Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of epilepsy (a) awareness and (b) first aid training for prison staff.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The HMPPS National Health and Safety Arrangements for First and Emergency Aid (publishing.service.gov.uk) require each prison to complete a first aid needs assessment, taking account of local risk and demand. All sites must have in place suitable numbers of adequately trained staff, equipment, and facilities to meet the need for first aid provision. First Aid training provided to prison staff – such as the course provided by St Johns Ambulance, which includes a wide range of topics, including how to deal with epileptic seizures – meets the standard required to comply with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations.
Information for all HMPPS staff about epilepsy is provided on the Occupational Health employee information website https://hmpps.workplacewellbeing.com/guidance/epilepsy/. This explains how epilepsy affects safety at work, and how managers can ensure adequate first aid cover by reviewing risk assessments, implementing reasonable adjustments, and making referrals to Occupational Health.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with epilepsy have died in prison (a) from all causes and (b) as a direct result of their epilepsy in the last ten years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Every death in custody is a tragedy and we continue to do all we can to improve the safety of prisoners. All deaths in prison custody are subject to a coroner’s inquest.
The HMPPS National Health and Safety Arrangements for First and Emergency Aid (publishing.service.gov.uk) require each prison to complete a first aid needs assessment, taking account of local risk and demand. All sites must have in place suitable numbers of adequately trained staff, equipment, and facilities to meet the need for first aid provision. First Aid training provided to prison staff – such as the course provided by St Johns Ambulance, which includes a wide range of topics, including how to deal with epileptic seizures – meets the standard required to comply with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 January 2024 on Women’s Health Strategy update, HCWS192, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Research challenge fund will fund research into anti-epilepsy medicines safe for use in pregnancy.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the Written Statement of 17 January 2024, the NIHR announced plans for a £50 million NIHR Challenge to tackle disparities within maternity. This initiative is a new five-year investment allocated from within NIHR’s research budget. This funding is additional to the £53 million that the NIHR spent between April 2022 and July 2023 into research programmes to support women’s sexual and reproductive health, with further funding for wider health and care research that benefits women.
The specific focus of this work is being developed and we expect that the NIHR will launch a call for applications in spring 2024. Further information will be available on the NIHR website in due course. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including anti-epilepsy medicines safe for use in pregnancy.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Somerton and Frome)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing children to be issued medical cannabis prescriptions on the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Licensed cannabis-based medicines, that have been proved effective in clinical trials and judged cost-effective by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), are routinely available on the National Health Service, including for people aged over two years old with certain types of epilepsy. However, clinical guidelines from NICE demonstrate a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines.
We continue to call on manufacturers to conduct research to prove if their products are safe and effective and we are working with regulatory, research and NHS partners to establish clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of these products.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of flashing lighting on speed cameras on people with (a) epilepsy and (b) other conditions triggered by flashing lights.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Speedmeter, Traffic Light and Prohibited Lane Enforcement Camera Handbook v2.0 includes requirements for driver-facing flash units on Home Office Type Approved speed cameras to be below the illumination levels set for vehicle signals by Regulation ECE R65.
Regulation ECE R65 is a United Nations standard for beacons, light bars and other vehicle warning lamps. This regulation is designed to ensure that certain key standards governing light output, light dispersion, flash frequency and colour are being met. It would be a matter for a doctor to decide if an individual is fit to drive a vehicle if they have a medical condition trigged by flashing lights.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take steps to ensure that children with severe epilepsy are able to access cannabis-based medications through the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Licensed cannabis-based medicines, that have been proved effective in clinical trials and judged cost-effective by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), are routinely available on the National Health Service, including for certain types of epilepsy. However, clinical guidelines from NICE demonstrate a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines.
We continue to call on manufacturers to conduct research to prove if their products are safe and effective and we are working with regulatory, research and NHS partners to establish clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of these products.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure children with severe epilepsy can access effective cannabis-based medications through the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Licensed cannabis-based medicines, that have been proved effective in clinical trials and judged cost-effective by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), are routinely available on the National Health Service, including for certain types of epilepsy. However, clinical guidelines from NICE demonstrate a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines.
We continue to call on manufacturers to conduct research to prove if their products are safe and effective and we are working with regulatory, research and NHS partners to establish clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of these products.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
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 increase provision of epilepsy treatment in (a) Hull West and Hessle constituency and (b) nationally.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The majority of health services for people with epilepsy are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs are best placed to make decisions regarding the provision of health services to their local population, including for the treatment of epilepsy, subject to local prioritisation and funding.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement for those with epilepsy, including NHS England’s Neuroscience Service Transformation Programme and the RightCare Epilepsy Toolkit.
The National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on epilepsies in children, young people, and adults [NG217], published in April 2022, covers diagnosing and managing epilepsy in primary and secondary care, and referral to tertiary services. Recommendation 8.1 states that a ketogenic diet should be considered under the guidance of a tertiary epilepsy specialist for certain childhood-onset epilepsy syndromes, and for drug resistant epilepsy when other treatments have failed or are not appropriate. More information on this is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng217/chapter/8-Non-pharmacological-treatments#ketogenic-diet
We expect National Health Service commissioners to take NICE guidelines into full account in designing services that meet the needs of their local populations. It is, however, important to note that NICE guidelines are not mandatory and do not override a clinician’s responsibility to make decisions appropriate to individual patients, in consultation with them and their families.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to help ensure access to ketogenic diet treatment in (a) Hull West and Hessle constituency and (b) nationally.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The majority of health services for people with epilepsy are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs are best placed to make decisions regarding the provision of health services to their local population, including for the treatment of epilepsy, subject to local prioritisation and funding.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement for those with epilepsy, including NHS England’s Neuroscience Service Transformation Programme and the RightCare Epilepsy Toolkit.
The National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on epilepsies in children, young people, and adults [NG217], published in April 2022, covers diagnosing and managing epilepsy in primary and secondary care, and referral to tertiary services. Recommendation 8.1 states that a ketogenic diet should be considered under the guidance of a tertiary epilepsy specialist for certain childhood-onset epilepsy syndromes, and for drug resistant epilepsy when other treatments have failed or are not appropriate. More information on this is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng217/chapter/8-Non-pharmacological-treatments#ketogenic-diet
We expect National Health Service commissioners to take NICE guidelines into full account in designing services that meet the needs of their local populations. It is, however, important to note that NICE guidelines are not mandatory and do not override a clinician’s responsibility to make decisions appropriate to individual patients, in consultation with them and their families.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure there is specific employment support for people with epilepsy.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government delivers an extensive programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including epilepsy, to start, stay, and succeed in work. This programme was expanded upon by the Government's new Back to Work Plan, announced as part of the Autumn Statement. Measures include: Universal Support, the Work and Health Programme; Access to Work grants; the Disability Confident scheme; an online service called ‘Support with employee health and disability’; increased Work Coach support and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres; reforming Occupational Health provision; and further initiatives also work to join up employment and health systems, which includes expanding Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.