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 help make primary care workers aware of the potential for a link between autoimmune conditions and breast implants.

Guidance for clinicians and patients called Symptoms sometimes referred to as Breast Implant Illness, including autoimmune conditions, was published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in 2020 and updated in 2023. Healthcare professionals and anyone experiencing any symptoms that they believe to be associated with their breast implants are strongly encouraged to report these through the Yellow Card scheme.

Continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for primary care workers are provided by royal colleges and professional bodies for each profession.

Primary care workers should ensure their own clinical knowledge remains up to date and are responsible for identifying learning needs as part of their CPD. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high-quality care to all patients.

General practices and primary care networks also have access to a regional Primary Care Training Hub, which will bring together education and training resources from National Health Service organisations, community providers, and local authorities. Training hubs are usually run by a clinical leader and a manager supported by a network of primary care staff with education and training professionals based in the community. They work closely with primary care networks and integrated care systems to support workforce priorities and tackle health inequalities to help meet patient and population demand.