Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the 2017-18 influenza season for respiratory health.
Answered by Steve Brine
Seasonal influenza surveillance arrangements are in place to monitor influenza throughout the year. These systems look to determine the level of influenza-like illness in the community and provide this information to relevant organisations and government departments. Public Health England is responsible for monitoring data on influenza activity on a weekly basis during the winter months, and this data is carefully assessed on an ongoing basis. Current data shows low levels of flu activity.
Monitoring enables prompt identification of any increases in influenza activity to forewarn communities and the specific influenza strains involved and any changes in the virus. This information informs public health recommendations to clinicians, such as the use of antivirals in primary care and the management of seasonal influenza on respiratory health. Maximising uptake of flu immunisation, including amongst those with chronic respiratory disease, remains a key strategy.
International surveillance data identifies trends in seasonal influenza across different parts of the world. While this provides useful information, it cannot be assumed that influenza activity observed in other countries predicts the influenza strains which might circulate in the United Kingdom nor the level of seasonal influenza activity.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to promote influenza vaccination.
Answered by Steve Brine
Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England, is currently running the Stay Well This Winter campaign which encourages people who are most at-risk of preventable emergency admission to hospital to take actions to help them stay well. These actions include getting a flu vaccination and visiting a pharmacy at the first sign of a winter illness.
The campaign launched on 9 October 2017 and promotes uptake of the flu vaccination to people with long term health conditions, people aged 65 years and over, pregnant women, carers and eligible children.
Stay Well This Winter is a national multi-channel campaign that includes television, radio, social media, public relations and digital activity. This is supported by an extensive partnership programme to amplify reach through local authorities, the National Health Service, pharmacies, commercial manufacturers of over the counter medicines, the energy sector, charities, employers and many other organisations.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Government has made on making available improved influenza products to protect vulnerable people and people aged over 65.
Answered by Steve Brine
General practitioners (GPs) can order inactivated influenza vaccine directly from manufacturers. The current influenza vaccines have generally provided an important level of protection to elderly people.
Influenza vaccines are authorised for use in the United Kingdom following a thorough review of efficacy, safety and quality by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or the European Medicines Agency. A new adjuvanted vaccine is available for GPs to order for use in the 2018/19 season.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help protect (a) vulnerable, (b) elderly and (c) other people from influenza.
Answered by Steve Brine
Public Health England, in partnership with NHS England, is running the ‘Stay Well This Winter’ campaign which encourages people most at-risk of preventable emergency hospital admission to take actions helping them stay well e.g. flu vaccination and visiting a pharmacy at the first signs of a winter illness.
The National Health Service annual influenza vaccination programme helps to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death by targeting the most vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women, those aged 65 and over, those with chronic health conditions, carers and health and social care workers working in care homes and domiciliary settings, in England.
Vaccination is also offered to healthy children (this year those aged two to three years of age, those in reception class, and school years one to four are all eligible) to both protect young children and to reduce the wider spread of flu in households and communities.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has plans to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
Since the launch of the United Kingdom-wide Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020 Strategy in July 2013, organ donation rates have increased by 7% and transplant rates by 6% mainly through a strengthening of the donation infrastructure (e.g. increased specialist nurses, improved retrieval arrangements). In 2016-17, the UK had the highest ever deceased donor and transplant rates with 1,413 deceased donors and 3,710 transplants and there are now 24 million people on the Organ Donor Register.
However, three people still die every day in need of an organ transplant. We have, therefore, announced that we will launch a 12 week consultation, before the end of this year, on increasing rates of organ donation, including a new “opt out” system of consent for England. The consultation will seek views on:
- How to increase rates of organ donation, particularly from BAME communities;
- How the issue of consent should be managed within the NHS;
- How technology could help people to discuss their preferences with family; and
- How opt out could work in practice, the safeguards needed and how families could be supported.
The Government will carefully consult, listen and take account of the views from people from a diverse range of ethnic, religious and cultural communities when considering any changes to the law.
We are still committed to campaigns to raise awareness, and encourage families and friends to discuss their wishes on organ donation.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to publish the consultation on regulation of Physician Associates.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Department is currently considering options for a consultation on the regulation of Physician Associates, which will be published in due course.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the cost to the NHS of (a) branded and (b) non-branded inhaled medication in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by David Mowat
Information for the latest available 12 month period is given in the table below.
Net Ingredient Cost (NIC) of inhaled-medication prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England, classified as inhaled nebuliser products within British National Formulary sections 3.1.2 Antimuscarinic bronchodilators, 3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations , 3.2 Corticosteroids, and 3.3.1 Cromoglicate and related therapies | ||||
Period | NIC £000’s | |||
Year | Quarter | Non-branded 1 | Branded 2 | Total |
2015 | 4 | 20,959.2 | 246,653.5 | 267,612.7 |
2016 | 1 | 25,205.7 | 226,611.2 | 251,816.9 |
2016 | 2 | 25,390.8 | 231,223.2 | 256,614.0 |
2016 | 3 | 25,047.6 | 228,186.1 | 253,233.8 |
Total 3 |
| 96,603.3 | 932,674.1 | 1,029,277.3 |
Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system data provided by NHS Digital
Notes:
1 Non-Branded are those drugs prescribed and available generically.
2 Branded will include those generics that have been dispensed with a Brand name.
3 Total figure may not sum due to rounding.
Most inhaled products are licensed with a brand name, so even after the brand originator loses the patent exclusivity and alternative products become available, they usually will have a brand name, therefore their Net Ingredient Cost will be reported against branded spend.