Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that patients diagnosed with early stage chronic kidney disease are monitored for disease progression.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance, Chronic kidney disease: Assessment and management [NG203], updated in November 2021, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The guidance covers: monitoring for those patients at risk; pharmacological management; and referral where appropriate. The guidance can be found at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng203
In addition to evidence-based guidance to support clinicians in diagnosing problems of the kidney, we are also working to detect people at risk of kidney disease through the NHS Health Check Programme. The programme, which is available for everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 years old, who are not already on a chronic disease register, assesses people’s health and risk of developing certain health problems. Using this information, patients are supported to make behavioural changes and access treatment which helps to prevent and detect kidney disease earlier.
NHS England, through the Renal Services Transformation programme and regional renal networks, is undertaking a series of initiatives to provide better and more joined-up care across care settings, reduce health inequalities, and focus on prevention and timely intervention through streamlined patient pathways, to address the management of deteriorating kidney disease. Regional renal clinical networks have already prioritised CKD diagnosis and prevention of progression within their transformation ambitions. This includes considerations to develop a unified approach to testing populations at risk of developing CKD, with a view to earlier treatment and raising the profile for the use of specific drugs in the early management of patients diagnosed with the disease. The transformation programme launched a renal toolkit earlier last year for use by care systems, that outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with CKD throughout their patient journey.
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) reviewed CKD and glomerulonephritis in 2011, concluding that a population-wide screening programme would not be recommended. The UK NSC has not looked at the evidence for a targeted programme. The UK NSC can be alerted to any new published, peer-reviewed evidence which may suggest the case for a new screening programme. Proposals to change or review a topic early can be submitted via the UK NSC’s annual call which will open in July 2024. More information can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease among high-risk groups.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance, Chronic kidney disease: Assessment and management [NG203], updated in November 2021, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The guidance covers: monitoring for those patients at risk; pharmacological management; and referral where appropriate. The guidance can be found at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng203
In addition to evidence-based guidance to support clinicians in diagnosing problems of the kidney, we are also working to detect people at risk of kidney disease through the NHS Health Check Programme. The programme, which is available for everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 years old, who are not already on a chronic disease register, assesses people’s health and risk of developing certain health problems. Using this information, patients are supported to make behavioural changes and access treatment which helps to prevent and detect kidney disease earlier.
NHS England, through the Renal Services Transformation programme and regional renal networks, is undertaking a series of initiatives to provide better and more joined-up care across care settings, reduce health inequalities, and focus on prevention and timely intervention through streamlined patient pathways, to address the management of deteriorating kidney disease. Regional renal clinical networks have already prioritised CKD diagnosis and prevention of progression within their transformation ambitions. This includes considerations to develop a unified approach to testing populations at risk of developing CKD, with a view to earlier treatment and raising the profile for the use of specific drugs in the early management of patients diagnosed with the disease. The transformation programme launched a renal toolkit earlier last year for use by care systems, that outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with CKD throughout their patient journey.
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) reviewed CKD and glomerulonephritis in 2011, concluding that a population-wide screening programme would not be recommended. The UK NSC has not looked at the evidence for a targeted programme. The UK NSC can be alerted to any new published, peer-reviewed evidence which may suggest the case for a new screening programme. Proposals to change or review a topic early can be submitted via the UK NSC’s annual call which will open in July 2024. More information can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled New drugs pilot to tackle obesity and cut NHS waiting lists, published on 7 June 2023, what her Department's timetable is for launching the obesity drugs pilot.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to the safe introduction of the newest National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved weight loss drugs into the National Health Service. NHS England is leading on the design and development of the pilots which will consider how to safely prescribe these treatments outside of a hospital setting, with wraparound support provided in the community or digitally. We are working with NHS England to finalise the pilots, and further details will be available in due course.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full time equivalent staff worked in the MHRA on the licensing of new medicines, biosimilars and generics in each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has estimated the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who have worked in the MHRA on the licensing of new medicines, biosimilars, and generics for 2019 to 2022, which are:
- 255 FTE staff in 2019;
- 230 FTE staff in 2020;
- 219 FTE staff in 2021; and
- 178 FTE staff in 2022.
