Mar. 21 2024
Source Page: GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance: weekly bulletins for 2024Found: ........................... ................................ .................... 20 About the UK Health
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any reasons for the reportedly high level of pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections in the five- to 14-year-old age group recorded in recent Public Health Scotland data.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
PHS has advised the Scottish Government that mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of respiratory infections, particularly in school-aged children. Most infections display as a mild respiratory illness, however, some persons experience severe pneumonia and require hospitalization. Significant cyclical increases in mycoplasma pneumoniae infections are observed every 3–5 years, likely because of changes in the circulating strain.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of many respiratory conditions to re-emerge following cessation of nonpharmaceutical interventions, including lockdowns and physical distancing, implemented as part of the pandemic response. After implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions in response to COVID-19, the frequency of identified mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in Scotland substantially declined beginning in 2020, as was the case for other respiratory infections. Beginning in the autumn of 2023, the United States, China and other countries identified a re-emergence of the infection, a pattern similar to that observed in Scotland.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to enhance public awareness and education regarding pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections, particularly among any parents, caregivers and educators of children aged five to 14 who may have concerns, in light of any sustained levels of infections recorded in recent Public Health Scotland data.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Mycoplasma pneumonia infection typically is not severe but it can cause a pneumonia that is usually mild in nature. PHS has reviewed routine surveillance data available to them and are reassured that most presentations of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections are of a mild respiratory illness, with children most commonly presenting at GPs with common respiratory symptoms. To date, there have been no deaths in 1280 CARI patients positive for mycoplasma pneumoniae (up to week 7) within 28 days of their test.
The Scottish Government notes that PHS continues to encourage good hand and respiratory hygiene to help stop the spread of winter bugs, including mycoplasma pneumoniae. By keeping hands clean and helping to ensure children practice good respiratory hygiene, the spread of this infection can be reduced. The Scottish Government notes that information on managing the symptoms of common winter illnesses including self-help guides and advice on preventing onward transmission, can be found on NHS Inform. ( https://www.nhsinform.scot/winter-illness/ )
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support research into pulmonary fibrosis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including pulmonary fibrosis, although 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 importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
In order to increase awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, NHS England has established 13 Respiratory Clinical Networks across the country. These have been vital in providing clinical leadership for respiratory services and supporting services in primary care, including restoring spirometry, which is one of the tests used to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis.
Furthermore, community diagnostic centres are also being established to deliver additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity in England, providing patients with co-ordinated diagnostic tests in the community, on a range of clinical pathways, including pulmonary fibrosis. With the aim of raising the standard of care that people with this idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis receive, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also publishes quality standards that define best practice, and areas in need of improvement.
Mar. 21 2024
Source Page: GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance: weekly bulletins for 2024Found: Indicator Trend1 Level Total contacts ( Figure 1) No trend No baseline Acute respiratory infection
Nov. 25 2010
Source Page: Table showing A count of finished admission episodes where there was a primary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Diseases of the Respiratory System by PCT of residence for the years 2007/08 to 2009/10. 20 p.Found: episodes where there was a primary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Diseases of the Respiratory
Nov. 25 2010
Source Page: Table showing A count of FCE bed days where there was a primary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Diseases of the Respiratory System by PCT of residence for the years 2007/08 to 2009/10. 20 p.Found: days where there was a primary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Diseases of the Respiratory
May. 20 2009
Source Page: The use of face masks during an influenza pandemic: scientific evidence base. 20 p.Found: In 2006 the Health Protection Agency (HPA) was tasked by the Department of Health Pandemic Influenza
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to end deaths from asthma.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the initial report, Major conditions strategy: case for change and our strategic framework, the Department developed a strategic framework on how our approach to health and care delivery can evolve to improve outcomes and better meet the needs of 6 major health conditions, including those with chronic respiratory disease (CRD). As part of the overall strategy for CRD management, we have incentivised primary care, through the general practice contract, to monitor and provide support for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, including through annual reviews, a personalised action plan, appropriate inhaler optimisation and advice on smoking cessation.
NHS England published the NHS Long Term Plan in 2019, which set out the commitments and objectives for the National Health Service for the next 10 years, in relation to CRD. NHS England is working with a range of partners to improve outcomes across the care pathway. This includes supporting local systems to offer NHS funded tobacco treatment services, building on the £2.3 billion investment in additional diagnostic capacity and the establishment of Community Diagnostic Centres; working with key partners to introduce a range of resources and measures that promote high quality and low carbon inhaler use; publishing a National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma to support local systems with the management of asthma care and; widening and making access to specialist care through the delegation of specialist asthma services to ICB commissioning responsibilities.
NHS England is also focused on making more respiratory-specific data available to all regions and systems, ensuring there is greater consistency in the use of data and metrics to enable meaningful comparison, and to identify areas that may need additional support for improvement. NHS England also looks forward to the publication of the updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma guideline later this year and will promote and support its implementation.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to strengthen surveillance and monitoring systems for pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections, in order to promptly identify any emerging trends or clusters and take proactive measures to prevent further spread.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
The Scottish Government recognises that surveillance is a critical part of our approach to monitoring and managing the spread and prevalence of mycoplasma pneumoniae, Covid-19 and other respiratory infections. Public Health Scotland (PHS) are responsible for delivering Scotland’s National Respiratory Surveillance Plan with the support of the Scottish Government.
As part of PHS’s work, respiratory infection levels, including those of mycoplasma pneumoniae, and their impact are closely monitored throughout the year using various sources of data, including microbiological sampling and laboratory test results from community and hospital settings, NHS 24 calls, primary care consultations, hospital admissions, and mortality by cause. Intelligence generated from the different Scottish surveillance systems, including for mycoplasma pneumoniae, are used to inform proactive measures to prevent spread and ensure timely clinical response.