Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures apply to independent sector places when there has been a failure to comply with the requirements of the revised Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy and his Department's Guidance in Relation to the Requirements of the Abortion Act, both published in May 2014.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Failure to comply with the Required Standard Operating Procedures is considered on a case by case basis. Investigations into breaches of the Abortion Act are a matter for the police.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Questions HL4063 and HL4228, how the Expert Panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) were assured that the children concerned were genetically normal; whether each of the mitochondrial diseases listed in Annex D of the Department of Health's consultation document Mitochondrial Donation is associated with an abnormal karyotype; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between the member of the HFEA's Expert Panel and the Zhang research group.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the term ‘genetically normal’ was used in reference to the detail outlined in the Zhang et al abstract regarding the outcome of genetic tests, as follows:
“Nuclear genetic fingerprinting confirmed that the nuclear DNA from 24 and 29 wk fetuses matched that of the patient’s. Mt DNA profiles in fetal red blood cells were similar to those from cytoplast donor with no detection of patient (karyoplast donor) Mt DNA.“
We are also advised that all of the mitochondrial diseases listed in the consultation document are due to point mutations or deletions and thus there is a normal karyotype.
On the question of correspondence between a member of the HFEA convened Expert Panel and the Zhang research group, I have nothing further to add to the information given to Questions HL4063 and HL4228.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many inspections of approved independent places for the termination of pregnancy have been carried out to ensure compliance with the revised Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy and his Department's Guidance in Relation to the Requirements of the Abortion Act, both published in May 2014.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Between 23 May 2014 and 15 January 2015 the Care Quality Commission has published eight inspections of independent healthcare organisation locations registered for the regulated activity of Termination of Pregnancy, covering five separate locations.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department has in place to ensure that independent-sector providers of abortion services comply with the requirements of the Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy, published in May 2014.
Answered by Jane Ellison
All independent sector places undertaking termination of pregnancy are required to comply with:
- the Abortion Act 1967 and regulations made under that Act;
- the requirements set out in regulations made under the Health and Social Care Act 2008; and
- the Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) published in May 2014, incorporating new guidance relating to the legal requirements of the Abortion Act.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for ensuring that the requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 are maintained through a system of monitoring and, where appropriate, inspection visits. If a CQC inspection identifies instances of non-compliance with the Health and Social Care Act and Regulations then appropriate regulatory action will be taken. Action will similarly be taken where providers are found not to be acting in accordance with the Abortion Act and RSOPs.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the press release by the Department for Work and Pensions on 31 October 2014 on the families test, whether his Department has conducted such a test on its policy on long-term prescribing of methadone for opiate addicts.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Treatment for an addiction to opiates is a clinical matter, to be agreed between the individual and their treatment provider in the context of the relevant evidence-base and related authoritative guidance. Proper professional practice of those prescribing for addiction is regulated through mechanisms established by Parliament.
A 2013 inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission praised joint working between children’s social care and drug and alcohol services to ensure that children affected by their parents’ or carers’ difficulties were supported and safe.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2014 to Question 214086, how many members of the expert group with responsibility for updating the UK guidelines for the Clinical Management of Drugs Misuse and Dependence have a financial interest in the prescribing of methadone.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The expert group updating the UK guidelines for the clinical management of drug misuse and dependence consists of a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including practising clinicians, pharmacists, service users, carers, psychologists, commissioners and academics. Each is required to complete a declaration of interests and keep this updated.
Public Health England, which provides the secretariat for the group, has reviewed these declarations and on the basis of the information provided believes that no expert group members have a financial interest in the prescribing of specific medicines for the treatment of dependence.
Clinicians’ declarations will be published alongside the updated clinical guidelines by early 2016.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policy on long-term methadone prescribing for opiate addicts of the findings of the Second Report of the Recovery Committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Public Health England, on behalf of the United Kingdom Government and the devolved administrations, has convened an expert group with responsibility for updating the UK guidelines for the Clinical Management of Drug Misuse and Dependence.
In updating the clinical guidelines the Expert Group will be looking at all the available evidence, including reports from the Recovery Committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.