Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
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 potential merits of providing free inhalers to health and social care workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The Department has no plans to change the list of exemptions from National Health Service prescription charges. Arrangements are already in place to help people access inhalers and other medication they need.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's policy is on the treatment of cobalamin deficiency during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH), document, ‘Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Cobalamin and Folate disorders’ sets out best practice on the treatment of cobalamin (Vitamin B12) deficiency. The guidance sets out that the majority of patients affected can be successfully treated with a quarterly intramuscular injection of vitamin B12. The BCSH operates independently of Department and NHS England and produces evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of haematological disease.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the BCSH has provided published a range of general and specific hematology guidance for clinicians. This includes new guidance on the management of both dietary and non-dietary B12 deficiency. Both sets of guidance can be found at the following links:
b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/guidelines/diagnosis-of-b12-and-folate-deficiency/
b-s-h.org.uk/media/18259/bsh-guidance-b12-replacement-covid-1924042020finalversion2020-4-3.pdf
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
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 potential merits of using plasma therapy in the treatment of patients with covid-19.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
There is emerging evidence from China of some effectiveness of using convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19. The Department is aware that research protocols are being developed, and being considered, to assess the possibility of using convalescent plasma from United Kingdom donors to determine its efficacy for treating COVID-19.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's policy is on GP home visits during the covid-19 outbreak, and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill
Home visits are at the discretion of the local practitioner. However, the full utilisation of technology will be of benefit to patients and staff. Specific guidance on how general practitioners (GPs) delivering home visits should deal with cases or suspected cases of COVID-19 has been issued to GPs as part of the Standard Operating Procedure for General Practice.