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  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to increase the number of healthcare professionals in (a) primary and (b) community care trained to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception.

    Jane Ellison

    No specific discussions have been held about the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception. The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.

    Funding and commissioning of contraceptive services outside of the GP Contract is the responsibility of local authorities though the ring-fenced public health grant. Local authorities are mandated to ensure the provision of open access contraception services that enable reasonable access to a broad range of contraceptive substances and appliances (including intra-uterine methods) and advice on preventing unintended pregnancy. While not directly comparable because of changes in data collection, intra-uterine contraception fitted in sexual and reproductive health services increased from 65,300 in 2004/05 to 121,900 in 2014/15.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with (a) local education and training boards, (b) Public Health England and (c) Health Education England on the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception.

    Jane Ellison

    No specific discussions have been held about the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception. The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.

    Funding and commissioning of contraceptive services outside of the GP Contract is the responsibility of local authorities though the ring-fenced public health grant. Local authorities are mandated to ensure the provision of open access contraception services that enable reasonable access to a broad range of contraceptive substances and appliances (including intra-uterine methods) and advice on preventing unintended pregnancy. While not directly comparable because of changes in data collection, intra-uterine contraception fitted in sexual and reproductive health services increased from 65,300 in 2004/05 to 121,900 in 2014/15.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students on (a) nursing, (b) midwifery and (c) Allied Health Professional courses benefitted from the NHS Bursary maternity award in the last five years for which figures are available.

    Ben Gummer

    The following table shows the number of students on nursing, midwifery and Allied Health Professional courses who were in receipt of the NHS Bursary maternity award in each of the last three academic years and those who have subsequently returned to their studies following a period of maternity leave. Information prior to 2013/14 is not available.

    Academic Year1

    Professional Group

    Students in receipt of the NHS Bursary maternity award

    Students returning from a period of maternity leave

    2013/14

    Allied Health Professional

    55

    49

    Midwifery

    99

    92

    Nursing

    633

    558

    2013/14 Total

    787

    699

    2014/15

    Allied Health Professional

    50

    40

    Midwifery

    80

    56

    Nursing

    581

    444

    2014/15 Total2

    711

    540

    2015/16

    Allied Health Professional

    56

    6

    Midwifery

    72

    4

    Nursing

    473

    59

    2015/16 Total2

    601

    69

    Grand Total

    2,528

    1,702

    Source: NHS Business Services Authority

    Notes

    1 Standard academic year (i.e. September to the following August)

    2 The count for these academic years is as at 14 June 2016. There are likely to be further students who commence, or return from a period of maternity leave after this date

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students on (a) nursing, (b) midwifery and (c) Allied Health Professional courses successfully returned to their studies after benefitting from the NHS Bursary maternity award in the last five years for which figures are available.

    Ben Gummer

    The following table shows the number of students on nursing, midwifery and Allied Health Professional courses who were in receipt of the NHS Bursary maternity award in each of the last three academic years and those who have subsequently returned to their studies following a period of maternity leave. Information prior to 2013/14 is not available.

    Academic Year1

    Professional Group

    Students in receipt of the NHS Bursary maternity award

    Students returning from a period of maternity leave

    2013/14

    Allied Health Professional

    55

    49

    Midwifery

    99

    92

    Nursing

    633

    558

    2013/14 Total

    787

    699

    2014/15

    Allied Health Professional

    50

    40

    Midwifery

    80

    56

    Nursing

    581

    444

    2014/15 Total2

    711

    540

    2015/16

    Allied Health Professional

    56

    6

    Midwifery

    72

    4

    Nursing

    473

    59

    2015/16 Total2

    601

    69

    Grand Total

    2,528

    1,702

    Source: NHS Business Services Authority

    Notes

    1 Standard academic year (i.e. September to the following August)

    2 The count for these academic years is as at 14 June 2016. There are likely to be further students who commence, or return from a period of maternity leave after this date

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make (a) Nivolumab and (b) other immuno-oncology treatments for lung cancer available on the NHS.

    George Freeman

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently carrying out technology appraisals of nivolumab for two lung cancer indications:

    (i) previously treated locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. The expected publication date for this final guidance is September 2016.

    (ii) Previously treated locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy in adults. The publication date for this final guidance is to be confirmed.

    The NICE is also appraising pembrolizumab for treating advanced or recurrent PD-L1 positive non-small cell lung cancer after progression with platinum-based chemotherapy [ID840]. The expected publication date for the final guidance on this appraisal is January 2017.

    Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in the NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from the NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the time taken for NICE appraisal processes for the provision of Nivolumab on the treatment of NHS patients with non-small cell lung cancer; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    No such assessment has been made.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently carrying out technology appraisals of nivolumab for two lung cancer indications:

    (i) Previously treated locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. The expected publication date for this final guidance is September 2016.

    (ii) Previously treated locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy in adults. The publication date for this final guidance is to be confirmed.

    Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

    From July 2016, the new arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund will ensure that the most promising and innovative medicines get to patients as quickly as possible. In particular, NICE will issue draft guidance on new cancer drugs or significant new licence indications before they have received marketing approval in the United Kingdom. Any drug that receives a positive draft recommendation would then be funded from the point of licence.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38720, if his Department will make an assessment of the likely effect on the free services currently being offered by community pharmacies of planned changes to funding.

    Alistair Burt

    The proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond are being considered in respect of the public sector equality duty, the family test and relevant duties of the Secretary of State under the National Health Service Act 2006. This includes the potential impact on quality or on the services offered by community pharmacies.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2016 to Question 39429, on NHS logos, what the cost to his Department has been of legal advice on the use of the NHS logo by the Vote Leave Campaign; and what plans he has to apply for injunctive proceedings related to the use of that logo.

    George Freeman

    To date, the Department has incurred costs of approximately £5,000 (exclusive of recoverable VAT) for advice from specialist intellectual property lawyers, regarding misuse of the NHS logo by Vote Leave. The Department’s lawyers have also done some work on the matter. Their costs are covered in a block fee, which is paid by the Department to the Government Legal Department on an annual basis.

    Given the Vote Leave campaign has now finished, the Department has no current plans to apply for injunctive proceedings.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications for brain tumour research were made to the National Institute for Health Research in the last 24 months; and how many of those applications were successful.

    George Freeman

    In the last 24 months, 12 brain tumour research applications have been submitted to National Institute for Health Research programmes and fellowship schemes. Three are under review and nine have been rejected.

    I am convening a Task and Finish Working Group on Brain Tumour Research to bring together clinicians, charities and officials to discuss how, working together with research funding partners, we can address the need to increase the level and impact of brain tumour research.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness in delivering medicines savings in the community of the not-dispensed scheme for community pharmacies proposed by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.

    Alistair Burt

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Sue Hayman) on 14 June 2016 to Question 40161.

    “