Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role will genomic multi-disciplinary teams play in whole genome sequencing.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The National Genomic Test Directory outlines which genomic tests are commissioned by the National Health Service in England, the technology by which they are available, and the patients who will be eligible to access to a test. The Directory will be updated on an annual basis and NHS England will implement a clear and transparent process, supported by a Clinical and Scientific Expert Panel, to determine which tests are available within the NHS. This will include reviewing any tests that may be retired or replaced by more modern technology, such as whole genome sequencing. As the price of whole genome sequencing falls and the clinical evidence improves, we envisage that it will be extended to more conditions and therefore more patients. More information on the Directory is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/
There is considerable variation in the reported costs of genomic analysis. For Genomics England, during the 100,000 Genomes project, these were in order of £2,500 per cancer patient. This included sequencing both the patient’s normal genome and their tumour, as well as the running costs of undertaking both the sequencing and bioinformatics for analysis and interpretation.
Health Education England established the Genomics Education Programme to support NHS staff to build the knowledge, skills and experience to deliver a whole genome sequencing service. This programme is being embedded into organisations to enable long-term sustainability of the multi-disciplinary clinical workforce.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will sign his Department up to the UK Steel charter.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department supports the Charter where this is relevant to our commercial activities and only where consistent with the relevant procurement regulations that require fair and open competition.
The Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Andrew Stephenson MP), wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 29 May to ask the Department to sign the Steel Charter. We are not aware of any further formal discussions on the topic. On matters relating to procurement policy, Departmental officials continue to work with officials in the Domestic Policy Team at Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the UK Steel charter.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department supports the Charter where this is relevant to our commercial activities and only where consistent with the relevant procurement regulations that require fair and open competition.
The Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Andrew Stephenson MP), wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 29 May to ask the Department to sign the Steel Charter. We are not aware of any further formal discussions on the topic. On matters relating to procurement policy, Departmental officials continue to work with officials in the Domestic Policy Team at Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with cancer through the NICE Guideline 12 pathway in (a) 2016, (b) 2017 and (c) 2018.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
In 2018, 2.2 million patients underwent cancer checks following urgent referral by their general practitioner. That was an increase of almost a quarter of a million on the 1.9 million people who were seen in 2017. The diagnosis figures for the years requested are as follows:
2016: 143,122
2017: 148,955
2018: 160,275
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 NICE Guideline 12, for suspected cancers, is being adhered to.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Department expects all clinicians to use the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines to inform their clinical practice. NICE published an updated suspected cancer referral guideline in June 2015 which encourages general practitioners (GPs) to think of cancer sooner and lowers the threshold for referral.
The NHS Long Term Plan reaffirms that all GPs should use the latest evidence-based guidance from NICE to identify children, young people and adults at risk of cancer. Primary care networks will be required to help improve early diagnosis of patients in their own neighbourhoods by 2023/24 (s3.57).
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 ability of GPs and health professionals to understand and use NICE Guideline 12.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Department expects all clinicians to use the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines to inform their clinical practice. NICE published an updated suspected cancer referral guideline in June 2015 which encourages general ractitioners to think of cancer sooner and lowers the threshold for referral.
A report published by NICE in January 2018 on uptake of NICE cancer guidelines states: “The annual number of people being urgently referred to a specialist has increased since the publication of NICE’s guideline on suspected cancer: there were over 300,000 more urgent referrals in 2016/17 than in 2014/15.”
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Harding review will address the shortage of clinical nurse specialists for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The NHS Long Term Plan set out that by 2021, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. All patients, including those with secondary cancers, will have access to the right expertise and support, including a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or other support worker.
In the 2017 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, 91% of patients reported having access to a CNS.