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 his timetable is for publishing the review into the variation in provision of NHS fertility services; and following that review, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups are prevented from setting additional non-clinical criteria for fertility services, including having children from previous relationships.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department undertook a review on the variation in access to National Health Service fertility services, which was completed in 2021. The results of this internal review will inform future policy. We will set out our initial aims in the Women’s Health Strategy, due to be published in the spring.
We expect local NHS commissioning bodies to commission fertility services in line with the National Institute for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines, to ensure equitable access in England. We are aware that some commissioners set additional non-clinical criteria, which can include having children from previous relationships. This is outside the best clinical practice within NICE’s fertility guidelines.
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 steps he is taking to ensure that all 100 community diagnostic hubs implement NICE guideline NG78 to include diagnostic tests to detect fibrosis.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
Cystic fibrosis is mainly detected in new-born babies as part of the heel prick test. Otherwise, it is normally diagnosed by a combination of gene sequencing from blood tests and a sweat test, which is performed at specialist centres. Long term follow-up of lung function, or spirometry, is similarly performed at specialist centres. As such, this patient group and diagnosis is not in scope for community diagnostic centres.
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 much and what proportion of the £2.3 billion announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 to transform diagnostic services will support liver disease.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The funding announced at the Spending Review will increase the capacity and efficiency of diagnostic services overall. While some of these services can be used to diagnose liver disease, there will not be a specific allocation for liver disease. Services and equipment used to diagnose liver disease will also be used to diagnose a range of conditions.
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 commit to allocating additional funding to NHS eating disorder services in 2022-23.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
In 2022/23, £53 million has been allocated for children and young people’s community eating disorder services. We are also planning to invest an additional £696 million in in services for adults with severe mental illnesses, including care for people with eating disorders.
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 he has made representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increased investment in the clinical oncology workforce.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Discussions are ongoing between the Department and HM Treasury on the potential for further investment in the National Health Service workforce, including for clinical oncology, as part of the Spending Review process.