Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to GP services in England about the treatment of excessive ear wax which has led to deafness.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) no longer advises manual ear syringing due to the associated risks, such as trauma to the ear drum or infection. NICE suggests alternative arrangements for treatment of excessive ear wax, such as ear irrigation using an electronic irrigator, micro-suction or another method of earwax removal. General practitioner services are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax, such as in cases of deafness. Commissioners should ensure that there is appropriate access to ear wax removal services where it is clinically appropriate for the patient.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will publish decisions on funding for the Leeds General Infirmary building project to provide a new adult hospital, maternity centre and the new Leeds Children's Hospital.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to the delivery of 48 hospitals by 2030, including Leeds General Infirmary. Individual allocations for trusts will be determined once the respective full business cases have been reviewed and agreed.
All hospital schemes in the programme are working with the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement, with the support of regional, system and local trust leadership, to design and deliver these projects. The programme will support these new hospitals to implement efficiencies from economies of scale and benefit from building concurrently. The programme has ongoing discussions with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust regarding the development of its plans, supporting the ‘Building the Leeds Way’ approach.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much NHS Digital has spent on external consultants in each of the last five years.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The following table shows NHS Digital’s expenditure on consultancy in each of the last five years.
Year | Expenditure |
2016/17 | £1,584,760 |
2017/18 | £332,659 |
2018/19 | £1,798,760 |
2019/20 | £1,394,062 |
2020/21 | £926,724 |
Source: NHS Digital Annual Report and Accounts.
Note:
This data has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and Social Care Group Accounting Manual, which defines consultancy as the provision to management of objective advice and assistance relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of the organisation in pursuit of its purposes and objectives.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) advice and (b) communications her Department is providing to people who are immunosuppressed following the removal of covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 25 February 2022, the Government issued updated public health advice for people who were previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable, which is available at the following link:
For most people, they are no longer at substantially greater risk than the general population and are advised to follow general guidance on reducing the risk of infection with COVID-19, in addition to any further advice from their doctor.
Updated guidance was also issued for those whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, which is available at the following link:
Enhanced protection is also offered by treatments, additional vaccinations and potentially other non-clinical interventions. The NHS Volunteer Responders programme is available to offer short-term help, such as telephone support or help with collecting shopping, medication and other essential supplies.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the NHS will make available Evusheld as a preventative covid-19 treatment for people who are immunosuppressed.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Whilst Evusheld is not currently authorised for use in the United Kingdom, the Government continues to monitor the emerging data for the treatment.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of established brain tumour centres are funded by (a) Governmental bodies and (b) the third sector.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
NHS England and NHS Improvement are the direct commissioners of neurosurgery services, radiotherapy services and chemotherapy services, all of which are involved in the care of patients with brain tumours. There are 24 National Health Service commissioned and funded neurosciences centres which undertake surgery and NHS commissioned oncology centres which coordinate and deliver other aspects of care. Some follow-up care may be undertaken outside of these centres, within hospital oncology departments.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Disabled Facilities Grants for children with autism in enabling them to stay in their homes as opposed to being placed in residential care.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The refreshed national autism strategy has been extended to children and young people, recognising that many autistic people can live well in their own homes if these are adapted to their needs. Since 2010, we have invested more than £4 billion in the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), delivering an estimated 490,000 home adaptations. The number of children with an autism diagnosis who received a DFG in each of the last five years is not held centrally.
Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies, has published a guide for local authorities ‘A Guide to Adaptations For Children and Young People With Behaviours That Challenge’ which includes advice on DFGs for autistic children and young people and those with learning disabilities. The guidance is available at the following link:
https://booklets.foundations.uk.com/adaptationsforbehavioursthatchallenge#page=1
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has provided through the Disabled Facilities Grants for children with autism in each of the last five years.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The refreshed national autism strategy has been extended to children and young people, recognising that many autistic people can live well in their own homes if these are adapted to their needs. Since 2010, we have invested more than £4 billion in the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), delivering an estimated 490,000 home adaptations. The number of children with an autism diagnosis who received a DFG in each of the last five years is not held centrally.
Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies, has published a guide for local authorities ‘A Guide to Adaptations For Children and Young People With Behaviours That Challenge’ which includes advice on DFGs for autistic children and young people and those with learning disabilities. The guidance is available at the following link:
https://booklets.foundations.uk.com/adaptationsforbehavioursthatchallenge#page=1
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
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 whether some individuals are more susceptible to electromagnetic fields than others; and what research that assessment is based on.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises that electromagnetic fields below recommended guideline levels do not cause symptoms and cannot be detected by people, even those who consider themselves more susceptible to electromagnetic fields. This advice is based on reviews of scientific evidence, including a review undertaken by the independent expert Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation in April 2012. The UKHSA will continue to monitor evidence as it emerges.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of any potential health risks arising from the roll-out of 5G; and if he will place a copy of the latest research in the Library.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides advice on potential health risks and protection from exposure to the radio waves from telecommunications systems, including those providing 5G services. Its latest advice based on the available research is available at the following link:
Based on an assessment of the evidence, the UKHSA has concluded it is possible that there may be a small increase in overall exposure to radio waves when 5G is added to an existing network or in a new area. However, the overall exposure is expected to remain low relative to international guidelines on limiting exposure and, as such, there should be no consequences for public health. The UKHSA continues to review the evidence applicable to 5G and other radio technologies and will update its advice as necessary.