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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to encourage people to reduce the symptoms of diabetes using exercise and diet.

Jane Ellison

In March 2016, Public Health England (PHE) launched One You, an integrated social marketing campaign to engage adults in making changes to improve their own health and so help them reduce the risk of conditions such as diabetes. The programme encourages adults in mid-life to make a number of lifestyle changes including taking more exercise, improving diet, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol consumption.

Additionally, PHE’s Change4Life campaign encourages families across England to “eat well, move more, live longer”. Type 2 diabetes is highlighted in the campaign as a potential health consequence of poor diet and inactivity.

NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK have been working together on the Healthier You: the Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP). By 2020, the programme will be made available to up to 100,000 people at risk of diabetes each year across England. Those referred will get tailored, personalised help to reduce their risk including education on healthy eating and lifestyle and bespoke physical exercise programmes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of people with high blood pressure.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England (PHE) has established the Blood Pressure System Leadership Board to help drive improvements in the prevention, detection and management of high blood pressure. In 2014 the group published ‘Tackling High Blood Pressure: Evidence into action’, which sets out priority interventions required across the system and key commitments being made by various system partners.

The NHS Health Check programme offers blood pressure testing to adults aged 40-74 years of age. Recent national evaluation of the programme demonstrated that one case of hypertension was diagnosed in every 27 people receiving a check.

NHS England is working with partners to promote better Cardiovascular Disease outcomes, including improving the detection and management of conditions such as high blood pressure.

PHE continues to work on reducing the risk factors of high blood pressure at a population level, through action to improve the diet of the nation and reducing inactivity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS uses hypnosis to improve dietary and exercise habits in children.

Jane Ellison

NHS England does not hold this information centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many men have been diagnosed with psoriasis in England in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

Information concerning the number of men diagnosed with psoriasis in each of the last five years is not collected. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that psoriasis affects around 2% of people in the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total expenditure by the NHS on HIV drugs was in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

The indicative spend for NHS England commissioned HIV services for 2014/15 is £539 million. This figure is for the total indicative spend on HIV not just drugs, as it is not possible to extract the spend on HIV drugs alone for 2014/15. Accurate data on spend on HIV drugs from previous years is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been referred to the NHS for remedial treatments for scarring and pain after laser hair treatment in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

This information is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with clinical bodies on potential links between moderate alcohol consumption and levels of (a) heart disease and (b) breast cancer.

Jane Ellison

Departmental officials have regular discussions with individuals and organisations, including clinical bodies, in which a wide range of topics are discussed. There have been no meetings specifically to discuss the potential links between moderate alcohol consumption and levels of heart disease and breast cancer.

However, the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) have made an assessment of the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease and breast cancer as part of their review of the alcohol guidelines.

The advice that the UK CMOs give on how the public can limit their risks from drinking alcohol can be found at Gov.uk at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-risks-from-alcohol-new-guidelines

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS plans to make minoxidil available to women who have lost their hair.

George Freeman

Minoxidil (Regaine) for the treatment of alopecia is available to purchase ‘over the counter’, without prescription.

Regaine cannot be prescribed in primary care as it is listed in Schedule 1 to the National Health Service (General Medical Service Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004 (the ‘blacklist’).

However other minoxidil products are available for clinicians to prescribe if they consider them to be clinically appropriate for an individual patient.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what specialist support is provided by his Department to vulnerable adults without family support.

Alistair Burt

The Department does not provide any such support directly.

The Care Act 2014 places a duty on local authorities in England to meet the care and support needs of vulnerable people, carers and their families. Statutory guidance sets out the circumstances and services that a local authority, working with its local partner organisations, may arrange to meet people’s needs. Examples include information, advice and advocacy, care and support at home or in the community, counselling and other types of social work, goods and facilities, domiciliary care and accommodation in a care home or in suitable premises of some other type.

Where a person has substantial difficulty in being fully involved in their care planning or lacks capacity to agree and consent to the care plan and has no family or friends who are able to support their involvement, an independent advocate must be appointed.