Between 2021 and 2023 the MHRA underwent a significant process of transformation and changes to the structure and function of the operating groups across the agency. Throughout this period, there were a range of professionals across the agency working on the licensing of new medicines, biosimilars, and generics. However, the information required to answer this question in full is not available, as the data is unvalidated.
Staffing levels at the MHRA fell between June 2021 and December 2022 due to the One Agency Transformation Programme, as detailed in the MHRA’s Delivery Plan 2021-2023. During this transformation, the MHRA prioritised filling vacancies with contingent resources until the conclusion of the organisational change element of the transformation. This decision was made in order to minimise impact on Civil Servant roles. Since then, the MHRA has been successfully recruiting into the new structure.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of units of dental activity delivered by newly qualified dentists in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on units of dental activity (UDAs) delivered by foundation dentist trainees between April and November 2023 is available at the following link:
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-contractor-monthly-general-dental-activity
Data from 2016 onwards will be published shortly.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full time equivalent alcohol policy specialists her Department employs.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Public health policy to prevent and reduce alcohol related health harms is part of the Health Improvement Directorate, within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. There are approximately 157.7 full time equivalent people employed in the directorate. Resources are allocated according to priorities to collectively address common behavioural risk factors, which often cluster, such as smoking, obesity and diet related factors, low physical activity, alcohol, and drug use. The directorate also draws on cross-cutting policy, surveillance, and analytical and delivery specialists across the Department to support policy development, including on alcohol related harms.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) annual cost of increasing dental undergraduate training places in England by 40% by 2031-32.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, the Government committed to expanding dentist training places so that there are 1,000 places by 2028/29. No specific estimate is available for the increase in dental undergraduate costs, but along with the other commitments to increase training places for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare roles, it is estimated that this will cost an additional £2.4 billion cumulatively, on top of current education and training budgets. This will support a 27% expansion in training places by 2028/29.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has an alcohol policy team.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Public health policy to prevent and reduce alcohol related health harms is part of the Health Improvement Directorate, within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. There are approximately 157.7 full time equivalent people employed in the directorate. Resources are allocated according to priorities to collectively address common behavioural risk factors, which often cluster, such as smoking, obesity and diet related factors, low physical activity, alcohol, and drug use. The directorate also draws on cross-cutting policy, surveillance, and analytical and delivery specialists across the Department to support policy development, including on alcohol related harms.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that integrated care boards provide aftercare to eligible patients as set out in section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Monitoring integrated care boards is a matter for NHS England, in line with the NHS System Oversight Framework. With regard to the provision of aftercare as set out in section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983, the NHS England Who Pays? guide, and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice, set out the framework for establishing which National Health Service commissioner will be responsible for commissioning and paying for an individual’s NHS care.
The recently published statutory guidance on Discharge from mental health inpatient settings includes national guidance on how budgets and responsibilities should be shared to pay for section 117 aftercare. In accordance with this guidance document, all local social service authorities and NHS commissioning organisations must share a responsibility for making section 117 funding decisions for people entitled to aftercare, within a robust quality assurance framework. This should demonstrate effective transparency and accountability when delivering this joint duty and avoid the risk of duplication, delayed transitions, inefficiency, and poor experience of the person in receipt of the care and support. The guidance is available at the following link:
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the number of patients who have not seen a dentist in the last two years; and how many additional appointments does she expect her dentistry recovery plan to provide.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We want to encourage all professionals to commit more of their time to National Health Service work and to work in areas of the country with a low provision of NHS dental care, which is why we have brought in the Golden Hello scheme, which will deliver over 400,000 appointments.
The Dentistry Recovery Plan will make dental services faster, simpler and fairer for patients and will fund approximately 2.5 million additional appointments, or more than 1.5 million additional courses of dental treatment. The plan sets out a number of actions which will improve access for patients, by helping the sector to recover activity more quickly, address underlying issues, and set out the action needed for longer term reform of the system.
We have also announced that we will raise the minimum units of dental activity (UDA) value to £28. This will mean that almost 1,000 contracts will see an uplift to their UDA rate this year, supporting them and making treatment of NHS patients more sustainable.