Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 (a) monitor and (b) tackle the illegal availability of Ozempic injections online.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The illegal sale and supply of human medicines is recognised as a significant challenge for regulators across the world. Buying medicines, including weight loss medicines, from illegally trading websites can be harmful to health, as the medicines received are generally unlicenced in the United Kingdom, and can contain too little, too much, or incorrect active ingredients. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) works hard with law enforcement partners and others to tackle illegal sales and prevent products from entering the UK. Offending often takes place beyond the geographical reach of UK legislation, but where offences are identified in the UK, the MHRA can investigate and, where appropriate, bring those involved to justice. In addition to taking enforcement action where possible, the MHRA operates the #FakeMeds campaign, offering safety advice and providing practical tools to help the public stay safe when buying medicines online.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to extend access to Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, taking into account best prescribing practice and the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards. They are also expected to take account of appropriate national guidance on clinical and cost effectiveness.
Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT) is used by patients with conditions such as chronic pancreatitis, type 2 diabetes, and cystic fibrosis, in addition to being recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for people with both operable and inoperable pancreatic cancer. The NICE has acknowledged that this is a priority area for quality improvement, and has included PERT in its quality standard for pancreatic cancer.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 adequacy of NHS funded IVF treatment in Eastleigh constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by the integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. ICBs are expected to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines. We are aware that compliance with these guidelines is variable.
The NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guideline and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect this review to be published later in 2025.
The Department is working with NHS England to consider future policy options to support ICBs to provide more equitable in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. No assessment has been made of the of NHS-funded IVF treatment in the Eastleigh consistuency.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average wait time in Southampton General Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department was in (a) December 2024 and (b) January 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The data is not available in the format requested. The latest provisional published data for the median average time spent at emergency departments at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust for November 2024 was 232 minutes. Information relating to December 2024 will be published on 13 February 2025, and information relating to January 2025 will be published on 13 March 2025.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment pathways for patients with (i) hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, (ii) Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and (iii) Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and mast cell activation syndrome. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities, collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which include helping patients get a final diagnosis faster and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework and will publish an annual England action plan in 2025. With over 7,000 identified rare diseases, the framework and action plans focus on shared challenges across all rare diseases.
NHS England has a website page on hEDS and this notes the passing of information on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS) to help scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat this condition. NHS England’s website page is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/
Be Part of Research is a tool that can support people living with rare diseases in engaging with research. Currently on Be Part of Research there is a study recruiting those with hEDS to take part in research to help advance the understanding of diagnostic imaging in this condition. Further information is available at the following link:
https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/trial-details/trial-detail?trialId=24730&location=&distance=
To improve awareness of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) amongst healthcare professionals, and specifically general practitioners, the Royal College of General Practitioners provides training on PoTS as part of its syncope toolkit. Further information is available at the following link:
https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=500
In addition, the NICE has produced a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, last updated in November 2023, which outlines how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. The NICE’s clinical knowledge summary is available at the following link:
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 review access to the cancer drug Enhertu.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England are taken by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), on the basis of an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. The NICE’s methods are internationally respected, and have been developed through extensive work with industry, academics, and the public, to ensure they appropriately capture the costs and benefits, and best reflect social values. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently, and on the basis of the available evidence.
We understand that despite the NICE instigating an exceptional pause in the process to allow for commercial negotiations to take place with the companies, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca, a deal to enable patient access to this treatment on the NHS in England has not been reached.
We know that the NICE’s announcement has come as a blow to many women and their families. The NICE and NHS England have already sought to apply as much flexibility as they can in their considerations of Enhertu for HER2 LOW breast cancer, and have made it clear to the companies that their pricing of the drug remains the main obstacle to access.
Within 16 weeks of the publication of final guidance, companies can also request a rapid review to consider new patient access scheme proposals, with the aim of establishing a pricing agreement that would improve cost-effectiveness and enable patient access to high-cost medicines. The Government wants to see a deal reached to make Enhertu available. The NICE and NHS England remain open to considering an improved offer from the companies through the rapid review process, and we strongly encourage the companies to come back to the table.