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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to develop a strategy for tackling and treating TB throughout the UK.

Jane Ellison

The Collaborative Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy for England 2015-2020¹ was launched in January 2015. It lays out 10 key ‘areas for actions’ needed to achieve a year on year decrease in TB incidence, a reduction in health inequalities and, ultimately, the elimination of TB as a public health problem in England.

Since the strategy was launched Public Health England, together with NHS England, have formed a TB Strategy implementation team and established seven TB control boards across England. These boards are leading the local delivery of the 10 key ‘areas for action’.

As health is a devolved matter, Ministers do not regularly discuss these issues, however research and evidence of best practice is made available throughout the United Kingdom.

¹Public Health England. Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020 [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collaborative-tuberculosis-strategy-for-england

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with both TB and HIV receive joined-up care.

Jane Ellison

The Department recognises that joined up care for people with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, as with other areas of comorbidity or coinfection management, is important. In NHS England’s specialised services, service specifications exist for HIV and for infectious diseases and both make reference to the importance of referral pathways and network arrangements to meet the needs of patients.

Separate to NHS England’s commissioning of joined up care for people with TB and HIV, treatment and care services for co-infected sufferers take account of the reference guideline, “British HIV Association guidelines for the treatment of TB/HIV coinfection 2011”, which recommends that patients with both HIV and TB are managed by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in both TB and HIV. A link to this guideline is at:

http://www.bhiva.org/documents/Guidelines/TB/hiv_954_online_final.pdf

The role of a TB specialist nurse and multidisciplinary team is essential in the management of co-infected patients.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to incentivise the development of new drugs to treat TB.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID has supported the development of new drug combinations to treat TB since 2005. Funding is provided to the TB Alliance, a product development partnership (PDP). PDPs bring together partners from the public, private and philanthropic sectors to develop new products in a way that de-links the cost of development from the final cost of product. The TB Alliance is currently testing a number of new drugs combinations to simplify and shorten TB treatment times and provide new treatment options for drug resistant TB.

In addition we committed in our manifesto to lead a major new global programme to accelerate the development of vaccines and drugs to eliminate the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. In November the Chancellor announced the new £1 billion Ross Fund which will deliver on this commitment. The Ross Fund will target infectious diseases including malaria and tuberculosis, supporting work to develop, test and deliver a range of new products (including vaccines, drugs and diagnostics) to help combat these diseases in developing countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with organisations representing people with TB on support for people with that disease who are unable to work as a result.

Jane Ellison

Departmental officials meet regularly with colleagues from TB Alert, a third sector key partner in the publication of Public Health England’s National Strategy for Tuberculosis (TB), launched in January 2015. TB Alert provides support to those affected by TB including the homeless and unemployed. Officials also liaise with the Find and Treat outreach service that provides TB screening services through a mobile x-ray unit to vulnerable groups.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to develop a shared strategy across the UK for tackling sexually transmitted diseases.

Jane Ellison

The Department set out its ambitions on sexual health, including tackling sexually transmitted diseases, in its Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (2013); a copy is attached.

As health is a devolved matter Ministers do not regularly discuss these issues, however research and evidence of best practice is made available throughout the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the adult population had raised cholesterol in each of the last five years; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) raise awareness of cholesterol and (b) reduce the number of people with high cholesterol.

Jane Ellison

National estimates of cholesterol in adults is measured yearly by the Health Survey for England (HSE). Data on raised cholesterol from the HSE were last published by Health and Social Care Information Centre in 2012, using the latest data from 2011. The data showed 52% of men and 53% of women aged 16+ had raised cholesterol.

Information on cholesterol and its impact on health can be accessed on the NHS Choices website. Information on cholesterol as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease was also shared directly with 7.4 million people between April 2013 and September 2015 as part of the NHS Health Check invitation. Over the same period, over 3.5 million people between 40 and 74 years also benefited from a cholesterol check as part of the NHS Health Check.

The Government advocates a healthy balanced diet based on the eatwell plate and everyday activity to improve health. People should consume no more than 11% of their food energy as saturated fat. Reducing saturated fat consumption reduces blood cholesterol levels. Advice about cutting saturated fat intake and becoming more physically active can be found on the NHS Choices and Change4Life websites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government on strategies to prevent premature births.

Ben Gummer

In the last seven months, since the General Election, the Secretary of State, myself as I have responsibility for maternity care, and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Jane Ellison) who has responsibility for public health, have not held any discussions with Health Ministers in the Scottish Government on strategies to prevent premature births.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce and treat irregular heartbeats in infants that can lead to premature death.

Ben Gummer

Sudden loss of life can occur through diagnosed and previously undiagnosed heart conditions in children of any age. This is a devastating event to the families involved and there is no simple solution to prevent every case.

A large part of the review of congenital heart services that reported in July 2015 focused on producing gold standards for the care of children and infants with heart problems. These standards have now been agreed and will be implemented in April 2016.

One of the key workstreams arising from the review is improvement in detection of heart disease early in life and there are increasing numbers of specialists involved in this area of cardiology. Research and development strives to improve identification of high risk cases and refine screening programs to aid in reducing these shocking events.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with clinical bodies on the approach in the NHS to prescribing Ritalin for children with ADHD.

Alistair Burt

It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.

It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to be involved in operational decisions relating to the prescribing of methylphenidate (for which Ritalin is a trade name) in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. That is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently revising guidance on the use of methylphenidate and will be consulting widely on that new guidance which is expected in 2018.