Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of warnings from drugs companies on impending supply problems for certain products; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure stability of supply for essential medications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are approximately 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the United Kingdom, and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. The medicine supply chain is complex, global, and highly regulated, and supply issues can be caused by a range of factors. For example, suppliers can encounter manufacturing problems, difficulty accessing raw materials, and surges in demand. These are commonly cited as the drivers of recent supply issues, which have affected many countries, not just the UK.
The number of supply issue notifications received by the Department has remained relatively stable through 2022 and 2023. This followed an initial increase in 2021 following the introduction of a new reporting portal for manufacturers, in October 2020, which is used to notify the Department of potential issues, shortages, and discontinuations.
Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, we have a range of well-established tools and processes to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, so they can advise and support their patients.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to (a) mitigate potential future shortages of (i) Creon 25000 and (ii) other essential medicines and (b) ensure that people affected by medicine shortages have access to alternative options.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of ongoing intermittent supply issues with Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules. These are due to manufacturing and active pharmaceutical ingredient constraints. The supplier has confirmed that stock of Creon 25000 gastro resistant capsules is now available, with further deliveries scheduled in May 2024. The Department has issued guidance to healthcare professionals regarding treatment of patients, while there was disruption to the supply of Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules. We continue to explore all management options to manage this issue. We have asked the supplier to continue confirming their future forecasts, and to inform us of any further gaps in supply of Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules.
Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, we have a range of well-established tools and processes to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with the suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and issuing NHS communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, so they can advise and support their patients.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the availability of Creon 25000 across the UK.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of ongoing intermittent supply issues with Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules. These are due to manufacturing and active pharmaceutical ingredient constraints. The supplier has confirmed that stock of Creon 25000 gastro resistant capsules is now available, with further deliveries scheduled in May 2024. The Department has issued guidance to healthcare professionals regarding treatment of patients, while there was disruption to the supply of Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules. We continue to explore all management options to manage this issue. We have asked the supplier to continue confirming their future forecasts, and to inform us of any further gaps in supply of Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules.
Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, we have a range of well-established tools and processes to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with the suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and issuing NHS communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, so they can advise and support their patients.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Patient Safety Alert entitled Shortage of methylphenidate prolonged-release capsules and tablets, lisdexamfetamine capsules, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets, issued on 27 September 2023, alert reference NatPSA/2023/011/DHSC, what progress she has made on tackling supply disruptions affecting Xaggitin XL 18 and 36 mg prolonged-release tablets.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites.
The National Patient Safety Alert to the National Health Service advises healthcare professionals on the management of patients during this time. We have well-established processes for managing and mitigating medicine supply issues, which involve working with the pharmaceutical industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, the devolved governments and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients have access to the treatments they need.
The Department has been working closely with the respective manufacturers and some issues have now been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, including Xaggitin XL 18 and 36 milligrams, which are expected to resolve in early 2024.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability and supply of Canesten HC cream.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department is aware of a supply issue with Canesten HC cream. The manufacturer has advised that stock should be available from wholesalers in mid June. Alternative treatments remain available and patients should talk to their clinician to discuss treatment options.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department uses automated decision making.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department does not use or deploy automated decision making on its staff or patients in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
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 18 January 2023 to Question 122493 on Hyperactivity: Drugs, whether he has had recent discussions with pharmaceutical suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets on supply issues; and estimate he has made of when supply will improve.
Answered by Will Quince
We are aware of supply issues affecting two brands of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We continue to work with the respective manufactures to ensure these issues are resolved quickly. We expect the affected products to be available in early February and April 2022. Other methylphenidate prolonged-release tablet brands and preparations remain available as well as alternative attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medication.
Communications were issued to the National Health Service including all general practitioners and community pharmacists in May 2022, advising on available alternative brands and how to manage affected patients during this time.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability and supply of ADHD medications.
Answered by Will Quince
We are aware of supply issues affecting one medication to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), methylphenidate prolonged-release. Other prolonged-release preparations remain available as well as other ADHD medication. Communications were issued to the National Health Service including all general practitioners and community pharmacists in May 2022, advising on available alternatives and how to manage affected patients during this time.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the availability of mental health services for women and girls who experience domestic and sexual violence.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We continue to work with colleagues across government on this issue. The NHS Long Term Plan commits an additional £2.3 billion a year for mental health services in England by 2023/24 to allow a further two million people, including victims of domestic and sexual violence, to access National Health Service-funded mental health support.
NHS England commissions 48 sexual assault referral centres (SARCs), which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse. The Department is working with NHS England to support the integration of SARC services within the local sexual assault and abuse care pathway to ensure that the needs of survivors of sexual exploitation are addressed. We are also working with the Home Office, which is investing up to £7.5 million over three years to implement domestic abuse interventions in healthcare settings in England.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 24 February, (b) 7 April and (c) 28 April 2022 from the hon. Member for Glasgow East, reference DL11390.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We replied to the hon. Member on 27 May 2022.