UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency have made of (i) the rate of reported faults in heart pacemakers and (ii) research from UK and non-UK sources on heart pacemakers since 2010.

    George Freeman

    Clinicians are encouraged and manufacturers are mandated to report deaths and other incidents to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) if they suspect a device fault.

    The numbers of United Kingdom deaths reported annually since 2010 to the MHRA involving patients implanted with approved pacemakers, are as follows:

    Year

    Deaths reported involving pacemaker patients

    2015 – present

    1

    2014

    8

    2013

    3

    2012

    3

    2011

    1

    2010

    4

    According to registry data from 2014, over 35,000 pacemakers are implanted annually in the UK. Therefore the number of reported patient deaths listed above which could have potentially related to pacemaker failure represents no more than 0.01% of this population.

    Analysis of MHRA investigation conclusions revealed that none of the above deaths resulted from a faulty pacemaker.

    As the UK regulatory authority, the MHRA is responsible for monitoring the safety of medical devices once they have been approved for market. Although the majority of pacemakers are well functioning, the MHRA actively monitor the performance of implants using a variety of methods.

    One key element involves the investigation of device-related adverse incidents, where manufacturers’ mandatory reports are supplemented by voluntary reports from clinicians and members of the public using the yellow card system.

    The MHRA challenges manufacturers if it is believed that the proposed post-investigation action is inadequate to protect public health.

    Every new incident, including those involving pacemakers, is assessed and assigned to an appropriate type of investigation according to its severity and the likelihood of obtaining further information on the cause of the event. All reports, even those unsuitable for further investigation, are fully recorded and subject to periodic trend analysis by the MHRA to look for signals suggesting any possible device-related problems.

    In addition to scrutinizing manufacturers’ device data provided in incident investigations, and their published product performance reports, the MHRA also monitors relevant published research and articles on potential safety concerns as part of its surveillance of the medical device market. If evidence emerges that affects the safety of UK pacemaker patients, the Agency issues advice to the health service and takes any necessary regulatory action.

    Furthermore the Agency actively engages with the clinicians and professional bodies to gauge their opinion on early indications for failure and problems encountered with device usage.

  • Tom Brake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Brake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS England collects data on waiting times between referral and first appointment for a diagnosis of autism in line with NICE Quality Standard QS51.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.

    NHS England has also been working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre to develop the Mental Health Minimum Data Set. This will include provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded. This mandatory data set will, for the first time, provide data about diagnosis rates. The data will be published and available for everyone to use to support and develop services. NHS England has a commitment, over the next five years, to improve waiting times and this data will be invaluable for this. Information on average waiting times for autistic diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group area is not collected centrally.

    The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and NHS organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This guidance sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from local authorities and NHS bodies including general practitioners.

    We are due to consult on how we set the mandate to NHS England prior to publication of the mandate itself. The mandate will be published following the Government’s Spending Review which is due to complete on 25 November.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) address geographic inequalities in and (b) move towards comprehensive coverage for Community Children’s Nursing provision; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    Community Children’s Nurses are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Since the publication of Facing the Future Together, by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of General Practitioners, CCGs are considering how Community-based Children’s Nurses can provide a safe, high-quality service that meets the health needs of every child and young person. This includes training Advanced Practitioners, with additional skills such as prescribing, and considering how children’s community nurses should support continuing care and new integrated arrangements for children with special educational needs and disability.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cheryl Gillan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the waiting times standards for mental health services under development by NHS England include indicators relating to autism diagnosis waiting times.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.

    NHS England has also been working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre to develop the Mental Health Minimum Data Set. This will include provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded. This mandatory data set will, for the first time, provide data about diagnosis rates. The data will be published and available for everyone to use to support and develop services. NHS England has a commitment, over the next five years, to improve waiting times and this data will be invaluable for this. Information on average waiting times for autistic diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group area is not collected centrally.

    The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and NHS organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This guidance sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from local authorities and NHS bodies including general practitioners.

    We are due to consult on how we set the mandate to NHS England prior to publication of the mandate itself. The mandate will be published following the Government’s Spending Review which is due to complete on 25 November.

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

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has set for the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in each at-risk group for the winter of 2015-16.

    Jane Ellison

    A copy of the Annual Flu Plan and Annual Flu letter 2015/16 is attached, this provides guidance on the seasonal flu vaccination programme. In 2015-16, the seasonal flu vaccination will be offered to the following at risk-groups:

    – people aged 65 years and over;

    – people aged six months to under 65 with long-term conditions;

    – pregnant women;

    – people living in a residential or nursing home; and

    – the main carer of an older or disabled person.

