Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 tackle the backlog of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder assessments.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population including assessments and diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ICBs and National Health Service trusts should have due regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline NG87: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management. This NICE guideline aims to improve the diagnosis of ADHD and the quality of care and support that people receive.
While the NICE guideline does not recommend a maximum waiting time standard from referral for an assessment of ADHD or from assessment to the point of diagnosis, a diagnosis should be made as soon as possible, and we are clear that people should not have to face long waits. Consultant-led mental health services are covered by the NHS 18-week maximum waiting time.
We are supporting ICBs to generally expand mental health services through the NHS Long Term Plan, which commits to increasing investment into mental health services by at least £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24 so that an additional two million people can get the support they need.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of continuing the ONS Covid Survey; and what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on extending funding for the ONS Covid Survey beyond March 2023.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care meets regularly with other Cabinet colleagues. We are currently considering next steps for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, which has been an important tool in developing our understanding of COVID-19. We appreciate the contributions made by members of the public who have participated in the survey.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to ensure that all fruit provided to children in state schools through the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme has Fairtrade accreditation.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
Suppliers of fruit and vegetables to the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme are required to adhere to all elements of United Kingdom law. They are required to supply produce which meets Government fresh fruit and vegetable marketing standards, and the standards set for the Red Tractor food assurance scheme for UK sourced foods, or Globalgap, the international equivalent for fruit and vegetables sourced from outside the UK.
An assessment of relevant accreditation programmes such as Fairtrade is undertaken as part of the procurement process to source the fruit, vegetables and related services for the Scheme. The current supply frameworks will run until the end of July 2024, and the merits of using a range of potential accreditations, including Fairtrade, will be considered as part of the next procurement.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 improve diagnosis times for cervical cancer in Ealing Central and Acton constituency.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including cervical cancer, is a priority across England. One of the core ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan is to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028, and to ensure that by 2028, an additional 55,000 people will survive their cancer for five years or more.
A Best Practice Timed Pathway for gynaecological cancers, including cervical, has been produced by NHS England, and will be delivered through Cancer Alliances. The pathway will support the delivery of a diagnosis or ruling out of cancer within 28 days, in line with the recently introduced Faster Diagnosis Standard. This pathway aims to implement rapid patient triage so they can access the right tests, first time, using appropriately staffed one-stop clinics.
This work is supported by the £2.3 billion investment announced at the 2021 Spending Review, that will transform diagnostic services over the next three years including in the Ealing Central and Acton constituency. Most of this investment will help increase the number of Community Diagnostic Centres up to 160 by March 2025, expanding and protecting elective planned diagnostic services.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 potential merits of providing additional funding for UK-based bioscientific research into (a) the causes and (b) treatment of Long Covid.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The role of research and scientific evidence is pivotal in shaping our understanding of post COVID-19 syndrome and how it affects people. The National Health Service and wider scientific community are working at an unprecedented pace to better understand COVID-19 and the long-term health impacts it may have, and how best to treat and support those affected.
Over £50 million has already been invested in the long term effects of COVID-19 infection research projects to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research and UK Research and Innovation’s Medical Research Council continue to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including post COVID-19 syndrome. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the topic’s importance to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will continue to monitor the emergence of new evidence around the treatment of post COVID-19 syndrome and update guidance to reflect this.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 improve the recruitment and retention of GPs in (a) Ealing Central and Acton constituency and (b) London.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We are working with NHS England and Health Education England to increase the general practice workforce in England. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why doctors choose to leave, and encourage them to return to practice in GPs across England, including in both the Ealing Central and Acton constituency and London.
The updated GP Contract Framework announced a number of new schemes, alongside continued support for existing recruitment and retention schemes for the general practice workforce. This includes the GP Retention Scheme, the GP Retention Fund, the National GP Induction and Refresher, the Locum Support Scheme, the New to Partnership Payment and the Supporting Mentors Scheme.
To boost recruitment, we have increased the number of GP training places. Last year, we saw the highest ever number of doctors accepting a place on GP training: a record 4,032 trainees, up from 2,671 in 2014.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 potential merits of providing further financial support for hospices, in the context of (a) the cost-of-living crisis and (b) rising energy bills.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
At a national level, NHS England have released £1.5 billion additional funding to integrated care boards (ICBs) to provide support for inflation, with ICBs deciding how best to distribute this funding within their system, including to palliative and end of life care providers such as hospices. This is in addition to the support provided by the Government through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme, which will run from April 2023 until March 2024 and continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers, including hospices.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has taken recent steps to further research into (a) the nature of long covid and (b) the impact of long covid on people’s health.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Over £50 million has already been invested in long COVID research projects to improve our understanding of the diagnosis, underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research and UK Research and Innovation’s Medical Research Council continue to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including long COVID. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the topic’s importance to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will continue to monitor the emergence of new evidence around the treatment of long COVID and update guidance to reflect this.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Diabetes and Mental Health Expert Working Group in England entitled An integrated care model for mental health in diabetes, published 20 December 2022, whether he will take steps to improve the integration of diabetes and mental health care outside of long-term conditions Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the impact of diabetes on mental health and will further develop this work as part of the major Conditions Strategy announced by the Secretary of State on 24 January.
Since 2019, NHS England has funded two pilots in London and in Wessex to further develop the evidence base around how best to manage people with diabetes. Research showed a higher rate of eating and psychiatric disorder in people with type 1 diabetes patients. The National Health Service national diabetes programme commissioned MyType1 Diabetes. This platform is for type 1 diabetes patients and available nationwide. Healthy Living, a self-management online support programme was also commissioned for adults with type 2 diabetes. The platforms provide users with the skills and knowledge to manage their diabetes effectively, and offers information on treatments, advice on emotional and mental wellbeing, helping users adopt and maintain healthy behaviours around diet and exercise.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing artificial pancreas technology on the NHS to all people with type one diabetes.
Answered by Will Quince
NHS England completed a pilot for hybrid closed loop technology for patients with type 1 diabetes last year. The findings have been with the National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE). NICE’s role is to produce guidance on good practice, based on the best available evidence of both clinical and cost effectiveness. Responsibility for the delivery of services and the implementation of NICE recommendations rests with the appropriate integrated care board (ICB). ICBs must pay due regard to NICE guidance however local decision making applies in terms of deciding the extent to which they utilise their funding to implement the recommendation or not.