Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefit to the UK economy of NHS investment in continuous glucose monitors for adults and children with Type 1 Diabetes.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
No estimate has been made of the annual cost to people with Type 1 diabetes who self-fund a continuous glucose monitor.
In August 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provided updated guidelines for both Type 1 diabetes and for children and young people with diabetes. In both, the cost effectiveness, as well as the clinical effectiveness, of continuous glucose monitoring was assessed. Both sets of guidelines outline specific clinical situations where the clinical and cost effectiveness justify consideration of the use of the technology.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 13 July 2016 to Questions 42245, 42246 and 42247, whether his Department plans to collect information on how many NHS maternity units (a) have closed in the last six years, (b) are under consideration by his Department for (i) downgrading and (ii) closure and (c) which are consultant-led have been downgraded in each of the last six years.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The reconfiguration of local National Health Service services, including maternity units, is a matter to be determined and managed by the NHS.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his oral contribution of 5 July 2016, Official Report, column 734, if he will accord consultant-led maternity services at the West Cumberland Hospital the same level of priority as those in North Devon.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Maternity safety is a priority for this Government and this applies to all maternity services nationally, including at West Cumberland Hospital.
In November 2015, we announced an ambitious campaign to halve the national rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth, by 2030. The report of the National Maternity Review, Better Births was published in February. A Maternity Transformation Programme Board has been set up to drive forward the vision for maternity services as set out in Better Births. The Board is led by NHS England but it is cross-system and the Department will have an important role to play in leading the safety workstream, recognising that safety is a ‘golden thread’ running through the programme. The Board is independently chaired by Sarah-Jane Marsh and met for the first time on 8 June.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultant-led NHS maternity units have been downgraded in each of the last six years.
Answered by Ben Gummer
This information is not held centrally.
The Government is clear that the redesign of front-line health services, including maternity services, is a matter for the local National Health Service, where clinicians are best-placed to make the decisions in the best interests of their patients.
All such decisions are locally led and any proposed changes to services are subject to meeting the four tests for service change: they must have support from general practitioner commissioners, be based on clinical evidence, demonstrate public and patient engagement, and consider patient choice.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS maternity units are under consideration by his Department for (a) downgrading and (b) closure.
Answered by Ben Gummer
This information is not held centrally.
The Government is clear that the redesign of front-line health services, including maternity services, is a matter for the local National Health Service, where clinicians are best-placed to make the decisions in the best interests of their patients.
All such decisions are locally led and any proposed changes to services are subject to meeting the four tests for service change: they must have support from general practitioner commissioners, be based on clinical evidence, demonstrate public and patient engagement, and consider patient choice.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS maternity units have been closed in each of the last six years.
Answered by Ben Gummer
This information is not held centrally.
The Government is clear that the redesign of front-line health services, including maternity services, is a matter for the local National Health Service, where clinicians are best-placed to make the decisions in the best interests of their patients.
All such decisions are locally led and any proposed changes to services are subject to meeting the four tests for service change: they must have support from general practitioner commissioners, be based on clinical evidence, demonstrate public and patient engagement, and consider patient choice.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve access to consultant-led maternity services in (a) Cumbria, (b) Devon and (c) Essex.
Answered by Ben Gummer
The Government is clear the configuration of services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population.
As of June 2015, three local health economies, Mid and South Essex, Northern, Eastern and Western Devon and West, North and East Cumbria entered the Success Regime. The purpose of the regime is to improve and promote health and care services for patients in local health and care systems that are struggling with financial or quality problems, or sometimes both. The regime is tailored to local circumstances, and will develop and implement plans to ensure that the people of these regions are able to access high quality, sustainable services. The provision of maternity services will be considered as part of the work of the Success Regime.
No decisions have yet been made and the input of local communities will remain important throughout the process. Any significant service change proposals will go through formal public consultation.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2016 to Question 41367, if he will visit West Cumberland Hospital in his official capacity as Secretary of State for Health before 1 November 2016.
Answered by Ben Gummer
I am currently planning to visit the West Cumberland Hospital on Thursday the 14th of July.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to help (a) retain and (b) increase the number of beds at Keswick Hospital.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Decisions on services at Keswick Hospital are matters for the local National Health Service.
Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the diagnostic process for myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answered by Jane Ellison
As the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) resemble those of other forms of debilitating illness, and there is no test with which to make an accurate diagnosis, it is not always easy to diagnose single cases of the condition. Diagnosis relies on clinical observation of symptoms by healthcare professionals. In 2007, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produced the clinical guidance, Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): Diagnosis and management of CFS/ME in adults and children. This guidance set out best practice on the diagnosis, treatment care and support of children and adults with CFS/ME.
The NICE last reviewed the guidance with its stakeholders, including CFS/ME charities, in 2013. The review found no update was required. The full guideline may be viewed on the NICE website at the following link: