Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sleep apnoea patients using Phillips CPAP machines that are affected by the worldwide field safety notice relating to Philips machines are being provided with in line filters to mitigate the potential risks of degraded foam producing carcinogenic particles.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The most recent data available from Philips shows that as of 23 May 2022, 7% of the Philips continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea registered as being in use by National Health Service patients have been replaced with new devices as part of the Philips ongoing remediation programme, with 93% of affected devices still in use. The Philips remediation programme aims to replace or repair all affected Philips CPAP machines affected by the field safety notice and registered as being in use within the next 12 months, with the proportions projected to be 50% replacement and 50% repair.
NHS England and NHS Improvement’s clinical respiratory networks will assist with the coordination of the repair and replace programme at regional level with Philips and local providers. The decision to apply filters is subject to clinical review with each patient. Data on the number of filters provided for use with affected Philips CPAP devices is not collected centrally. New Philips CPAP machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea will be unavailable for purchase in the United Kingdom until Philips has completed the remediation programme. CPAP machines from alternative suppliers have been procured and are being supplied to NHS sleep services.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of the NHS’s stock of Phillips CPAP machines affected by the worldwide field safety notice in place relating to certain Philips machines are to be (a) replaced and (b) refurbished in the next 12 months.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The most recent data available from Philips shows that as of 23 May 2022, 7% of the Philips continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea registered as being in use by National Health Service patients have been replaced with new devices as part of the Philips ongoing remediation programme, with 93% of affected devices still in use. The Philips remediation programme aims to replace or repair all affected Philips CPAP machines affected by the field safety notice and registered as being in use within the next 12 months, with the proportions projected to be 50% replacement and 50% repair.
NHS England and NHS Improvement’s clinical respiratory networks will assist with the coordination of the repair and replace programme at regional level with Philips and local providers. The decision to apply filters is subject to clinical review with each patient. Data on the number of filters provided for use with affected Philips CPAP devices is not collected centrally. New Philips CPAP machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea will be unavailable for purchase in the United Kingdom until Philips has completed the remediation programme. CPAP machines from alternative suppliers have been procured and are being supplied to NHS sleep services.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the NHS’s stock of Philips CPAP machines for home treatment of sleep apnoea are (a) with patients as of 24 May 2022 and (b) affected by the worldwide field safety notice in place relating to certain Philips machines.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The most recent data available from Philips shows that as of 23 May 2022, 7% of the Philips continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea registered as being in use by National Health Service patients have been replaced with new devices as part of the Philips ongoing remediation programme, with 93% of affected devices still in use. The Philips remediation programme aims to replace or repair all affected Philips CPAP machines affected by the field safety notice and registered as being in use within the next 12 months, with the proportions projected to be 50% replacement and 50% repair.
NHS England and NHS Improvement’s clinical respiratory networks will assist with the coordination of the repair and replace programme at regional level with Philips and local providers. The decision to apply filters is subject to clinical review with each patient. Data on the number of filters provided for use with affected Philips CPAP devices is not collected centrally. New Philips CPAP machines for the home treatment of sleep apnoea will be unavailable for purchase in the United Kingdom until Philips has completed the remediation programme. CPAP machines from alternative suppliers have been procured and are being supplied to NHS sleep services.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on what basis the decision was made to stop funding the ZOE Study; and if he will consider recommissioning the study.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Following the publication of ‘COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19’ on 21 February 2022, the Government will continue to monitor the virus through maintaining surveillance studies such as the Office for National Statistics’ COVID-19 Infection Survey and other sources, including genomic sequencing. Moving forward we will therefore no longer be funding a number of studies, including the Zoe Study.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the additional £3 million of funding allocated to the NHS under Operation Warm Welcome has been spent on mental health support for Afghan refugees in the UK.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The information is not available in the format requested. The Government provided an additional £3 million for refugees arriving under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme to access healthcare and register with a general practitioner. This funding is facilitating an enhanced health assessment, including mental health needs, trauma and any safeguarding concerns.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish all data his Department holds on the use of restraint on acute child medical wards.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The Department does not hold data on the use of restraint on acute child medical wards.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the evidential basis is for suspending early medical abortion at home services in the context of evidence from clinical bodies and peer review studies which have found that service to be safe and effective.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Government’s view is that the provision of early medical abortion should return to pre-COVID-19 arrangements. We have been clear that the approval was put in place on 30 March 2020 to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and ensure continued access to abortion services. This was made on a temporary basis and was time limited for two years, or when the temporary Coronavirus Act 2020 provisions end.
Due to the success the national vaccination programme and having fully considered all the responses to the consultation, we have decided that face to face services should resume.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of suspending the telemedicine service on vulnerable women, including those with abusive partners.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Evidence on the wellbeing and safety of women requiring access to abortion service was considered among the responses received to the Government’s consultation on the temporary approval which allowed home use of both pills for early medical abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will work with stakeholders in the sector and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to monitor the impact as face to face services return from August 2022.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS guidance, Supporting pregnant women using maternity services during the coronavirus pandemic: Actions for NHS providers, published on 14 December 2020, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS Trusts adhere to that guidance; and what steps his Department is taking to support NHS trusts to follow that guidance.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
In January 2022 NHS England and NHS Improvement reissued guidance on supporting pregnant women with maternity services. This sets the expectation for all trust boards to continue to enable partners to accompany women to all appointments and throughout birth while continuing to ensure the safety of services. All providers in England report that they are following this guidance. Should any issues with compliance arise, NHS England and NHS Improvement’s regional teams, including the regional chief midwife, work with individual trusts where appropriate to support them towards compliance.