Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
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 that primary care professionals are adequately trained to spot the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) curriculum statement, ‘Professional & Clinical Modules’, makes clear the importance of a prompt diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The condition is identified as a key area of clinical knowledge in the RCGP Advanced Knowledge Test (AKT) content guide. The AKT is a summative assessment of the knowledge base that underpins general practice in the United Kingdom within the context of the National Health Service and is a key part of GPs’ qualifying exams.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) Quality Standard ‘Rheumatoid arthritis in over 16s’, updated in July 2018, emphasises the need for early for urgent referral to a specialist rheumatologist on suspicion of rheumatoid arthritis within three weeks.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NICE Guideline CG91, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with rheumatoid arthritis have access to (a) cognitive behavioural therapy and (b) other appropriate psychological interventions.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance ‘Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adults: management’, published in July 2018, sets out best practice on the diagnosis, treatment, care support of people living with the condition. The guidance recommends patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are managed by a multidisciplinary team and have access to non-pharmacological management including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological support. Psychological interventions (for example, relaxation, stress management and cognitive coping skills) can be used to help adults with RA adjust to living with their condition. NICE has also published guidance on ‘Depression in adults with a chronic physical health problem: recognition and management’, which provides advice and guidance for the appropriate use of cognitive behavioural therapy in the management of a long-term condition. Both sets of guidance can be found via the following links:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
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 effect of the planned closure of Skellingthorpe Health Centre on local provision of health services.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group has received an application from the Glebe Practice regarding the proposed closure of its branch surgery in Skellingthorpe. It will be carrying out a public consultation and an equality impact assessment will be presented to the Primary Care Commissioning Committee prior to any decision being made.
When a general practitioner practice closes, patients are informed and advised to register at other local practices of their choice within the catchment area in which they live. In some instances, and in consultation with patients and patient groups, patients are allocated to other neighbouring practices with adequate capacity. Commissioners locally will work with their practices to ensure they are only allocated a volume of patients which they have capacity to manage appropriately and effectively.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to introduce blood tests for effluents in public health checks after large-scale fires.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Public Health England has no plans to introduce blood tests for effluents in public health checks after large-scale fires.