carefully assessed on an ongoing basis. Current data shows low levels of flu activity.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the 2017-18 influenza season for respiratory health.
Answered by Steve Brine
Seasonal influenza surveillance arrangements are in place to monitor influenza throughout the year. These systems look to determine the level of influenza-like illness in the community and provide this information to relevant organisations and government departments. Public Health England is responsible for monitoring data on influenza activity on a weekly basis during the winter months, and this data is carefully assessed on an ongoing basis. Current data shows low levels of flu activity.
Monitoring enables prompt identification of any increases in influenza activity to forewarn communities and the specific influenza strains involved and any changes in the virus. This information informs public health recommendations to clinicians, such as the use of antivirals in primary care and the management of seasonal influenza on respiratory health. Maximising uptake of flu immunisation, including amongst those with chronic respiratory disease, remains a key strategy.
International surveillance data identifies trends in seasonal influenza across different parts of the world. While this provides useful information, it cannot be assumed that influenza activity observed in other countries predicts the influenza strains which might circulate in the United Kingdom nor the level of seasonal influenza activity.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to promote influenza vaccination.
Answered by Steve Brine
Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England, is currently running the Stay Well This Winter campaign which encourages people who are most at-risk of preventable emergency admission to hospital to take actions to help them stay well. These actions include getting a flu vaccination and visiting a pharmacy at the first sign of a winter illness.
The campaign launched on 9 October 2017 and promotes uptake of the flu vaccination to people with long term health conditions, people aged 65 years and over, pregnant women, carers and eligible children.
Stay Well This Winter is a national multi-channel campaign that includes television, radio, social media, public relations and digital activity. This is supported by an extensive partnership programme to amplify reach through local authorities, the National Health Service, pharmacies, commercial manufacturers of over the counter medicines, the energy sector, charities, employers and many other organisations.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Government has made on making available improved influenza products to protect vulnerable people and people aged over 65.
Answered by Steve Brine
General practitioners (GPs) can order inactivated influenza vaccine directly from manufacturers. The current influenza vaccines have generally provided an important level of protection to elderly people.
Influenza vaccines are authorised for use in the United Kingdom following a thorough review of efficacy, safety and quality by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or the European Medicines Agency. A new adjuvanted vaccine is available for GPs to order for use in the 2018/19 season.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help protect (a) vulnerable, (b) elderly and (c) other people from influenza.
Answered by Steve Brine
Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England, is running the ‘Stay Well This Winter’ campaign which encourages people most at-risk of preventable emergency hospital admission to take actions helping them stay well e.g. flu vaccination and visiting a pharmacy at the first signs of a winter illness.
The National Health Service annual influenza vaccination programme helps to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death by targeting the most vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women, those aged 65 and over, those with chronic health conditions, carers and health and social care workers working in care homes and domiciliary settings, in England.
Vaccination is also offered to healthy children (this year those aged two to three years of age, those in reception class, and school years one to four are all eligible) to both protect young children and to reduce the wider spread of flu in households and communities.