Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to undertake an assessment of the impact of the NHS Framework Agreement on Direct Oral Anticoagulants to treat atrial fibrillation, implemented from January 2022.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Information on the number of new patients detected with atrial fibrillation is not collected in the format requested. As of October 2022, 126,000 patients on general practitioner practice atrial fibrillation registers who were eligible for anticoagulation received treatment. The proportion of patients treated with anticoagulation increased by 3% from April to October 2022.
An annual evaluation of the National Health Service commissioning guidance and framework agreement for anticoagulation will be made in the first quarter of 2023/24 when the relevant prescribing and performance data is finalised.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timescale is for the implementation of the Federated Data Platform.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England is currently undertaking the final stages of approvals to proceed with the procurement of the Federated Data Platform and the contract notice will be issued in due course. A contract award is anticipated in summer 2023.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department expects to publish a response to its consultation on entitled Hub and Spoke Dispensing; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
The consultation closed on 8 June 2022 and we are currently reviewing the responses received. Further information will be available in due course.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
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 promote the use of digital technology in the pharmacy sector including (a) automated dispensing technology and (b) interoperability between GP and pharmacy systems.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
Approximately 90% of prescriptions are submitted through the Electronic Prescription Service and all pharmacies have access to Summary Care Records, which is a summary of patient information created from general practitioner (GP) medical records. GP and pharmacy IT systems are integrating to support patient pathways, including the Community Pharmacists Consultation Service, where GPs can refer patients with a minor illness to a community pharmacist. Pharmacies are also receiving access to the full patient record and actions taken by community pharmacy will be recorded. Individual pharmacy contractors make decisions on the adoption of automated dispensing technology.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to implement the recommendations of the Fuller Stocktake report including through expanding the role of the pharmacy sector in the delivery of primary care services; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 sets out how community pharmacy will become further integrated in the National Health Service, delivering more clinical services and provide treatment and advice for minor illnesses. Since 2019, several services have been introduced and expanded in community pharmacy to use the skills of pharmacy teams and relieve pressures in primary care.
In September 2022, we announced that community pharmacists will manage and initiate contraception and provide additional support to patients newly prescribed antidepressants. In addition, urgent emergency care settings will refer patients to a community pharmacist for a minor illness consultation or an urgent medicine supply.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
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 seek early access to the forthcoming update of the Cochrane review on physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses to help ensure thatpolicy recommendations for this winter are informed by that review.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
We have no plans to do so. All guidance is kept under regular review to ensure it remains appropriate to reduce the risks posed by respiratory pathogens in the community, in care and other settings.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
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 affected by dementia are consulted during the development of the ten-year plan for dementia.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
We are reviewing plans for dementia in England and further information will be available in due course.