Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to ensure that a dedicated Chief Innovation Officer is appointed into every Integrated care system.
Answered by James Morris
The Health and Care Act 2022 requires integrated care boards to consider the necessary skills, knowledge and experience required in its membership, including in its duty to promote innovation.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether plans to promote innovation within Integrated care systems will include the development of an innovation strategy within every ICS.
Answered by James Morris
The Health and Care Act 2022 places a legal duty on integrated care boards (ICBs) to promote innovation and set out how this will be achieved in forward planning and annual reports. In addition, ICB chief executives and chairs are accountable for fostering a culture of innovation.
Innovation has been embedded in the National Health Service’s implementation guidance for the development of integrated care systems (ICSs). The Department is currently exploring how innovation can be included in statutory guidance, including for integrated care strategies. The Department is also working with the NHS, the Accelerated Access Collaborative and Academic Health Science Networks to ensure that priorities for innovation over one to three years are agreed with ICSs.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
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 help (a) align the Medical Technologies Directorate’s upcoming Strategy with the NHS’s duty to promote innovation, including within integrated care systems and (b) ensure that medical technologies and digital health solutions are included in plans to tackle NHS backlogs and level up health and care outcomes across the country.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Medical Technology Directorate’s forthcoming Strategy aims to establish frameworks to ensure consistency in the use of medical technology in the National Health Service and increase the sharing of expertise.
The strategy intends to assist with the identification, development and promotion of new medical technologies and digital solutions to reduce health inequalities and improve patient outcomes. This includes working with NHS England on the launch of community diagnostic centres to reduce backlogs for diagnostic tests through new technologies to increase efficiency.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to help ensure that medicines are labelled to indicate whether they are suitable for (a) vegetarians and (b) vegans.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Part 13 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 states that the primary purpose of the label is to unambiguously identify the medicine and to convey key warning statements in relation to safe and effective use of the product. There is no legal requirement for a pharmaceutical manufacturer to state whether a medicine is suitable for vegetarians or vegans. However, the legislation allows for the inclusion of a statement such as ‘suitable for vegetarians/vegans’ where a manufacturer can provide evidence to demonstrate that no products of animal origin have been used in the manufacture of the ingredients or the medicine. Where such a statement on the labelling or in the patient information leaflet is proposed, the Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory Agency will evaluate the evidence supporting this statement to determine its validity.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of NHS services in (a) Cornwall and (b) Scilly to recruit staff; and if he will make it his policy to introduce a salary supplement for NHS staff in these areas.
Answered by Edward Argar
No formal assessment has been made. Local National Health Service trusts are responsible for managing staffing levels and recruiting the appropriate number of health professionals required to meet local service need. However, the local NHS and Cornwall Council plan to launch a campaign in the autumn to encourage those aged 25 years old and under to work in the care sector, in addition to providing health and care staff with support for housing needs. Trusts have the flexibility to pay Recruitment and Retention Premia where there are challenges recruiting or retaining staff in specific roles. A Recruitment and Retention Premium is a supplementary payment which can be made up to a maximum of 30% of basic salary.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
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 improve the (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) support for (I) children with Tourette's Syndrome and (ii) their families.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The majority of services for people with Tourette’s syndrome are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups, which are best placed to plan the provision of services, subject to local prioritisation and funding. Services to support diagnosis, treatment and support for children with Tourette’s Syndrome and their families are commissioned through local community paediatric services or child and adolescent mental health services.
For those who require more detailed specialist support, there are a small number of recognised services with focused multidisciplinary teams assessing and supporting children with tics, Tourette’s syndrome and motor stereotypies and their families. These centres have internationally recognised expertise in the assessment and management of Tourette’s syndrome and frequently discuss complex patients in an informal clinical network.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to (a) address the absence of NICE guidance on Tourette’s Syndrome and (b) ensure that any new guidance addresses (i) diagnosis, (ii) treatment and (iii) ongoing support.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
There are no current plans for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop a guideline on Tourette’s syndrome. NICE’s guideline on suspected neurological conditions covers the initial assessment of symptoms and signs which may indicate a neurological condition and makes recommendations on tics and involuntary movement in children. Best practice guidance on the management of Tourette’s syndrome is available from the British Medical Journal at the following link:
https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1042.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that parents are aware of the Chief Medical Officer Guidance on the Consumption of Alcohol by Children and Young People published in 2009.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department promotes the guidelines in England which apply to children and young people through online platforms such as NHS.UK, the Talk to FRANK online resource and GOV.UK. Local authorities promote these guidelines as part of their public health duties.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of the General Medical Council on access to PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 tests for medical professionals who want to help tackle backlogs in the NHS.
Answered by Edward Argar
The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of doctors and is responsible for operational matters, including those relating to the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) tests.
Most international medical graduates are required to pass both the PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 tests to demonstrate they have the right skills and knowledge to practise in the United Kingdom. In 2022, the GMC is offering 15,018 PLAB 1 places and 14,338 PLAB 2 places and has opened a third clinical assessment centre in Manchester to accommodate PLAB 2 candidates. The GMC will consider increasing PLAB test availability if necessary.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken since 2018 to support the need for research and research funding into brain tumours identified by the Task and Finish Group on Brain Tumour Research 2018-2019; and what assessment his Department has made of how current funding levels for brain tumours compare to funding levels prior to 2018.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Since 2018, the Department has supported the establishment of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM), a national convening body for all stakeholders engaged in brain tumour research, treatment and care. This unites professional, patient, charity and Governmental groups to share information and establish programmes working towards a cure for brain tumours. We have held customised workshops to support the research community to submit fundable research applications to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). We will also provide funding for the research training elements of the Tessa Jowell Fellowships to train specialist brain tumour oncologists and increase the research community.
The Department and the TJBCM are working to improve research and care for children and adults with brain cancer. This includes the launch of the Tessa Jowell BRAIN MATRIX, a new trials platform to provide access to trials of treatments best suited to individual tumours. Additionally, the Tessa Jowell Academy is a new free learning and networking platform, connecting 28 National Health Service brain tumour centres to share excellence in research, treatment and care.
The Department is liaising with the Medical Research Council on initiatives to stimulate the research pipeline for brain tumours. The NIHR is also engaging with UK Research and Innovation. The Department also works with funding partners such as Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and brain tumour charities, for research into new scientific discoveries. No comparative assessment of funding levels for brain tumours prior to 2018 has been made.