Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many diagnoses of (a) Lyme disease and (b) chronic Lyme disease have been made in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance supports primary care doctors in managing Lyme disease but to further strengthen the evidence base we have commissioned NICE to develop guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Lyme disease; this is expected in June 2018.
Public Health England (PHE) provides information on Lyme disease and tick awareness to the medical profession and the public, holds regular medical training days, and works with Lyme Disease Action to support the needs and interests of patients.
NHS Choices also publishes information on its website to raise awareness of Lyme disease and encourage timely medical consultation because early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is the best way of limiting complications from infection.
The number of human cases can be reduced by raising public awareness of how to avoid tick bites, and by environmental measures in public places to reduce the long grass and scrub which harbor ticks. PHE works with interested local authorities to raise tick awareness, and has produced joint public information with local authorities in areas such as the New Forest with a significant incidence of Lyme disease.
The number of laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales varies annually, in 2013 there were 878 and in 2014 there were 730, but the majority of diagnoses are made clinically by general practitioners and those figures are not recorded.
Patients with late or complicated Lyme disease may be diagnosed in a variety of specialist clinics, and the numbers are not recorded. Based on the clinical information supplied with the laboratory request, only a small proportion of the annual number of cases fall into this category.
There is no clear definition for chronic Lyme disease, and no general acceptance of what the term means, so no data is available.
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of Lyme disease and of the measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of infection.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance supports primary care doctors in managing Lyme disease but to further strengthen the evidence base we have commissioned NICE to develop guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Lyme disease; this is expected in June 2018.
Public Health England (PHE) provides information on Lyme disease and tick awareness to the medical profession and the public, holds regular medical training days, and works with Lyme Disease Action to support the needs and interests of patients.
NHS Choices also publishes information on its website to raise awareness of Lyme disease and encourage timely medical consultation because early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is the best way of limiting complications from infection.
The number of human cases can be reduced by raising public awareness of how to avoid tick bites, and by environmental measures in public places to reduce the long grass and scrub which harbor ticks. PHE works with interested local authorities to raise tick awareness, and has produced joint public information with local authorities in areas such as the New Forest with a significant incidence of Lyme disease.
The number of laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales varies annually, in 2013 there were 878 and in 2014 there were 730, but the majority of diagnoses are made clinically by general practitioners and those figures are not recorded.
Patients with late or complicated Lyme disease may be diagnosed in a variety of specialist clinics, and the numbers are not recorded. Based on the clinical information supplied with the laboratory request, only a small proportion of the annual number of cases fall into this category.
There is no clear definition for chronic Lyme disease, and no general acceptance of what the term means, so no data is available.
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of Lyme disease amongst medical professionals.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance supports primary care doctors in managing Lyme disease but to further strengthen the evidence base we have commissioned NICE to develop guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Lyme disease; this is expected in June 2018.
Public Health England (PHE) provides information on Lyme disease and tick awareness to the medical profession and the public, holds regular medical training days, and works with Lyme Disease Action to support the needs and interests of patients.
NHS Choices also publishes information on its website to raise awareness of Lyme disease and encourage timely medical consultation because early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is the best way of limiting complications from infection.
The number of human cases can be reduced by raising public awareness of how to avoid tick bites, and by environmental measures in public places to reduce the long grass and scrub which harbor ticks. PHE works with interested local authorities to raise tick awareness, and has produced joint public information with local authorities in areas such as the New Forest with a significant incidence of Lyme disease.
The number of laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales varies annually, in 2013 there were 878 and in 2014 there were 730, but the majority of diagnoses are made clinically by general practitioners and those figures are not recorded.
Patients with late or complicated Lyme disease may be diagnosed in a variety of specialist clinics, and the numbers are not recorded. Based on the clinical information supplied with the laboratory request, only a small proportion of the annual number of cases fall into this category.
There is no clear definition for chronic Lyme disease, and no general acceptance of what the term means, so no data is available.
