The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the adoption of standardised packaging for alcohol.
Jane Ellison
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 29 January 2015 to Question 221956. That question is the only representation received on the adoption of standardised packaging for alcohol.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2013-14.
Jane Ellison
Figures for the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2013-14 are not yet available. The National Diabetes Audit for 2013-14, which will contain the information requested, is due to be published in late 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what change there has been in access to prostate cancer treatments since 2012.
George Freeman
Since April 2013, NHS England has been the responsible commissioner for chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, together with a number of specialist surgical services, which include some complex urology and colorectal cancer surgeries. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the diagnostic pathway and some surgeries for both colorectal and urological cancers.
NHS England routinely commissions a range of anti-cancer drug treatments for both colorectal and prostate cancer. These are drug indications that have either been recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, or have been considered as routine practice in the treatment of these cancers for many years.
NICE is the independent body that assesses the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments for routine use in the National Health Service. NICE has recommended the following treatments for prostate cancer through its technology appraisal process since 1 January 2012:
– abiraterone (Zytiga) for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen; and
– enzalutamide (Xtandi) for metastatic hormone‑relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel‑containing regimen.
NICE is in the process of appraising the following treatments:
– sipuleucel-T (Provenge) for the first line treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer;
– degarelix depot (Firmagon) for treating advanced hormone dependent prostate cancer;
– enzalutamide for treating metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy; and
– radium-223 dichloride (Xofigo) for hormone relapsed prostate cancer with bone metastases.
NICE is currently reviewing technology appraisal guidance on cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and expects to publish updated final guidance on these treatments in April 2016.
In addition to routinely commissioned treatments, the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) provides access to other treatments that would not normally be available.
From April 2013, NHS England assumed operational responsibility for the CDF. As of 19 January 2015, the following drugs are available through the national CDF list for the treatment of prostate cancer:
– abiraterone;
– cabazitaxel (Jevtana);
– enzalutamide; and
– radium-223 dichloride.
Cabizitaxel is due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.
The following drugs are also available through the national CDF list for the treatment of colorectal cancer:
– aflibercept (Zaltrap);
– bevacizumab (Avastin);
– cetuximab; and
– panitumumab.
Aflibercept, bevacizumab as a first-line treatment and cetuximab as a second- or third-line treatment with combination chemotherapy are due to be removed from the national CDF list on 12 March 2015.
Since April 2013, there has been progress in meeting the Government’s commitment to increase patient access to inverse planned Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). The success of this planned expansion of access is demonstrated in the increased number of IMRT episodes (patients), which has risen from just over 8,500 per year in 2012-13 to a projected figure of over 25,000 in 2014-15 of which around 40% of these patients are treated with IMRT for prostate cancer.
NHS England has not altered the service specification or published any commissioning policies which have altered those colorectal cancer surgical services that fall within the remit of specialised commissioning.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2014.
Jane Ellison
The latest data currently available is for cancer diagnoses in 2012.
In 2012 there were 85 cases of Ewing’s sarcoma diagnosed in England, of which 59 were Ewing’s sarcoma of the bone, and 26 were extra-skeletal Ewing’s sarcoma (i.e. soft tissue).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received from NHS trusts on difficulties experienced in recruiting breast radiologists.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The Secretary of State has not received any representation from National Health Service trusts on difficulties experienced in recruiting breast radiologists.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of breast radiologists employed by NHS trusts.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The latest monthly workforce statistics, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), provides information on the numbers of clinical radiologists working in the National Health Service in England, however it is not possible to break this data down into sub specialties.
There are currently 3,789 (full-time equivalent) doctors with a specialty of clinical radiology working in the NHS, an increase of 15% (497 full-time equivalent) since May 2010.
It is for local employers to determine the workforce based on the needs of their local community and they are best placed to do so.
Health Education England’s Workforce plan confirms an increase in Clinical Radiology training posts by 16 in 2015-16. This continues to build on the 14 additional posts commissioned in 2014-15.
The Society of Radiographers may be able to supply more information on radiographers. Their website is available at: www.sor.org/
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of people with diabetes receiving regular checks of their blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
Jane Ellison
Delivery of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended care processes for diabetes continues to be incentivised through the quality and outcomes framework. The latest data shows a 60% completion rate of all the 8 measurable NICE care processes, a 5% improvement on 2010.
The diabetes profiles, published by Public Health England, enable local clinical commissioning groups to compare their performance with others on controlling blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels and so identify where action needs to take place to improve.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Baron on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when there have been discussions since 12 January 2015 between members of the Chemotherapy Clinical Reference Group and clinicians on the breast cancer drugs that are to be removed on 12 March 2015 from the Cancer Drugs Fund list; and what the content of those discussions was.
George Freeman
Ministers have regular discussions with NHS England on a range of issues, including the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF).
NHS England has advised that the Chemotherapy Clinical Reference Group (CRG) met on 9 February 2015 when a paper summarising the outcome of the recent CDF panel was discussed. The CRG membership is made up predominately of clinical members including two breast cancer oncologists.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed for the first time as obese in each year since 2010.
Jane Ellison
The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not hold data on how many people were diagnosed as obese for the first time.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of his Department’s expenditure on diabetes is spent on complications arising from diabetes.
Jane Ellison
This information is not collected centrally.
NHS England has prioritised the prevention of diabetes and will make us the first country to implement at scale a diabetes prevention programme, modelled on our own and international proven experience.