Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why (1) the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, (2) the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, (3) the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and (4) the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, are unable to play the same legal role as other medical Royal Colleges in the consultant appointment process in England.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 do not prevent NHS trusts from seeking alternative members to contribute to the process of appointing consultants. The Regulations do provide discretion to involve these Royal Colleges where appropriate and do not apply to foundation trusts, which comprise the majority of trusts.
We are considering the merits of amending the Regulations to include additional Colleges and will provide further details in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the NHS Standard Contract 2022/23, when the data relating to the 12 hour standard for maximum waits from the time of arrival in Emergency Departments will be published.
Answered by Lord Kamall
NHS England and NHS Improvement publish the number of patients spending more than 12 hours in accident and emergency (A&E) from the time of arrival in the annual summary report of hospital accident and emergency activity. In 2020/21, 302,784 patients spent over 12 hours in A&E from arrival.
The NHS Standard Contract for 2022/23 includes a 12-hour standard from time of arrival as a national quality indicator. NHS England is currently considering when data against this standard can be published and expects to confirm in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the new COVID-19 test device validation approval process (CTDA) on COVID-19 multiplex tests for influenza and other diseases; and, further to clinical demand, what plans they have to change these processes to speed up approvals.
Answered by Lord Kamall
An assessment regarding the impact of the COVID-19 Test Device Validation Approval process (CTDA) on multiplex tests is ongoing. A public consultation ended on 30 September 2021 and a response will be published later this year. As the approval process safeguards consumers and has been determined by scientists, we have no current plans to amend it for multiplex tests.
The Department plans to recruit more full-time scientific advisors to meet clinical demand and accelerate CTDA approvals. We anticipate the recruitment campaigns will be concluded shortly. However, the speed of the approval process is also dependent on manufacturers submitting the correct data at the application stage.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the introduction of updated COVID-19 test validation approval processes (CTDA), what guidance is available to testing manufacturers regarding submitting applications (1) for new tests and (2) for an updated approved product; and what is the expected timescale from application to decision for such applications.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The online only guidance COVID-19 test approval: how to apply advises testing manufacturers on the validation process for new devices. The guidance sets out the process from submitting an application; the desktop review; how payment can be made; the outcome reporting on tests which have passed; how to make a complaint; and where an application is unsuccessful, how the manufacturer can request a review of the decision.
For updates to products while an application is being considered, applicants must inform the COVID-19 Test Device Validation Approval processes (CTDA) administration team and provide the updated Instructions for Use. For updates to approved products, manufacturers are encouraged to contact the CTDA administration team. Guidance for such updates is currently being developed.
The CTDA team aim to have the results of the application review within 20 working days of submission, subject to the application being complete. This process may take longer where there is a high volume of applications and if there are additional queries on the data submitted.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the use of Ronapreve has been restricted only to people who are currently hospitalised with COVID-19; what assessment they have made of the numbers of patients expected to be treated with Ronapreve in the next 12 months; and what, if any assessment, they have made of the benefits of providing it as prophylaxis for high-risk patients who are not in hospital.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The current supply of Ronapreve is limited globally and the clinical policy prioritises the most vulnerable patients for whom this treatment will have the largest beneficial impact. The use of Ronapreve is being monitored and the interim clinical policy will be updated if supported by the latest evidence.
The number of patients treated by Ronapreve will depend on the infection rate over the next year; the degree of vaccine protection; the availability of Ronapreve and other products; and on National Health Service clinical policy. To date, the evidence has most strongly supported treatment indications, but the evidence on prophylactic use will continue to be actively reviewed.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what fiscal steps they are taking to help disabled children, young people and families (1) to recover from missed health and social care services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) to access the therapies, care, equipment and health services they need in for their future wellbeing.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The forthcoming Spending Review will set out the Government’s spending plans for health and social care for future years. On 6 September, we announced an additional £5.4 billion to support the COVID-19 response over the next six months - a total of more than £34 billion this year. This includes £2 billion to tackle the elective backlog and reducing waiting times for patients, including disabled children.
We are working with the Department for Education and NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve the provision of health and care services for disabled children, including access to therapies and equipment. In 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement made clear that the restoration of essential community services must be prioritised for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged up to 25 years old and who have an Education Health and Care Plan in place or are going through an assessment. We are supporting access to appropriate disability equipment via the NHS Supply Chain, which maintains a framework contract for the supply of rehabilitation and disabled services equipment, such as paediatric wheelchairs.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Dermatology GIRFT Programme National Specialty Report: Proposed Recommendations, published on 15 September 2020; and what steps they intend to take in response to the proposed recommendations.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) National report on dermatology was completed in 2020 but has not yet been published, therefore we have not made this assessment. The report will be published later this year, once NHS England and NHS Improvement have reviewed the recommendations.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the role of environmental health professionals has been included in the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care's plans for reforming Public Health England and other public health related functions.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We have made no proposals in our public health reforms to make changes to the role of local environmental health professionals.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the definition of a health institution as defined in the Guidance on the regulation of In Vitro Diagnostic medical devices in Great Britain, published in January, differs from that in the MHRA guidance on the health institution exemption (HIE) – IVDR and MDR (Northern Ireland), published on 1 January.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Northern Ireland Protocol has resulted in the European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR) (2017/745) and the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) (2017/746) taking direct effect in Northern Ireland on 26 May 2020 and 26 May 2022 respectively. In its guidance on the application of EU MDR and EU IVDR in Northern Ireland, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has included the definition of a ‘health institution’ as determined by the EU.
The UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (as amended) does not define ‘health institution’. As a result, the MHRA has provided its own interpretation, which was set out in MHRA guidance on in vitro diagnostic medical devices when it was first published in August 2013. The MHRA continues to rely on this interpretation of the definition for Great Britain and this has not been altered in subsequent updates. However, this issue will be considered during the review of medical devices regulation taking place later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the proposed timescale for the (1) publication of the consultation on mandatory calorie labelling for pre-packaged alcoholic drinks, and (2) implementation of the policy following the consultation.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are committed to consult shortly on our intention to make companies provide calorie labelling on all pre-packaged alcohol they sell. The consultation will include further details about the proposed timescale for implementation of the policy.