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will fund research into the potential benefits of self-sampling for HPV testing for people over the age of 50 in addition to the current STRATEGIC study for 25-29 year olds.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England offers screening to women aged 25 to 49 every three years, and women aged 50 to 64 every five years. Women aged over 65 should only be screened if they have not been screened since age 50 or if they have had recent abnormal results.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme provides support leaflets for carers of women with learning disability to help them to make an informed decision and to understand the process. The leaflet is available at:
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/faq10.html
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is aware that women with learning disabilities are less likely to attend their cervical screening appointment and are therefore working with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to encourage these women to be screened. More information can be found at:
http://www.jostrust.org.uk/node/18658
The NHS Cervical Screening programme currently uses cytology as the primary screen. In April 2012 the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) gave its support for a pilot to assess the value of using human papilloma virus (HPV) as primary screening for cervical disease, rather than the currently used cytology test. The pilot is establishing the feasibility of using HPV as the primary screen for cervical disease in order to achieve better outcomes for women, while minimising over-treatment and anxiety, and whether it is practical to roll out nationally. The pilot sites, which began in May 2013, are: Liverpool, Manchester, Northwick Park (Harrow), Bristol, Sheffield and Norwich. An absence of HPV means that the woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer is very low. Strategies in which HPV was used as the first test (primary screen) were found to be both cost and life years saving. Cancer Research UK has estimated that, when fully implemented, HPV as primary screening could prevent an additional 600 cancers a year1 . The UK NSC will open a public consultation shortly on whether HPV as primary screening for cervical disease should replace the currently used cytology test.
The Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer (ACCS) met earlier this year and were given a presentation on whether self-sampling would be a feasible method in cervical screening. The ACCS acknowledged that various United Kingdom studies demonstrated an increase in uptake amongst non-attendees when self-sampling was offered. The ACCS agreed that self-sampling was a feasible strategy for HPV testing. However, further work would need to be undertaken before this could be piloted.
The Department funds the Policy Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis led by the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London. The unit is currently developing its work programme for 2016 and 2017, which may include topics relevant to cervical screening.
1 http://msc.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/10/0969141313492313
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will make an assessment of the efficacy of self-sampling for HPV testing as an alternative to the current HPV screening for people over the age of 50.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England offers screening to women aged 25 to 49 every three years, and women aged 50 to 64 every five years. Women aged over 65 should only be screened if they have not been screened since age 50 or if they have had recent abnormal results.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme provides support leaflets for carers of women with learning disability to help them to make an informed decision and to understand the process. The leaflet is available at:
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/faq10.html
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is aware that women with learning disabilities are less likely to attend their cervical screening appointment and are therefore working with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to encourage these women to be screened. More information can be found at:
http://www.jostrust.org.uk/node/18658
The NHS Cervical Screening programme currently uses cytology as the primary screen. In April 2012 the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) gave its support for a pilot to assess the value of using human papilloma virus (HPV) as primary screening for cervical disease, rather than the currently used cytology test. The pilot is establishing the feasibility of using HPV as the primary screen for cervical disease in order to achieve better outcomes for women, while minimising over-treatment and anxiety, and whether it is practical to roll out nationally. The pilot sites, which began in May 2013, are: Liverpool, Manchester, Northwick Park (Harrow), Bristol, Sheffield and Norwich. An absence of HPV means that the woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer is very low. Strategies in which HPV was used as the first test (primary screen) were found to be both cost and life years saving. Cancer Research UK has estimated that, when fully implemented, HPV as primary screening could prevent an additional 600 cancers a year1 . The UK NSC will open a public consultation shortly on whether HPV as primary screening for cervical disease should replace the currently used cytology test.
The Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer (ACCS) met earlier this year and were given a presentation on whether self-sampling would be a feasible method in cervical screening. The ACCS acknowledged that various United Kingdom studies demonstrated an increase in uptake amongst non-attendees when self-sampling was offered. The ACCS agreed that self-sampling was a feasible strategy for HPV testing. However, further work would need to be undertaken before this could be piloted.
The Department funds the Policy Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis led by the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London. The unit is currently developing its work programme for 2016 and 2017, which may include topics relevant to cervical screening.
