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  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the sufficiency of access to information about support and services for people diagnosed with a brain tumour; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has made a recent assessment of the sufficiency of access to information about support and services for people diagnosed with a brain tumour through its Peer Review Programme (PRP). This programme includes measures that require all brain and central nervous system multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to demonstrate the availability and adequacy of patient information. The outcome of the 2013-14 assessment of compliance with these measures indicated that out of 91 MDTs and 36 treatment centres, 84% were compliant with the patient information measure at the most robust level.

    There is a programme of work aimed at improving the care and experience of people living with a diagnosis of cancer, developed in collaboration with Macmillan Cancer Support which draws from a wide range of evidence based good practice.

    The National Cancer Intelligence Network runs a brain and central nervous system- related cancers Clinical Reference Group, which works closely with a brain cancer charities. In addition to this, the PRP measures participation in drug trials and research internationally.

    The Department works closely with its cancer research funding partners through the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI). The NCRI is a strategic partnership of 22 government, charity and industry cancer research funders, together with patients. The NCRI is a member of the International Cancer Research Partnership (ICRP), which includes cancer research funders from USA, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. The ICRP is a unique alliance of cancer organisations working together to enhance global collaboration and strategic coordination of research. Researchers can search the ICRP database to avoid duplication and identify collaborators in specific areas of cancer research including brain tumour research.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward from 42 weeks the period for inducing labour in at risk expectant mothers.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The induction of labour is a clinical decision for healthcare professionals. These decisions are based on the latest available evidence and take account of the risk and other clinical factors for each individual pregnancy.

    To assist healthcare professionals, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published clinical guidelines on the induction of labour, which are available on the NICE website at:

    www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/12012/41256/41256.pdf.

    The NICE guidelines advise that women with uncomplicated pregnancies should usually be offered induction of labour between 41+0 and 42+0 weeks.

    Women can be deemed high risk for a multitude of reasons. Each reason will carry its own set of criteria for delivery. It is not possible to say that induction for all at risk pregnancies should be brought forward as these should be reviewed according to individual needs.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he is satisfied with the current levels of recruitment to midwifery; and what steps he is taking to encourage recruitment of midwives.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Health Education England are working with NHS England to ensure that sufficient midwives and other maternity staff are trained and available to provide every woman with personalised one-to-one care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and during the post natal period.

    Since June 2012 there are over 6,000 more midwives in training to qualify over the next three years. The latest figures show there are 21,888 qualified midwives (full time equivalent) working in the NHS in England.

    It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to assess the health needs of their local communities and ensure they have the right staff, with the rights skills to deliver high quality and safe care.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the performance of cancer services against statements 11 and 12 in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Breast cancer quality standard.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Act (2012) places a duty on NHS England to have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standards. Commissioners should have regard to them in the planning of services they commission according to their population needs.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the performance of services against the Breast Cancer Quality Standard, compliance with Quality Standards generally could be monitored through a range of mechanisms depending on the specific Quality Standard. For example, the 30 national clinical audits funded by NHS England, the Best Practice Tariff, Commissioning for Quality Improvement Initiatives arrangements and the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set. These levers are designed to drive quality improvement in the National Health Service using Quality Standards where appropriate.

    At the request of NHS England, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership will shortly begin commissioning a new national breast cancer clinical audit. There is an expectation that national clinical audits, where appropriate, support the implementation of NICE clinical guidelines and Quality Standards. The new national clinical audit will be in place by the end of 2014-15.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what methods of data collection his Department uses to measure the performance of services against each of the 13 statements in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Breast cancer quality standard.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Act (2012) places a duty on NHS England to have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standards. Commissioners should have regard to them in the planning of services they commission according to their population needs.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the performance of services against the Breast Cancer Quality Standard, compliance with Quality Standards generally could be monitored through a range of mechanisms depending on the specific Quality Standard. For example, the 30 national clinical audits funded by NHS England, the Best Practice Tariff, Commissioning for Quality Improvement Initiatives arrangements and the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set. These levers are designed to drive quality improvement in the National Health Service using Quality Standards where appropriate.

