Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to encourage CCGs which do not prescribe Flash Glucose Monitoring technology to do so as soon as possible when new guidance comes into effect from 1 April 2019.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
In November 2018, NHS England announced action to end the current variation in accessing flash glucose monitors. From April 2019 there will be a more consistent national approach to making these devices available. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be reimbursed to cover the costs of flash glucose monitoring sensors for those type 1 diabetes patients who are most likely to benefit from their use. NHS England has published detailed criteria and supporting guidance at the following link:
CCGs will be reimbursed for the cost of flash glucose monitoring sensors for those who meet these criteria, which could amount to up to 20% of their type 1 diabetes populations. CCGs can also locally choose to fund flash glucose monitoring for other patients with diabetes. The guidance advises that as part of their annual review process, patients with diabetes should be assessed for suitability for flash glucose monitoring. This process can also form part of a review for a different purpose, if that occurs earlier. This will promote a systematic approach to increasing take up.
NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners, the membership organisation for CCGs, regarding the planned arrangements so that they can advise their members as appropriate. An FAQ for patients and commissioners is also being prepared and will be published, to aid the implementation. NHS England is also in conversations with the Academic Health Science Network to identify the capacity and scope for them to aid in rolling out flash glucose monitoring.
Due to the limitations of the data collected by the NHS Business Services Authority, it is not possible to conclusively state which CCGs do or do not currently prescribe flash glucose monitors.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which CCGs do not currently prescribe Flash Glucose Monitoring kits.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
In November 2018, NHS England announced action to end the current variation in accessing flash glucose monitors. From April 2019 there will be a more consistent national approach to making these devices available. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be reimbursed to cover the costs of flash glucose monitoring sensors for those type 1 diabetes patients who are most likely to benefit from their use. NHS England has published detailed criteria and supporting guidance at the following link:
CCGs will be reimbursed for the cost of flash glucose monitoring sensors for those who meet these criteria, which could amount to up to 20% of their type 1 diabetes populations. CCGs can also locally choose to fund flash glucose monitoring for other patients with diabetes. The guidance advises that as part of their annual review process, patients with diabetes should be assessed for suitability for flash glucose monitoring. This process can also form part of a review for a different purpose, if that occurs earlier. This will promote a systematic approach to increasing take up.
NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners, the membership organisation for CCGs, regarding the planned arrangements so that they can advise their members as appropriate. An FAQ for patients and commissioners is also being prepared and will be published, to aid the implementation. NHS England is also in conversations with the Academic Health Science Network to identify the capacity and scope for them to aid in rolling out flash glucose monitoring.
Due to the limitations of the data collected by the NHS Business Services Authority, it is not possible to conclusively state which CCGs do or do not currently prescribe flash glucose monitors.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many in-flight files of EU legislation exist that affect the policy areas managed by his Department; and which in-flight files of EU legislation his Department intends to implement in UK law.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
During the time-limited implementation period, European Union law will continue to apply in the United Kingdom subject to the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.
After the implementation period, all laws in the UK will be passed by our elected
representatives in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. The Political Declaration recognises that the UK may choose to align with the EU’s rules in relevant areas to facilitate trade in goods or security cooperation.
In the unlikely event that the backstop were to come into effect, a small fraction of EU rules applying today would apply in Northern Ireland and EU rules on state aid would apply in the UK. However, as the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration make absolutely clear, we do not want or expect the backstop to be needed – and even if it ever were ever to come into effect, it would be strictly temporary.
There are five in-flight files of EU legislation that effect policy areas managed by the Department. These are regarding Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Falsified Medicines, Clinical Trials, Medical Devices and Food Standards.
The HTA and Food Standards regulations are currently under negotiation. Implementation of these files into UK law will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the EU on our future relationships. The Falsified Medicines, Medical Devices and Clinical Trials regulations are due to come into force either before the UK’s departure from the EU or during the implementation period and therefore we intend to implement these three regulations into UK law.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many flu vaccines were distributed free of charge to (a) 65-year-olds and over and (b) at-risk groups in the last five years; and how many vaccines are planned for distribution in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019.
Answered by Steve Brine
Data on the number of flu vaccines distributed in the last five years are not available in the format requested.
Data on the number of vaccines planned for distribution are also not available in the format requested.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to Clinical Commissioning Groups on the provision of flu vaccinations for people over the age of 70.
Answered by Steve Brine
NHS England wrote to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in February 2018 informing them of the recommended flu vaccines for the 2018/19 season which included the recommendation that adjuvanted trivalent flu vaccine (aTIV) should be used for those aged 65 years and over. A copy of NHS England’s letter is attached.
A further letter and guidance was sent to practices, community pharmacies and CCGs in August 2018 to support programme planning, which are available at the following links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/flu-vaccination-programme-delivery-guidance-2018-19/
In September 2018, further guidance to support local planning of delivery of the flu programme for those aged over 65 years was issued. This is available at the following link:
There is also further information in Public Health England publications including the Annual flu letter and ‘Inactivated influenza vaccine: information for healthcare practitioners’, which are available at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-flu-immunisation-programme-plan
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have made on the adequate needle length for an adrenalin autoinjector to deliver a dose.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for licensing of medicines and undertook a review in 2014 into adrenaline auto-injectors, which included consideration of adrenaline auto-injector needle length to treat anaphylaxis. This concern was subsequently taken forward by the MHRA as part of a wider European safety review which reported in 2015. One conclusion from the European review was that studies in human volunteers were required for each brand of adrenaline auto-injector in order to evaluate the rate and extent of adrenaline uptake into the bloodstream. Brands available in the United Kingdom are Epipen, Jext and Emerade. A full evaluation will be undertaken when results from all currently marketed products are available, anticipated to be by end 2019.
An additional legal requirement following the European safety review was that the exposed needle length for the respective devices should be included in the product information to inform the healthcare professional and patient. This has been implemented for all adrenaline auto-injector products sold throughout Europe.
Other recommendations from the European review included improved training and educational materials for patients, carers and healthcare professionals and further improvements to the product information. This has been implemented for all adrenaline auto-injector products sold in the UK.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
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 allergen information on non-prepackaged fresh food.
Answered by Steve Brine
We are currently reviewing our approach to food labelling, working closely with the Food Standards Agency. This work includes examining domestic food allergen regulations, guidance and ways of working to identify options for practical and proportionate improvements to the current system. We will invite views from stakeholders including patient and campaign groups representing those with food allergies and the food and drink industry to focus on changes that enhance protection of consumers.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has issued guidance to clinical commissioning groups and general practitioners on the use of epinephrine auto-injectors; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Department is working very closely with all the manufacturers of adrenaline auto-injectors, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, and others to try to resolve these issues and improve the situation as quickly as possible. The overall supply situation is expected to improve by the end of 2018.
We issued comprehensive guidance on 28 September 2018, with input from National Health Service allergy experts. The guidance was cascaded to general practitioners, clinical commissioning groups and other healthcare professionals to help explain the issue and to advise on clinical and supply management during this time.
Asked by: Mary Creagh (Labour - Coventry East)
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 tackle the global shortage of epinephrine auto-injectors.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Department is working very closely with all the manufacturers of adrenaline auto-injectors, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, and others to try to resolve these issues and improve the situation as quickly as possible. The overall supply situation is expected to improve by the end of 2018.
We issued comprehensive guidance on 28 September 2018, with input from National Health Service allergy experts. The guidance was cascaded to general practitioners, clinical commissioning groups and other healthcare professionals to help explain the issue and to advise on clinical and supply management during this time.