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  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding NHS walk-in centres in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West received from Government in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013 and (v) 2014.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not available centrally.

    Since 2007, the local National Health Service has been responsible for NHS walk-in-centres. Local commissioners decide on the funding and availability of these services.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to Freedom to speak up?, the report by Sir Robert Francis QC, published on 11 February 2015, when he plans to take steps to ensure that NHS whistleblowers are not discriminated against when they apply for other jobs.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    On 11 February, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State accepted in principle all the recommendations made by Sir Robert Francis following his Freedom to Speak Up review. We will shortly be consulting on how best to implement these recommendations. In addition we plan to bring forward measures to provide legislative protection for whistleblowers applying for a job in the National Health Service. With Opposition support, this could be in place before Parliament is prorogued.

    The implementation of Sir Roberts’ recommendations will see a programme of action to help foster an open and learning culture in the NHS backed by local freedom to speak up guardians and a new national whistleblowing guardian. Individual trusts may wish to begin implementing some of these recommendations right away. Local action and responsibility will be at the heart of bringing about a culture where reporting of concerns is valued and encouraged.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) patients and (b) patients with life-limiting conditions have (i) been assessed by each specialised augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provider and (ii) had equipment provided by each specialised AAC provider since 5 December 2014.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England has advised that information concerning the number of patients either waiting for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) equipment assessment or who have had an AAC assessment (and subsequently had equipment provided) received is not collected centrally.

    Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning AAC aids for patients with complex disability whose needs require specialised assessment.

    For 2014/15 NHS England identified an additional £22.5 million for AAC and environmental controls (devices which manage functions or appliances in a particular environment, usually the home) and the identification of providers was completed last August last year. The 13 AAC providers selected are currently recruiting the additional specialist therapy staff needed to deliver this service many now have new staff now in post or due to start in the next few months.

    All 13 of the providers have confirmed that they are accepting referrals and multi-disciplinary assessments are being offered to patients. Priority is being given to patients who have a life limiting condition and every effort is being made to clear any backlog of patients waiting for assessments and to improve waiting times.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) patients and (b) patients with life-limiting conditions have (i) been assessed by each specialised augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provider and (ii) had equipment provided by each specialised AAC provider in each month since 1 October 2014.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England has advised that information concerning the number of patients either waiting for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) equipment assessment or who have had an AAC assessment (and subsequently had equipment provided) received is not collected centrally.

    Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning AAC aids for patients with complex disability whose needs require specialised assessment.

    For 2014/15 NHS England identified an additional £22.5 million for AAC and environmental controls (devices which manage functions or appliances in a particular environment, usually the home) and the identification of providers was completed last August last year. The 13 AAC providers selected are currently recruiting the additional specialist therapy staff needed to deliver this service many now have new staff now in post or due to start in the next few months.

    All 13 of the providers have confirmed that they are accepting referrals and multi-disciplinary assessments are being offered to patients. Priority is being given to patients who have a life limiting condition and every effort is being made to clear any backlog of patients waiting for assessments and to improve waiting times.

  • Ronnie Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ronnie Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Campbell on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Blyth Valley constituency were on methadone maintenance treatment in the last three years; and what proportion of all NHS spending on methadone maintenance treatment was spent in Blyth Valley constituency in that time.

    Jane Ellison

    The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System collects information on the number of people receiving substitute prescribing interventions for substance misuse in England, but does not distinguish between methadone and other drugs such as buprenorphine which are also recommended for the treatment of opioid drug misuse by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

    Figures for adults receiving a prescribing intervention in Northumberland for the last three years are presented below. Treatment figures are only available at local authority level, so the requested figures for the Blyth Valley constituency are not available. Information on methadone maintenance spending is not collected centrally.

    Adults in receipt of a prescribing intervention

    2011-12

    775

    2012-13

    778

    2013-14

    769

    Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS)

  • Ronnie Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ronnie Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Campbell on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many agency nurses were employed by Northumbria Healthcare between 2011 and 2013.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department does not collect data on numbers of agency nurses working in the National Health Service.

    We have written to Brian Flood, Chair of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, informing him of the hon. Member’s enquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 221865, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on future cancer patient outcomes of using alternative cancer drugs fund drugs and conventional treatments instead of any of the treatments due to be delisted.

    George Freeman

    The Department has not made any such assessment. NHS England considers that the changes it is making to the drugs available on the Cancer Drugs Fund national list will deliver the greatest benefit to cancer patients and ensure that more patients will be able to access the latest drugs that provide better outcomes for their cancers.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made towards full roll-out of the bowel scope screening programme by the end of 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    As at the end of December 2014, 25,828 bowel scope screening (BSS) procedures had been performed and 1,154 people had been referred to colonoscopy following BSS, with 25 cancers detected. A further 370 people were identified with low risk polyps.

    As set out in the fourth annual report of Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer (December 2014), NHS England are working with Public Health England to help deliver the involvement of screening centres sufficient to meet the 60% commitment by March 2015 and to support preparatory steps in other screening centres to implement by the end of 2016.

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is providing to research into the treatment of Crohn’s disease.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a range of research relating to treatment of Crohn’s disease.

    The NIHR has awarded nearly £1.5 million over five years to August 2018 for a research professorship at the University of Oxford. This is focussed on re-defining Crohn’s disease at a molecular level to identify new biomarkers and therapies.

    The NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme is seeking to commission a systematic review looking at whether patients can be identified who may need early intensive treatment in Crohn’s disease.

    The NIHR Clinical Research Network is currently recruiting patients to six studies relating to treatment of Crohn’s disease.

    The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including Crohn’s disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the provision of counselling and support to those with Crohn’s disease.

    Norman Lamb

    The Department has made no assessment of the incidence of Crohn’s disease. However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2012 guideline Crohn’s Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People, states that there are currently at least 115,000 people in the United Kingdom with Crohn’s disease.

    The NICE guideline sets out best practice on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with Crohn’s disease. This includes, ‘Minimising psychological concerns and possible side effects of treatment are fundamental to best practice for all people with Crohn’s disease, whatever their age’, which could include access to psychological support, if appropriate. The guideline also recommends that clinicians give patients with Crohn’s disease contact details for relevant support groups. The full guideline can be found at the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg152.