Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle health inequalities linked to the (a) diagnosis and (b) management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in (a) Greater Manchester ICB and (b) England are waiting for an appointment with a specialist respiratory clinician following a referral from their GP.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of access to diagnostic tests for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of people waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) is not held centrally.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including in Greater Manchester. This means making sure that patients, including those waiting to receive a spirometry test or other diagnostic tests for COPD, are seen on time, and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.
The Government is supporting the Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of diagnostic tests for COPD, for instance through community diagnostic centres (CDCs). There are seven CDCs across the Greater Manchester ICB, of which four are either a standard or large model CDC. All standard and large CDCs are required to offer respiratory tests such as spirometry, and full lung function tests.
The Greater Manchester ICB is also exploring and testing innovative case finding tools for patients with COPD and asthma as part of a Greater Manchester toolkit for respiratory care, including developing remote spirometry as a proof of concept. The Greater Manchester ICB has also trained approximately 300 staff to provide quality assured spirometry to patients, and is currently working towards getting staff accredited to Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology standards.
In January 2025, we published the Elective Reform Plan. The plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament. The Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the Referral to Treatment 18-week standard.
This includes expanding existing CDCs, as well as building up to five new ones in 2025/26, to support the NHS to return to meeting the elective waiting time constitutional standard. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours per day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations, and to an expanded range of tests.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Greater Manchester integrated care board.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of people waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) is not held centrally.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including in Greater Manchester. This means making sure that patients, including those waiting to receive a spirometry test or other diagnostic tests for COPD, are seen on time, and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.
The Government is supporting the Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of diagnostic tests for COPD, for instance through community diagnostic centres (CDCs). There are seven CDCs across the Greater Manchester ICB, of which four are either a standard or large model CDC. All standard and large CDCs are required to offer respiratory tests such as spirometry, and full lung function tests.
The Greater Manchester ICB is also exploring and testing innovative case finding tools for patients with COPD and asthma as part of a Greater Manchester toolkit for respiratory care, including developing remote spirometry as a proof of concept. The Greater Manchester ICB has also trained approximately 300 staff to provide quality assured spirometry to patients, and is currently working towards getting staff accredited to Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology standards.
In January 2025, we published the Elective Reform Plan. The plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament. The Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the Referral to Treatment 18-week standard.
This includes expanding existing CDCs, as well as building up to five new ones in 2025/26, to support the NHS to return to meeting the elective waiting time constitutional standard. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours per day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations, and to an expanded range of tests.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that meeting patients' communications needs is included in the 10 year plan objective to shift from analogue to digital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have committed to develop a 10 Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. While it is too soon to say exactly what will be in the plan, digital services will support and complement face to face care and will help meet patients’ communication needs.
The Government will create a more modern NHS by bringing together a single patient record, summarising patient health information, test results, and letters in one place, through the NHS App. It will put patients in control of their own medical history, meaning they do not have to repeat it at every appointment, and that staff have the full picture of patients’ health.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton 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 impact of abolishing NHS England on the ongoing programme of work on accessible health and care information.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We understand how vital it is to ensure that the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met by health services.
Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.