Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS is taking steps with (a) technology developers and (b) academia to help accelerate the introduction of innovative medical solutions.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In February 2023, the Department published the MedTech strategy which outlined how we will work with key stakeholders, including technology developers and academia, to ensure the health and social care system can reliably access safe, effective, and innovative medical technologies. To accelerate the introduction of innovative medical solutions, we are working with stakeholders at pace to implement solutions to streamline and join-up the innovation adoption pathway, from providing clear signals to industry on the innovation we need, to reforming regulation, comparative assessment, and with clearer procurement pathways.
In October 2023, the Government announced £30 million of investment in the Health Tech Adoption and Acceleration Fund. The fund is supporting integrated care systems to invest in the latest technology to help cut waiting lists, speed up diagnosis, and deliver new and improved ways to treat patients. Thanks to this fund, tens of thousands of patients at risk of kidney disease will be able to get tested from the comfort of their own homes. In February 2024, the Government announced eight innovative tech companies who will be supported to bring their devices to market through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP). One of the technologies allows chemotherapy patients to self-test at home, using a finger-prick blood test, for neutropenic sepsis. Another is a smartphone app that delivers exercises, cognitive behaviour therapy, and targeted physical activity in a personally customisable format to help patients manage multiple sclerosis.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 help encourage innovation in the development of healthcare technology for at home use.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In February 2023, the Department published the MedTech strategy which outlined how we will work with key stakeholders, including technology developers and academia, to ensure the health and social care system can reliably access safe, effective, and innovative medical technologies. To accelerate the introduction of innovative medical solutions, we are working with stakeholders at pace to implement solutions to streamline and join-up the innovation adoption pathway, from providing clear signals to industry on the innovation we need, to reforming regulation, comparative assessment, and with clearer procurement pathways.
In October 2023, the Government announced £30 million of investment in the Health Tech Adoption and Acceleration Fund. The fund is supporting integrated care systems to invest in the latest technology to help cut waiting lists, speed up diagnosis, and deliver new and improved ways to treat patients. Thanks to this fund, tens of thousands of patients at risk of kidney disease will be able to get tested from the comfort of their own homes. In February 2024, the Government announced eight innovative tech companies who will be supported to bring their devices to market through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP). One of the technologies allows chemotherapy patients to self-test at home, using a finger-prick blood test, for neutropenic sepsis. Another is a smartphone app that delivers exercises, cognitive behaviour therapy, and targeted physical activity in a personally customisable format to help patients manage multiple sclerosis.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance across the world also works to end preventable deaths linked to unclean birth environments.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's Ending Preventable Deaths campaign takes a multisectoral approach which includes tackling antimicrobial resistance, alongside strengthening health systems, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and broader determinants like nutrition, climate and water, sanitation and hygiene. Neonatal sepsis is a particular concern in the context of antimicrobial resistance and as such is where the UK will look to particularly align our work on water sanitation and hygiene, with our work on antimicrobial resistance and the health of mothers and newborns.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of incidences of sepsis in the last five years.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department and NHS England do not hold information centrally on the incidences of sepsis, and have made no assessment of the trends. There is a lack of reliable estimates of the incidence and prevalence of sepsis due to a lack of consistency in the definitions used to describe sepsis, and differences in coding between professionals and organisations. Despite this, the focus on sepsis in recent years means there is now much better awareness and improved clinical recognition of sepsis symptoms.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does publish data on the number of death registrations where sepsis is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales between 2001 and 2022, as the data for 2023 has yet to be published. The following table shows the number of deaths registered where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales in each of the last five years:
Year | Number of Deaths |
2018 | 23,185 |
2019 | 21,458 |
2020 | 19,324 |
2021 | 21,947 |
2022 | 25,542 |
The Department works with NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency to monitor sepsis death data. It is difficult to attribute the increase in the number of deaths registered where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate from 2020 to 2022 to a single cause, as the incidences of infection and reasons for acute deterioration are complex and multifactorial. It is also possible that the increase reflects a greater awareness of sepsis and improved coding and recording of deaths due to sepsis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of hospital-acquired sepsis there were in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department and NHS England do not centrally hold information on hospital acquired sepsis, although incidents of this may be held by local providers. The Office for National Statistics publishes the number of death registrations where sepsis is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, in England and Wales. The following table shows the number of deaths registered where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales, in each of the last ten years until 2022:
Year | Number of Deaths |
2013 | 22,967 |
2014 | 22,826 |
2015 | 24,784 |
2016 | 24,973 |
2017 | 23,709 |
2018 | 23,185 |
2019 | 21,458 |
2020 | 19,324 |
2021 | 21,947 |
2022 | 25,542 |
The figures for 2023 have not yet been published.
