Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to ensure sexual health and HIV are factors considered in the context of improving the physical wellbeing of people who experience mental health issues.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
No specific assessment has been made.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that funding for HIV (a) testing and (b) prevention is not allocated from funding for HIV care.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and care, including its funding, fall under NHS England’s responsibility. The main funding for HIV testing and prevention is provided to local authorities in England through the public health grant, funded at £3.5 billion in 2023/24, through which they are mandated to commission comprehensive open access to most sexual health services, including free and confidential HIV testing, and provision of the HIV prevention drug PrEP. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need and to commission the service lines that best suit their population.
This is further supported by national initiatives under the Government’s HIV Action Plan. As part of the Plan, NHS England is investing £20 million over three years to implement opt-out HIV testing in Emergency Departments in local areas with extremely high HIV prevalence. This funding was not allocated from funding for HIV care. The Department is also investing over £3.5 million from 2021 to 2024 to deliver the National HIV Prevention Programme, to work alongside local prevention activities by developing resources for populations most affected by HIV.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason potential issues relating to the location of (a) HIV and (b) other specialised services in integrated care systems were not addressed in the report entitled Hewitt Review: an independent review of integrated care systems, published on 4 April 2023.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
As this was an independent review, it was a matter for the Rt. hon. Patricia Hewitt to determine the topics and issues addressed in her report, within the scope set by her terms of reference.
The terms of reference are available at the following link:
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
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 tackle Trichomonas vaginalis among Black women who are being disproportionately affected by that infection.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely collects data to understand the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the communities most impacted by STIs, conducts research to understand the drivers for the higher rates of STIs in some Black communities, then translates these findings into resources for local partners to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of Black communities.
In 2021, UKHSA co-produced a resource with third-sector partners to support commissioners and providers in developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background which is available at the following link:
This was based on the translation of findings of research conducted through the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit on blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections available at the following link:
https://bbsti.hpru.nihr.ac.uk/our-research/research-themes
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
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 tackle the disproportionally high rates of STI diagnoses among people of Black Caribbean heritage.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely collects data to understand the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the communities most impacted by STIs, conducts research to understand the drivers for the higher rates of STIs in some Black communities, then translates these findings into resources for local partners to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of Black communities.
In 2021, UKHSA co-produced a resource with third-sector partners to support commissioners and providers in developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background which is available at the following link:
This was based on the translation of findings of research conducted through the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit on blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections available at the following link:
https://bbsti.hpru.nihr.ac.uk/our-research/research-themes
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made in delivering the 250,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine for the 125,000 people deemed to be in priority groups for that vaccine.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
To date, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has procured over 150,000 vials of the mpox vaccine. The adoption of intradermal fractional dosing has allowed up to five doses to be administered per vial, which has furthered available stock.
The estimated group size of individuals at highest risk of mpox and therefore eligible for vaccination is 111,000. As of 18 January 2023, in England, a total of 64,740 people have received their first dose of mpox vaccine and 20,373 people have come forward for their second dose. The rollout of the mpox vaccination campaign has, in combination with other factors, contributed to the marked decline in cases.
UKHSA has also launched an Mpox and Sexual Health Outreach and Engagement Fund to support these efforts.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to roll out the Mpox vaccine; and if his Department will take steps to maintain supplies of that vaccine for higher risk groups in 2023-24.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Over the summer of 2022, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) procured over 150,000 vials of the mpox vaccine and launched an outbreak response strategy to vaccinate those at highest risk of the virus. As of 19 January 2023, our partners in sexual health services have administered 85,113 doses of the mpox vaccine, which is thought to have had an impact on the very encouraging epidemiological picture currently. UKHSA continue to monitor the epidemiological situation closely and are currently reviewing the vaccination approach to ensure a proportionate way forward for the Financial Year 2023-2024.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the independent review of Reproductive Health, Sexual Health and HIV Innovation Fund will be published; and whether his Department is planning to allocate funding to help support innovation in HIV prevention.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The review of the Reproductive Health, Sexual Health and HIV Innovation Fund is expected to be published by the independent evaluator before the end of February.
Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
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 (a) publish and (b) implement a PrEP Action Plan.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
As part of the HIV Action Plan, we committed to supporting the system to continue to improve access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for key population groups. We established a sub group of the HIV Action Plan implementation Steering Group who have considered how to improve access to HIV PrEP for all population groups and in settings outside of specialist sexual health services. The findings from the sub group alongside research evidence on why some population groups who would benefit from PrEP are under-represented are informing the development of a plan for improving access to PrEP.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help Sustainable Transformation Partnerships and Integrated Care Systems (a) integrate and (b) improve mental health services for patients with HIV.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
As set out in the NHS England roadmap, specialised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) inpatient and outpatient services have been identified as key areas for greater integrated care systems (ICS) leadership by NHS England and integrated care boards (ICBs). Integrating the commissioning of HIV treatment services with ICBs, will allow local systems to simplify and strengthen HIV care pathways with other services through effective local partnerships, including psychosocial support and mental health services, for a more holistic approach to care.
The national service specification for adult HIV services is also currently under review and development by a specification working group, with the oversight of the HIV Clinical Reference Group. The specification working group will ensure that the revised specification reflects any changes in practice since 2013, ensures close working with other relevant services, and is fit for purpose in the new commissioning landscape.
The HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group meeting on the 16 January will also focus on implementation and coordination at local and subregional level to support a stronger HIV response. This will include consideration of ways in which Sustainable and transformation partnerships and ICS can support a more robust HIV response, including strengthening links with other services such as mental health services.