The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects NICE to publish its final guidance on the Vimizim treatment.
George Freeman
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence currently expects to publish its final guidance on elosulfase alfa (Vimizim) for mucopolysaccharidosis (type IVA) or Morquio Syndrome in December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations (a) NHS England and (b) NICE have received from (i) drug companies and (ii) patient groups on the treatment of uveitis.
Alistair Burt
NHS England has received 12 letters from hon. Members and has met with key stakeholders, including patient organisations and charities such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Olivia’s Vision. This followed their decision in July not to fund Infliximab (Remicade) and Adalimumab (Humira), Anti-TNF drugs, as a treatment for adults and children with severe refractory uveitis.
NHS England has also been in discussion with Abbvie, a Pharmaceutical Research and Development Company which is due to report on their trial of Adalimumab in adults in early 2016.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is developing technology appraisal guidance on the use of the drugs dexamethasone and sorolimus for the treatment of uveitis. NICE develops its technology appraisal guidance in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders and the representations it receives in the development of its guidance will be available on the NICE website at:
http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta10007
NICE has not received any representations about uveitis not related to this ongoing technology appraisal.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people with uveitis; and what treatment is available for that condition at what cost.
Alistair Burt
Patients with uveitis are usually diagnosed and treated in primary care and no data is collected which would identify how many patients with this condition are seen and treated. Information provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre for secondary care, shows that for 2013/14 there were 7,226 admissions to hospital where a diagnosis of uveitis has been recorded.
The main treatment for uveitis is with steroids, which can reduce the inflammation inside the eye. In some cases additional treatment might be needed, such as immunosuppressants.
The costs associated with these drugs are around £150 per adult patient per year and £35 per paediatric patient per year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if Ministers or officials of his Department will meet Jeena International, Karma Nirvana and other organisations representing women who have been the victim of coerced sex-selective abortion to discuss the implications of his Department’s assessment of the evidence of termination of pregnancy on grounds of gender.
Jane Ellison
Officials are happy to meet with these organisations and have already offered to meet Jeena International.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the likely annual cost of health and social care provision for people aged over 65 during the present Parliament.
Alistair Burt
Based upon latest available data (2012/13) the proportion of National Health Service spend on people over 65 was approximately 42.6%. If this same proportion is applied to the 2015/16 budget of £115.4 billion, this would indicate a total spend of around £49.1 billion.
In 2015/16 the overall spend on adult social care was £14.1 billion. Of this total figure, £4.9 billion would be spent specifically on people aged over 65. The remainder of the adult social care budget, although not specifically spent on people over 65, includes significant expenditure on services which benefit them – for example support for carers and mitigation of social isolation.
In addition, the Government has implemented the £5.3 billion Better Care Fund, which provides much needed investment in better integrated care through locally developed plans and putting resources where the local NHS and social services identify requirements. Much of this spend relates to people aged over 65. However, a more detailed breakdown is not available.
Funding decisions for 2016/17 onwards, including spending on health and social care, are subject to the forthcoming Spending Review. This will establish the Government’s spending plans for the next five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department next plans to publish an assessment of the incidence of sex-selective abortion in the UK.
Jane Ellison
The Department is committed to publishing an analysis of birth ratios annually; the latest report was published in August 2015.
Assessments were carried out to inform this analysis and Annex C of the latest publication ‘Assessment of termination of pregnancy on grounds of the sex of the foetus’ summarises the findings with further technical detail in Annex B of the publication; a copy is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of how widespread sex-selective abortion would have to be before it was detectable in nationally-compiled birth ratios.
Jane Ellison
The Department is committed to publishing an analysis of birth ratios annually; the latest report was published in August 2015.
Assessments were carried out to inform this analysis and Annex C of the latest publication ‘Assessment of termination of pregnancy on grounds of the sex of the foetus’ summarises the findings with further technical detail in Annex B of the publication; a copy is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for future levels of provision of NHS-funded hospice care.
Ben Gummer
Levels of provision of NHS funded hospice care are determined locally by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). CCGs are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what strategy his Department has for ensuring that as many people as possible who wish to die at home are able to do so.
Ben Gummer
The Department commissioned a Review of Choice in End of life Care in 2014 which considered the choices most important to people approaching the end of life, including on where to receive care and die. The Review published its report earlier this year setting out a vision for enabling greater choice. The Department is working with NHS England on how best to achieve this vision and will be setting out its response to the Review later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the level of unmet demand for palliative care beds for patients in the last six months of their lives.
Ben Gummer
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of unmet demand for palliative care beds for patients in the last six months of their lives.