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, whether her Department is taking steps to increase awareness of the potential impact of oral hygiene on levels of prevalence of (a) sepsis and (b) blood borne bacterial infections that can originate from the mouth.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The control of oral diseases is essential to prevent and manage bacteraemia. Raising awareness of oral health in general can help to reduce the risk of sepsis and infective endocarditis.
The latest version of Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities supports dental teams to improve the oral and general health of their patients. The guidance includes advice on how to prevent and treat oral diseases like dental caries and periodontitis, and is available at the following link:
The UK Health Security Agency coordinates the ‘e-Bug’ health education programme, which aims to promote positive behaviour change amongst children and young people to support infection prevention and control efforts. Oral hygiene features in e-Bug lesson plans aimed at children from ‘early years’ to key stage 2 or equivalent. More information on the programme is available at the following link:
The Government continues to work with the UK Sepsis Trust which plays a pivotal role in influencing public awareness of sepsis through wide ranging campaigns, online resources, and events, including its dental sepsis campaign.
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, how many and what proportion of sepsis cases have been identified in (a) children and (b) adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in the last 12 months.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department does not hold data on the number of sepsis cases or the proportion of those cases that have been identified in children or adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. However, the National Disease Registration Service in NHS England, as the national cancer registry, collects diagnosis and treatment data on cancer patients in England, and is available at the following link:
In 2021, the most recent complete year of data available, 614 patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia were recorded as being admitted to hospital for treatment within the first year of being diagnosed. Of those patients, 49% of children and 51% of adults had at least one recorded diagnosis of sepsis.
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, whether her Department has provided funding for research into laser treatments for the prevention of (a) sepsis and (b) bacterial infections for people with wounds.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests over £1 billion a year through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2017, the NIHR has funded 14 research projects on sepsis diagnosis and management, with a combined total funding value of over £27 million.
The Department continues to invest heavily in research and development of new tools to aid in the detection and management of sepsis and bacterial infections with the guidance of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Laser therapies for sepsis and bacterial infections are still in their infancy, but the Department will continue to work closely with NICE to ensure that when they mature, their efficacy is proven and, subject to NICE recommending their use, they may become available to the National Health Service.
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, whether she has made an estimate of the number of deaths from sepsis in each of the last five years.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Office for National Statistics publishes the number of death registrations where sepsis is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales. The number of deaths registered where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales in each of the last five years was 23,089 in 2018, 21,458 in 2019, 19,324 in 2020, 21,947 in 2021, and 25,542 in 2022.
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, if she will take steps to develop a sepsis strategy.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The current UK National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance discusses how we have stewardship programmes in place for both primary and secondary care settings, comprising a range of activities and resources to ensure antimicrobials are used appropriately and to improve prescribing behaviours. A copy of the plan is available at the following link:
Our stewardship activities are not just focused on reducing prescribing but also on ensuring timely treatment where rapid treatment with antibiotics is essential to save lives and reduce the long-term consequences of serious infection, for example from sepsis.
Since publication of the 2015 cross-system Sepsis Action Plan, we have increased the number of patients being screened and treated for sepsis and, importantly, through the combined sepsis and AMR Commissioning for Quality and Innovation, increased the number of inpatients who have a clinical antibiotic review between 24 and 72 hours, reducing the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.