1 http://msc.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/10/0969141313492313
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve cervical screening rates among people with learning disabilities.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England offers screening to women aged 25 to 49 every three years, and women aged 50 to 64 every five years. Women aged over 65 should only be screened if they have not been screened since age 50 or if they have had recent abnormal results.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme provides support leaflets for carers of women with learning disability to help them to make an informed decision and to understand the process. The leaflet is available at:
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/faq10.html
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is aware that women with learning disabilities are less likely to attend their cervical screening appointment and are therefore working with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to encourage these women to be screened. More information can be found at:
http://www.jostrust.org.uk/node/18658
The NHS Cervical Screening programme currently uses cytology as the primary screen. In April 2012 the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) gave its support for a pilot to assess the value of using human papilloma virus (HPV) as primary screening for cervical disease, rather than the currently used cytology test. The pilot is establishing the feasibility of using HPV as the primary screen for cervical disease in order to achieve better outcomes for women, while minimising over-treatment and anxiety, and whether it is practical to roll out nationally. The pilot sites, which began in May 2013, are: Liverpool, Manchester, Northwick Park (Harrow), Bristol, Sheffield and Norwich. An absence of HPV means that the woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer is very low. Strategies in which HPV was used as the first test (primary screen) were found to be both cost and life years saving. Cancer Research UK has estimated that, when fully implemented, HPV as primary screening could prevent an additional 600 cancers a year1 . The UK NSC will open a public consultation shortly on whether HPV as primary screening for cervical disease should replace the currently used cytology test.
The Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer (ACCS) met earlier this year and were given a presentation on whether self-sampling would be a feasible method in cervical screening. The ACCS acknowledged that various United Kingdom studies demonstrated an increase in uptake amongst non-attendees when self-sampling was offered. The ACCS agreed that self-sampling was a feasible strategy for HPV testing. However, further work would need to be undertaken before this could be piloted.
The Department funds the Policy Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis led by the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London. The unit is currently developing its work programme for 2016 and 2017, which may include topics relevant to cervical screening.
1 http://msc.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/10/0969141313492313
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase cervical screening rates.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The National Health Service cervical screening programme is based on informed choice. A leaflet sent out with every invitation for cervical screening provides women with clear, honest and balanced information about the benefits and limitations of cervical screening in order to ensure women are able to make an informed decision as to whether to have a cervical screening test or not.
Although no estimate has been made of the potential savings to the NHS of increasing cervical screening rates, cost-effectiveness is a key criteria of the UK National Screening Committee recommending whether or not screening for a particular condition should take place. For example, a cost-effectiveness evaluation of the current pilot of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as primary cervical screening is being undertaken alongside the clinical evaluation of the pilot.
Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer (January 2011) makes clear the important role that cervical screening plays in preventing cervical cancer. The strategy also notes that some groups and communities are not accessing cancer screening services. Public Health England is working with NHS England via the Public Health Section 7A agreement to develop a system of performance improvement through the use of performance floors, and strengthened governance for screening. The aims of the performance floors are:
- Improving performance and equity of service over time by reducing the range of variation at a local level.
- Enabling easy identification of poor performance and the setting of objectives and plans for local action, to reduce variation and improve performance.
Public Health England will look at research provided by the STRATEGIC study (Strategies to increase cervical screening uptake at first invitation) to identify methods to help increase uptake among women. The STRATEGIC study will be publishing findings in May 2016, more details of this can be found at;
http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hta/0916401
Asked by: Teresa Pearce (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
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 savings to the NHS of increasing cervical screening rates.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The National Health Service cervical screening programme is based on informed choice. A leaflet sent out with every invitation for cervical screening provides women with clear, honest and balanced information about the benefits and limitations of cervical screening in order to ensure women are able to make an informed decision as to whether to have a cervical screening test or not.
Although no estimate has been made of the potential savings to the NHS of increasing cervical screening rates, cost-effectiveness is a key criteria of the UK National Screening Committee recommending whether or not screening for a particular condition should take place. For example, a cost-effectiveness evaluation of the current pilot of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as primary cervical screening is being undertaken alongside the clinical evaluation of the pilot.
Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer (January 2011) makes clear the important role that cervical screening plays in preventing cervical cancer. The strategy also notes that some groups and communities are not accessing cancer screening services. Public Health England is working with NHS England via the Public Health Section 7A agreement to develop a system of performance improvement through the use of performance floors, and strengthened governance for screening. The aims of the performance floors are:
- Improving performance and equity of service over time by reducing the range of variation at a local level.
- Enabling easy identification of poor performance and the setting of objectives and plans for local action, to reduce variation and improve performance.
Public Health England will look at research provided by the STRATEGIC study (Strategies to increase cervical screening uptake at first invitation) to identify methods to help increase uptake among women. The STRATEGIC study will be publishing findings in May 2016, more details of this can be found at;
http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hta/0916401