Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provision of care and support available to patients following a stem cell transplant.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
NHS England is responsible for commissioning and funding the transplant related care which takes place 30 days before transplant and continues until 100 days post-transplant. As outlined in the Manual, after 100 days post-transplant, commissioning responsibility for the routine follow-up of patients switches from NHS England to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
The Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services describes which elements of specialised services are commissioned by NHS England and which are commissioned by CCGs is available at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/prescribed-specialised-services-manual-2.pdf
In the event that transplant patients experience serious complications post-transplant, elements of their care would likely continue to be planned, organised and funded by NHS England specialised commissioning. For example, if a patient requires Extracorporeal Photophersis which is a treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease following transplantation, NHS England commissions this care post-transplant.
NHS England’s work in supporting the roll out of the Recovery Package for cancer patients, including those who received blood and marrow transplants, helps ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed and once treatment ends. For patients this means working with their care team to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also additional support, such as help at home or financial advice. By 2020 NHS England wants all cancer patients to have access to the Recovery Package.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what topics were discussed during the Minister of State for Health's visit to Bournville Care Village on Friday 24 November 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Philip Dunne
I toured the College Green development in Bournville which, it is proposed, will be home to around 400 older people once it is complete next year.
It is also intended to house a state-of-the-art health and well-being centre, which will be a base for a number of general practitioner practices and a pharmacy providing a range of health services.
I also discussed the results of a study by Aston University of the impact of improved health and wellbeing of residents in care villages in Birmingham, like College Green, allowing elderly residents to enjoy independent living in a supportive environment with less need for National Health Service care.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State plans to respond to the letter of 31 October from the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield on Premises Cost Directions and Bournville Gardens Health and Wellbeing Centre.
Answered by Steve Brine
A response was sent by post and email on 29 November 2017.
NHS England has advised that the application to the Estates and Technology Transformation Fund is currently going through the approval processes and checks.
To avoid delays, additional funding has been provided to the clinical commissioning group (CCG) for the development of its Outline Business Case. The CCG is engaging with the Bournville Village Trust to progress the business case.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2017 to Question 4557, how many projects, for which investment has been approved in principle under the NHS Estates Technology and Transformation Fund require a revision of the Premises Costs Directions to be agreed by his Department before they can receive final approval.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Changes to premises costs directions are currently being negotiated between the Department, NHS England and the General Practitioners’ Committee of the British Medical Association. It is anticipated that the new directions will be agreed shortly.
No fully approved schemes are being held up or are at risk of delivery by the delay in finalising the premises cost direction changes. However, there are a large number of improvements to existing premises and new builds which are dependent on the revisions we have been negotiating (up to 627 schemes).
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2017 to Question 4557, when he plans to reach an agreement with NHS England on the revisions to NHS England Premises Costs Directions.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Changes to premises costs directions are currently being negotiated between the Department, NHS England and the General Practitioners’ Committee of the British Medical Association. It is anticipated that the new directions will be agreed shortly.
No fully approved schemes are being held up or are at risk of delivery by the delay in finalising the premises cost direction changes. However, there are a large number of improvements to existing premises and new builds which are dependent on the revisions we have been negotiating (up to 627 schemes).
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Health and Wellbeing Centre in College Green, Birmingham, which has been approved for investment from the NHS Estates Technology and Transformation Fund is completed on schedule.
Answered by Philip Dunne
NHS England has advised that the building of the new Health and Wellbeing Medical Centre is supported in principle for funding through the Estates and Technology Transformation Fund, subject to due diligence checks, including a value for money exercise.
NHS England is working closely with Birmingham Cross City Clinical Commissioning Group and remains fully committed to keeping this scheme on track, subject to satisfactory completion of checks. To support the progress of the scheme, NHS England has provided funding to assist the development of the Outline Business Case for the project.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the financial viability of independent, locally owned pharmacies.
Answered by David Mowat
The Pharmacy Access Scheme (PhAS) will protect access in areas where there are fewer pharmacies with higher health needs, ensuring that no area need be left without a pharmacy.
As the Impact Assessment, published on 20 October 2016, sets out, pharmacies that do not receive the PhAS, but do receive the quality payment will on average be receiving a 4.6% funding reduction in 2016/17 and an 8.3% reduction in 2017/18. Other revenue streams from clinical commissioning groups, Public Health England and local authorities are unaffected by these reductions.
It is difficult to predict precisely the impact of these proposals on the viability of community pharmacies and, therefore, which - if any - might close as a result of the cut in funding. That is because there are a number of business models within the community pharmacy sector, and reductions in NHS funding will impact differently on different community pharmacies depending on a range of factors.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage (a) understanding and (b) effective treatment of people with chronic pain conditions within the NHS.
Answered by David Mowat
The routine assessment and management of pain is a required competency of all healthcare professionals. Many patients with chronic pain can be successfully supported and managed through routine primary and secondary care pain management services. Approaches to treatment are not all pharmacological; education in self-management techniques to aid symptom control may also be appropriate for some patients.
It is important that patients with the most serious pain management issues are able to access specialist care. In such circumstances a patient may be referred to a specialised pain management service where they can be cared for by an expert multidisciplinary team, access specialised pain management programmes and receive more complex drug treatments. Such services are commissioned nationally by NHS England as part of its remit to deliver specialised services.
To support clinicians in the management of pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published several clinical guidelines on the treatment and management of different types of pain, such as migraine, back pain and neuropathic pain, as well as technical guidance on specific treatments, such as the use of opiates in palliative care and deep brain stimulation for chronic pain.