    We also encourage all frontline health and social care workers to get the flu vaccination to help protect themselves, their families and the vulnerable patients they come into contact with.

    This year we aim to reach a minimum 75% uptake for those aged 65 years and older, and frontline health and social care workers.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect that the proposed contract changes will have on the NHS’s ability to retain doctors.

    Ben Gummer

    The proposed new contract arrangements are informed by recommendations and observations by the independent review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB). The DDRB’s standing remit includes a requirement to consider the need to recruit, motivate and retain doctors.

    NHS Employers are working with the British Medical Association to finalise agreement on an amended consultant contract, which will provide fairer terms and conditions that are better suited to a seven day National Health Service and go further than the existing arrangements to reward those who contribute the most and who work the most onerous hours. The proposals include a suite of safeguards designed to protect the wellbeing of doctors and to support patient safety. This includes no requirement to work more than 13 weekends in a year – effectively 1 in 4 weekends – (employers’ proposal); and no requirement to work more than a 40 hour week without consent.

    This is part of a more professional contract overall that would support consultants as clinical leaders and engage consultants with the objectives of their employer. Features include a spot salary set at a rate that would allow consultants to reach a level of basic pay in an average of five years that would currently take 14 years, the introduction of locally driven performance payments that would reward excellent performance in year, would provide potential earnings of overall £120,000 for an average experienced consultant and offers three years of transitional protection for those who move onto the contract.

    The proposed new contract for doctors and dentists in training will introduce stronger limits on working hours with: 48 weekly hours on average (56 for those who opt-out of Working Time Regulations); a maximum of 72 hours in any week (lower than the current 91); no shift rostered to exceed 13 hours; no more than five long shifts consecutively; no more than four night shifts consecutively; and no more than seven consecutive on-call periods. It will also introduce work schedules tailored to individual educational needs and a strong system requiring the employer to review when hours or training opportunities vary from the work schedule.

    The contract will ensure that pay relates more fairly to actual work done; increase basic pay, recognising the professional nature of the role in a seven day NHS: and pay a higher rate for work at the most unsocial times. In addition, flexible pay premia will apply for: general practitioner trainees, to maintain current earning levels; other shortage specialties who would otherwise lose out under the new pay structure; those switching to shortage specialties; clinical academic trainees and public health trainees undertaking PhDs etc; and those undertaking approved academic/other work that benefits the wider NHS and improving patient care.

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress NHS England has made on making care for people with long-term conditions (a) more personalised and (b) better coordinated in the last year.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England’s Five Year Forward View sets out a number of high level objectives that will support better long term condition (LTC) care. Delivery of these objectives is being supported in a number of ways across NHS England and with partners. These include improving professional and public awareness of person centred co-ordinated care and supporting commissioners through the development of a LTCs commissioning toolkit, a LTC dashboard and personalised care and support planning handbooks.

    In January 2015 NHS England and the Coalition for Collaborative Care published the personalised care and support planning handbooks which were coproduced with representatives from commissioning organisations, care practitioners, patients, carers and policy experts. The handbooks provide practical information and theory on how to introduce personalised care and support planning and encourage reflection and innovation for local approaches to implementation and include supplementary information for commissioners, advice on practical delivery and effective multi-disciplinary working. The Integrated Personal Commissioning Programme, a joint NHS England and Local Authority led programme, began in April 2015 and aims to better coordinate an individual’s health and social care funding, giving them more control over how this money is used through person-centred care planning and personal budgets.

    NHS England is taking steps to roll out personal health budgets which will offer people with LTCs more choice and control over the care and support they receive.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Libyan personnel formerly based at Bassingbourn Barracks and currently claiming asylum have had a (a) screening interview and (b) substantive asylum interview.

    James Brokenshire

    It is long-standing Government policy not to comment on individual cases.

  • Dr Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dr Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Tania Mathias on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the projected number of refugees eligible to travel to the UK under EU freedom of movement rules if they become naturalised citizens of other EU member states.

    James Brokenshire

    While the Home Office regularly monitors and analyses overall migration data to help inform policy decisions, it has not prepared forecasts of likely inflows from nationals who have been granted refugee status and may subsequently be naturalised in another EU Member State.

  • Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 10625, which organisations the Government has met to discuss amendments to the Hunting Act 2004.

    Rory Stewart

    Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on GOV.UK at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-quarterly-transparency-information-january-to-march-2015

    Further publications of Ministerial meetings will be published in due course.

    “