Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that data is collected to find out the number of patients living with metastatic breast cancer.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service works closely with hospital trusts to determine sources of data which can be used to complete the Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset data and also works with the software suppliers of cancer management systems to ensure that data items are able to be recorded. Compliance with data standards is monitored by local integrated care boards (ICBs).
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership commissions, develops, and manages the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme, on behalf of NHS England, Wales and other devolved administrations. These audits have been introduced to reduce variation in treatment by demonstrating where care is being provided in line with standards and where a service is doing well or could be improved. Five additional new clinical audits were announced in May 2021, one of which will focus on metastatic breast cancer.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to ensure as far as possible that access to clinical trials for treatment of metastatic breast cancer is open to patients (a) from all areas of the UK (b) regardless of line of therapy restrictions and (c) who have pre-existing conditions.
Answered by Will Quince
The Government published ‘Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’ in March 2021. The phase two implementation plan for the vision, published in June 2021, aims to make it easier for all patients, including cancer patients, to access relevant research.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) infrastructure supports clinical research, including metastatic breast cancer. The NIHR Clinical Research Network includes 15 Local Clinical Research Networks, accessible across all geographies in England, including underserved regions and communities. The NIHR also provides the online platform 'Be Part of Research' allowing users to search and register interest in research studies relevant to them across the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 ensure the NHS has flexible and effective procedures for identifying the correct treatments for patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
People with breast cancer are cared for by a team of healthcare professionals, each with their own expertise. This is known as the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Each MDT should include the full range of health professionals required to best inform and plan the most appropriate treatment options for the patient including for those patients with metastatic breast cancer. This would include appropriate surgeons, oncologists and clinicians from a wide range of other disciplines including nursing, radiology and pathology.
NHS England expects treating clinicians will consider all available treatment options, taking account of relevant clinical and professional guidelines and the individual needs of the patient. In all cases, discussions about treatment options should take place in line with the General Medical Council’s Decision Making and Consent Guidance to ensure that people can make an informed choice about their treatment.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that all patients with primary breast cancer have an end of treatment summary in order to speed up detection of secondary breast cancer.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of end of treatment summaries, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer.
The introduction of tailored follow up pathways for people after their initial breast cancer treatment has ensured there are clear access points for people with worrying symptoms or concerns to speak immediately to someone in the cancer team. Breast cancer-tailored follow up, which includes ‘patient initiated follow up’ or ‘open access follow up’ for suitable patients, is now in place in 95% of trusts.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Scottish Medicines Consortium collaborate effectively on drug approvals for metastatic breast cancer treatment.
Answered by Will Quince
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is committed to publishing draft recommendations on all newly licensed treatments around the time of licensing in England and works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure that licensing procedures and health technology assessments are as streamlined as possible.
Both NICE and the Scottish Medicines Consortium are permanent partners in the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway which supports more rapid review and approval of promising new cancer treatments.
NICE is an England-only body. Health is a devolved matter and as such decisions on access to drugs in Scotland is a matter for the devolved Government.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the backlog of DBS check applications for people seeking to work in social care; and what assessment she has made of the effect of those backlogs on the level of the social care workforce.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made. The Disclosure and Barring Service is meeting the service standard of completing 80% of enhanced check applications within 14 days.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he received the letter from the hon. Member for Halifax and the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton of 12 May 2022 on the Gratitude Games; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the proposal for the Gratitude Games.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We have received the letters dated 12 May 2022 and I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Officials are currently assessing this proposal and we will respond in due course.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he received the letter sent by the hon. Member for Halifax and the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton of 12 May 2022 on the Gratitude Games; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the proposal for the Gratitude Games.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We have received the letters dated 12 May 2022 and I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Officials are currently assessing this proposal and we will respond in due course.