Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average time is between notification of an outbreak of E Coli 0157 and information being provided to (a) those affected and (b) the general public.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Between 28 August and 4 September 2022, an increase in the number of presumptive Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 referrals to UK Health Security Agency was observed. On 10 September a cluster of cases of a specific strain of STEC O157 was confirmed through whole genomic sequencing.
All cases of illness of STEC O157 are interviewed and public health advice is given to at-risk groups to prevent onward transmission. After the results were available which confirmed an outbreak, 60 people were re-interviewed for investigation from 13 September and were notified of the outbreak. The general public were not informed of the outbreak as the suspected cause of infection was not established until the latter period of the investigation. It was therefore not possible to provide appropriate public health advice.
A report on the management and outcomes of the investigation is being prepared. A routine assessment of cross-agency incident responses and any areas for improvement to develop and implement action plans for outbreak management will be scheduled imminently. We are unable to estimate the average time between notification of an outbreak based on the results of whole genome sequencing and the provision of information to those affected and the general public. Such timings are dependent on factors including the cause of the outbreak and whether epidemiological and food tracing investigations can conclusively identify a specific implicated food and supply chain. Multi-agency investigations are initiated immediately on detection of STEC O157 outbreaks. Once the food vehicle of infection is confirmed, control measures are implemented by the Food Standards Agency in a matter of days.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the outbreak of E. coli 0157 was first identified; and when (a) people affected and (b) the public were notified of this outbreak.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Between 28 August and 4 September 2022, an increase in the number of presumptive Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 referrals to UK Health Security Agency was observed. On 10 September a cluster of cases of a specific strain of STEC O157 was confirmed through whole genomic sequencing.
All cases of illness of STEC O157 are interviewed and public health advice is given to at-risk groups to prevent onward transmission. After the results were available which confirmed an outbreak, 60 people were re-interviewed for investigation from 13 September and were notified of the outbreak. The general public were not informed of the outbreak as the suspected cause of infection was not established until the latter period of the investigation. It was therefore not possible to provide appropriate public health advice.
A report on the management and outcomes of the investigation is being prepared. A routine assessment of cross-agency incident responses and any areas for improvement to develop and implement action plans for outbreak management will be scheduled imminently. We are unable to estimate the average time between notification of an outbreak based on the results of whole genome sequencing and the provision of information to those affected and the general public. Such timings are dependent on factors including the cause of the outbreak and whether epidemiological and food tracing investigations can conclusively identify a specific implicated food and supply chain. Multi-agency investigations are initiated immediately on detection of STEC O157 outbreaks. Once the food vehicle of infection is confirmed, control measures are implemented by the Food Standards Agency in a matter of days.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the concerns raised in the letter sent on 7 November 2022 by Dr Nicola Byrne, National Data Guardian, and Dr Arjun Dhillon, chair of the UK Caldicott Guardian Council to integrated care board senior information risk owners, whether he is taking steps to assess the confidentiality of patients' data in response to those concerns.
Answered by Will Quince
‘Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data’ sets out the importance of transparency in maintaining trust in the use of personal information in the health and care system. NHS England supports integrated care boards with advice on identifying the appropriate legal basis for using confidential patient information for purposes beyond individual care, including ensuring that the correct approvals are sought where relevant.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has to increase funding for mental health research.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In 2021/22, the NIHR’s expenditure on mental health research was approximately £120 million. The NIHR recently launched a mental health research initiative, which included a £30 million investment to target acute regional and community mental health needs. The NIHR is exploring plans to provide further support to improve research capacity and capability, particularly in regions with low research activity and high unmet need. The NIHR’s funding is available through open competition for mental health and it encourages researchers to submit applications in this area.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the comparative level of funding for research into (a) physical and (b) mental health.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. However, it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The following table shows expenditure on research on physical health and mental health in each of the last three years. This expenditure refers to a range of research, including studies on health service provision and public health and also research into specific treatments.
| 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
Physical health | £855,317,799 | £836,277,951 | £976,485,697 |
Mental health | £91,049,739 | £109,099,902 | £120,895,907 |
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made (a) podiatry vacancy rates in the NHS in Hayes and Harlington constituency and (b) the impact these vacancies will have on patient treatment for diabetic foot complications.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
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 implications for his policies of the findings of the Royal College of Nursing report entitled Nursing Under Unsustainable Pressure: Staffing for Safe and Effective Care, published on 6 June 2020, that (a) 82 per cent of respondents from nursing and midwifery staff across the UK said there was a shortfall of one or more registered nurses on their last shift and (b) 63 per cent said there was a shortfall of one or more health care support workers; and what steps he plans to take to tackle those shortfalls.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Local National Health Service trusts are responsible for managing staffing levels and for recruiting the appropriate number of health professionals required to meet local service need. We have committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses and ensure the NHS is on a trajectory to a sustainable long-term supply. In March 2022, there were more than 30,000 additional nurses, compared to September 2019. Since 2020, nursing students have been eligible for a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000. Additional funding is also available for childcare costs, accommodation costs and travel costs.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research is being undertaken on the combined effects of risperidone and covid-19 vaccines; and whether that research will be published.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently supporting any specific research on the combined effects of risperidone and COVID-19 vaccines. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including effects of COVID-19 vaccination.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his department provides clinical support to children living in secure accommodation following incidents in which they have been restrained; and what information his department holds on the process of recording those incidents.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
NHS England and NHS Improvement commission healthcare services for children in the children and young people secure estate (CYPSE). Under the Healthcare Standards for the CYPSE, children should be seen by a healthcare professional as soon as possible after being restrained, to provide support and fully document any injuries sustained. Restrictive interventions are recorded on Mental Health Services Data Set for all children and young people mental health inpatient services, which is available at the following link:
The Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 came into force on 1 April 2022, placing a requirement on inpatient mental health providers to record of any use of force on a patient by staff who work in that unit. This will inform the published end of year statistics.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions and meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held with Hutchison Group on delays to shipments at Felixstowe port.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
There have been no such discussions or meetings.