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  • Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, columns 261-3W, on psoriasis, what indicators have been proposed to the NICE Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set Advisory Committee for psoriasis.

    Norman Lamb

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set (CCG OIS) Advisory Committee considered the following draft psoriasis indicators, derived from the NICE Psoriasis Quality Standard, at its meeting in October 2014:

    – PSO 5.1 Psoriasis: assessment for psoriatic arthritis;

    – PSO 6.2 Skin disease: time off school or work due to skin disease;

    – PSO 6.3 Psoriasis: skin clearance; and

    – PSO 3.2 Psoriasis: Patient experience: access to secondary care services.

    It was the decision of the committee that the indicators did not meet the prioritisation criteria, as set out in the NICE Indicator Process guide. The primary reason for this was that the majority of care for people with psoriasis is provided in primary care and the CCG OIS is focused on care provided in secondary care. As such, the committee has not put forward any of the psoriasis indicators for further development and testing by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). The HSCIC has not, therefore, undertaken any further work on the development of Read Codes for this topic.

    The NICE indicator process guide and the NICE consultation document setting out those indicators which did meet the prioritisation criteria can be found at the links below:

    www.nice.org.uk/media/03E/31/Indicators_process_guide.pdf

    www.nice.org.uk/media/default/Standards-and-indicators/CCGOIS-indicator-consultation.pdf

    “

  • Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2014 to Question 216131, what processes will be used to promote specialised commissioning expenditure against nominal clinical commissioning groups budgets; and how the present central NHS England budget for commissioning dialysis services will be transferred to clinical commissioning groups.

    Jane Ellison

    Significant work has been undertaken by NHS England to analyse current specialised commissioning expenditure patterns at clinical commissioning group (CCG) level. This CCG level monitoring will continue in 2015/16 with the aim of improving commissioning decisions.

    There is no planned transfer of renal dialysis budgets from NHS England to CCGs in either the current financial year or during 2015-16. It is for Ministers to decide, with independent advice, the conditions that should be on the specialised commissioning list.

    Neither NHS England specialised commissioners nor CCGs have control over capital funding for dialysis facilities and maintenance. Capital funding for renewal of dialysis facilities and equipment remains with the incumbent providers. Ensuring that these facilities are of appropriate quality is achieved through the application of detailed service specifications which form part of the contract with providers.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, columns 261-3W, on psoriasis, what the conclusions were of the NICE Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set Advisory Committee’s review of potential indicators for psoriasis derived from the NICE Psoriasis Quality Standard.

    Norman Lamb

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator Set (CCG OIS) Advisory Committee considered the following draft psoriasis indicators, derived from the NICE Psoriasis Quality Standard, at its meeting in October 2014:

    – PSO 5.1 Psoriasis: assessment for psoriatic arthritis;

    – PSO 6.2 Skin disease: time off school or work due to skin disease;

    – PSO 6.3 Psoriasis: skin clearance; and

    – PSO 3.2 Psoriasis: Patient experience: access to secondary care services.

    It was the decision of the committee that the indicators did not meet the prioritisation criteria, as set out in the NICE Indicator Process guide. The primary reason for this was that the majority of care for people with psoriasis is provided in primary care and the CCG OIS is focused on care provided in secondary care. As such, the committee has not put forward any of the psoriasis indicators for further development and testing by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). The HSCIC has not, therefore, undertaken any further work on the development of Read Codes for this topic.

    The NICE indicator process guide and the NICE consultation document setting out those indicators which did meet the prioritisation criteria can be found at the links below:

    www.nice.org.uk/media/03E/31/Indicators_process_guide.pdf

    www.nice.org.uk/media/default/Standards-and-indicators/CCGOIS-indicator-consultation.pdf

    “

  • Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2014 to Question 218419 on radiotherapy, how many individual funding requests were (a) received and (b) declined for stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has only commissioned stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy since it was formally established on 1 April 2013. Information relating to 2013-14 was provided in the response to Question 218419.

    “

  • Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2014 to Question 218494, what the reasons were for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13.

    Jane Ellison

    The reasons for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13 may relate to a number of factors, including variations in data recording and changes in professional practice.

    Latest available data for 2014-15 (April 2014 to December 2014) shows an increase of 5% in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out compared to the same period in 2013-14.

  • 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, what the waiting times for (a) all patients and (b) patients with motor neurone disease have been at each specialised augmentative and alternative communication provider for (i) the assessment and (ii) the provision of equipment in each month since October 2013.

    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, what recent estimate he has made of the number of patients (a) on waiting lists and (b) with motor neurone disease on waiting lists at each specialised augmentative and alternative communication provider.

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.