    At the request of NHS England, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership will shortly begin commissioning a new national breast cancer clinical audit. There is an expectation that national clinical audits, where appropriate, support the implementation of NICE clinical guidelines and Quality Standards. The new national clinical audit will be in place by the end of 2014-15.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the overall performance of cancer services against the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Breast cancer quality standard.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Act (2012) places a duty on NHS England to have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standards. Commissioners should have regard to them in the planning of services they commission according to their population needs.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the performance of services against the Breast Cancer Quality Standard, compliance with Quality Standards generally could be monitored through a range of mechanisms depending on the specific Quality Standard. For example, the 30 national clinical audits funded by NHS England, the Best Practice Tariff, Commissioning for Quality Improvement Initiatives arrangements and the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set. These levers are designed to drive quality improvement in the National Health Service using Quality Standards where appropriate.

    At the request of NHS England, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership will shortly begin commissioning a new national breast cancer clinical audit. There is an expectation that national clinical audits, where appropriate, support the implementation of NICE clinical guidelines and Quality Standards. The new national clinical audit will be in place by the end of 2014-15.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that future iterations of the Cancer Patient Experience Survey enable the responses of patients with primary and secondary cancer to be analysed separately.

    Jane Ellison

    No recent Ministerial discussions have taken place on the potential for Patient Reported Outcome Measures to be used to measure improvements in outcomes for breast cancer patients.

    NHS England took over responsibility for the Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) on 1 April 2013. The development of the CPES is overseen by the Cancer Patient Experience Advisory Group (CPEAG), which has a wide ranging membership including clinicians, cancer charities, experts in survey methodologies, research bodies, health service commissioners and NHS England staff.

    The survey questionnaire is reviewed by CPEAG each year to ensure that it captures the best information and as part of the process for the next survey, NHS England is engaging with a range of stakeholders to look at how it can improve and amend the survey appropriately.

    In the meantime, NHS England has added a new question to the 2014 survey questionnaire to identify patients who have been diagnosed with cancer more than once because the evidence suggests that there may be a difference in the experience of those patients.

    The results of the 2014 survey will be published later this year.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions his Department has had on the potential for Patient Reported Outcome Measures to be used to measure improvements in outcomes for breast cancer patients.

    Jane Ellison

    No recent Ministerial discussions have taken place on the potential for Patient Reported Outcome Measures to be used to measure improvements in outcomes for breast cancer patients.

    NHS England took over responsibility for the Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) on 1 April 2013. The development of the CPES is overseen by the Cancer Patient Experience Advisory Group (CPEAG), which has a wide ranging membership including clinicians, cancer charities, experts in survey methodologies, research bodies, health service commissioners and NHS England staff.

    The survey questionnaire is reviewed by CPEAG each year to ensure that it captures the best information and as part of the process for the next survey, NHS England is engaging with a range of stakeholders to look at how it can improve and amend the survey appropriately.

    In the meantime, NHS England has added a new question to the 2014 survey questionnaire to identify patients who have been diagnosed with cancer more than once because the evidence suggests that there may be a difference in the experience of those patients.

    The results of the 2014 survey will be published later this year.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the online system for members of the public to compare hospitals on the basis of safety indicators will include information on cases in which patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s have not received their medication on time; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    We are working with NHS England to prepare for the publication on NHS Choices of an extended set of patient safety indicators later this year. These indicators are being gathered together in a manner that will allow patients to compare local hospitals on the basis of a more rounded picture of safety performance than has been previously available in one place. The initial focus of this presentation will be on indicators that are relevant to the general population of hospital inpatients and for which information is available. There is not currently, to our knowledge, a suitable source of data regarding delayed medication for those being treated for diseases such as Parkinson’s.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what pharmaceutical companies supplied the Government’s stockpile of Tamiflu.

    Jane Ellison

    Roche is the only supplier of the Government’s stockpile of Tamiflu. There are currently no other suppliers of Tamiflu.