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Written Question
Brain Cancer: Immunotherapy
Friday 15th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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 make an assessment of the effectiveness of immunotherapy as a treatment for brain cancer; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Will Quince

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. All new medicines, including immunotherapies, are appraised by NICE within their licensed indications, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE.

NICE is currently developing guidance on the immunotherapy dabrafenib with trametinib for treating BRAF V600E mutation-positive glioma in children and young people aged 1 to 17. If this is recommended for use on the NHS, it will be eligible for funding through the Cancer Drugs Fund from the point that NICE issues positive draft guidance.


Written Question
Brain Cancer: Research
Wednesday 13th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage clinical researchers to specialise in brain tumour research; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Will Quince

Brain tumour research remains a challenging scientific area, with a relatively small research community. We are working closely with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) in hosting customised workshops for researchers, and training for clinicians. These actions will grow capacity for brain cancer research, attracting new researchers, developing the community, and supporting researchers to submit high quality research funding proposals.

The TJBCM recently announced two appointments to the inaugural Tessa Jowell Fellowship programme. These 12-month fellowships will support high quality training in neuro-oncology clinical practice and research, to ensure clinicians are equipped with the relevant research skills needed to lead neuro-oncology trials that change practice.

Additionally, the TJBCM have designated 28 adult Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence within the National Health Service, which has created a world-class network of brain tumour treatment and research centres to provide the best care and share best practice.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including research into brain tumours. As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.


Written Question
Brain Cancer: Research
Wednesday 13th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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 support researchers to access Government funding for brain tumour research; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Will Quince

Brain tumour research remains a challenging scientific area, with a relatively small research community. We are working closely with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) in hosting customised workshops for researchers, and training for clinicians. These actions will grow capacity for brain cancer research, attracting new researchers, developing the community, and supporting researchers to submit high quality research funding proposals.

The TJBCM recently announced two appointments to the inaugural Tessa Jowell Fellowship programme. These 12-month fellowships will support high quality training in neuro-oncology clinical practice and research, to ensure clinicians are equipped with the relevant research skills needed to lead neuro-oncology trials that change practice.

Additionally, the TJBCM have designated 28 adult Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence within the National Health Service, which has created a world-class network of brain tumour treatment and research centres to provide the best care and share best practice.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including research into brain tumours. As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.


Written Question
Brain Cancer: Research
Wednesday 13th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of his Department's processes for allocating funding to the highest quality clinical trials for brain tumour research; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Will Quince

The Department invests in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR invests in research, clinical expertise, specialist facilities, workforce and support services across a range of clinical areas. NIHR expenditure on cancer research was £101.2 million in 2021/22.

The Government is committed to funding high-quality brain cancer research. The May 2018 Government announcement of £40 million for brain tumour research as part of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission remains available and if we can spend more on the best quality science we will do.

We welcome more high-quality applications for brain tumour research funding. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition. The NIHR continues to follow its normal high-quality processes in making funding recommendations to the Department. It is worth noting that all applications that were fundable in open competition have been funded.


Written Question
Abortion: Emergency Calls
Thursday 13th July 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of emergency calls from women undergoing home abortions; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

No assessment has been made.


Written Question
Dementia: Diagnosis
Monday 13th June 2022

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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 support the development of novel methods for the early diagnosis of dementia; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education

We are investing in research on dementia diagnosis, such as a £9 million invitation for research proposals for submission to the National Institute for Health and Care Research on digital approaches for the early detection and diagnosis of dementia which was launched in November 2021.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned resources including an e-learning course developed by University College London to support memory services to manage a change in practice, ensuring the delivery of a personalised assessment and diagnosis via a blended service model; and a guide developed by Leeds Beckett University to support continuous development, improvement and innovation in memory services.

We will set out plans for dementia in England for the next 10 years later this year, which will include a focus on diagnosis, risk reduction and prevention and research.


Written Question
Dementia: Diagnosis
Monday 13th June 2022

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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 ensure that people diagnosed with dementia have a sub-type specified; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education

As there are over 200 subtypes of dementia, NHS England and NHS Improvement do not provide pathway guidance by subtype. However, best practice in delivering a dementia diagnosis should ensure that patients and their families are given the information they need, including the cause of the dementia syndrome.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Screening
Monday 6th June 2022

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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 work with private covid-19 lateral flow test providers to ensure that tests are affordable; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Maggie Throup

Manufacturers and retailers of devices have autonomy to determine the pricing of lateral flow device tests and the pack sizes available. However, the Government has engaged with manufacturers and retailers on setting affordable prices to ensure a private market exists and flourishes.


Written Question
Dementia
Thursday 10th March 2022

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the updated National Dementia Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education

We will be setting out plans for dementia in England later this year. Task and finish groups were established in late October 2021 to develop the strategy with stakeholders. We received the output of these groups in December 2021, which have been reviewed and are being refined into proposals and testing with people living with dementia and their carers.


Written Question
Joint Replacements: Coronavirus
Thursday 23rd December 2021

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the backlog on joint replacement surgery resulting from the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

No formal assessment has been made as this data is not collected in the format requested.