Tag: Baroness Masham of Ilton

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reductions in funding to local public health budgets on the outcomes achieved by drug treatment services.

Lord Prior of Brampton

A table which shows trend data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System for individuals completing treatment free of dependence for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15 is attached.

For the first time in 2014-15, the annual report brought together information on people receiving specialist interventions for drugs and alcohol. Many people experience problems with both substances and receive interventions for both, and drugs and alcohol services are often commissioned together. The figures therefore include the substance group ‘non-opiate and alcohol’, as well as those seeking services for drug-only related dependency, to ensure all individuals leaving treatment drug-free are captured. This new methodology has been applied to the years prior to 2014-15 to ensure comparable figures.

We have provided both the total numbers leaving treatment successfully free of dependence as well as the numbers that left successfully not using drugs or alcohol at the time of exit (which is a subset of the larger number), as some individuals may, for example, be occasionally drinking when they are discharged but it will have been judged by a clinician to be non-problematic and not dependent use and that therefore they no longer require treatment.

Public Health England will continue to support local authorities to provide effective and efficient drug treatment services, by providing bespoke data to assist the joint strategic needs assessment and to show the effectiveness of the local treatment system, as well as value for money tools, topical briefings, advice on good practice and on the benefits of investing in alcohol and drug treatment. Across the country, councils have already begun to develop new ways to deliver public health, showing that it is possible to deliver better health for local people and also better value for the taxpayer.

The evidence-base for the effectiveness of drug treatment is robust, with United Kingdom and international evidence showing that treatment provides value for money, improves public health and reduces crime.

The Building Recovery strand of the Government’s Drug Strategy recognises the importance of non-medical interventions, such as recovery networks, employment, housing, family support and reduced re-offending, in helping people recover and to participate more fully in society. Every person in structured drug treatment has a personal care plan based on an assessment of their needs, which maps out the steps they will take towards recovery. It covers their drug use, health, social functioning, criminal involvement, housing, employment and any other barrier to recovery.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-03-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce a Clinical Commissioning Group Outcome Indicator to address the growing number of hospital admissions attributable to iron deficiency anaemia.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Health and Social Care Information Centre make recommendations to NHS England for new indicators for the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Outcomes Indicator set. This process includes a public consultation on potential new indicators and at this stage an indicator on hospital admissions attributable to iron deficiency anaemia could be considered. Any new indicators that are selected by NHS England would be published in the 2016/17 CCG Outcomes Indicator Set during 2016, for commissioners to use them in 2016/17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to identifying drug treatment outcomes that may indicate progress towards patient recovery.

Lord Prior of Brampton

A table which shows trend data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System for individuals completing treatment free of dependence for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15 is attached.

For the first time in 2014-15, the annual report brought together information on people receiving specialist interventions for drugs and alcohol. Many people experience problems with both substances and receive interventions for both, and drugs and alcohol services are often commissioned together. The figures therefore include the substance group ‘non-opiate and alcohol’, as well as those seeking services for drug-only related dependency, to ensure all individuals leaving treatment drug-free are captured. This new methodology has been applied to the years prior to 2014-15 to ensure comparable figures.

We have provided both the total numbers leaving treatment successfully free of dependence as well as the numbers that left successfully not using drugs or alcohol at the time of exit (which is a subset of the larger number), as some individuals may, for example, be occasionally drinking when they are discharged but it will have been judged by a clinician to be non-problematic and not dependent use and that therefore they no longer require treatment.

Public Health England will continue to support local authorities to provide effective and efficient drug treatment services, by providing bespoke data to assist the joint strategic needs assessment and to show the effectiveness of the local treatment system, as well as value for money tools, topical briefings, advice on good practice and on the benefits of investing in alcohol and drug treatment. Across the country, councils have already begun to develop new ways to deliver public health, showing that it is possible to deliver better health for local people and also better value for the taxpayer.

The evidence-base for the effectiveness of drug treatment is robust, with United Kingdom and international evidence showing that treatment provides value for money, improves public health and reduces crime.

The Building Recovery strand of the Government’s Drug Strategy recognises the importance of non-medical interventions, such as recovery networks, employment, housing, family support and reduced re-offending, in helping people recover and to participate more fully in society. Every person in structured drug treatment has a personal care plan based on an assessment of their needs, which maps out the steps they will take towards recovery. It covers their drug use, health, social functioning, criminal involvement, housing, employment and any other barrier to recovery.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Treasury is working with the Department of Health on the implementation of the sugar levy, and if so, how.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

There are ongoing discussions between HM Treasury and the Department of Health on the implementation of the soft drinks industry levy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-01-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans for pharmacists who support general practitioners and Accident and Emergency departments to be trained as healthcare professionals, rather than solely as scientists.

Lord Prior of Brampton

It is the responsibility of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC) to set the standards and outcomes for the education and training of pharmacists and to approve training curricula to ensure newly qualified pharmacists are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality care.

New roles for pharmacists are being pursued as part of the NHS Five Year Forward View, most notably the employment of clinical pharmacists in general practitioner practices.

In partnership with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, NHS England has launched a pilot programme to support general practices to recruit and employ clinical pharmacists. This is supported by Health Education England (HEE) through the delivery of a comprehensive education and training programme. This is a new role unlike acute hospital pharmacists or community pharmacists. They will consult with patients, be able to prescribe, where necessary, in particular for those with long term conditions and multiple medication, developing individual pharmaceutical care plans.

HEEare considering the potential development of an enhanced programme of clinical training for pharmacists in accident and emergency following research undertaken in 2015 in partnership with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, GPC and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

While there are a range of (often) locally-isolated examples of good practice in the Emergency Department (ED) workforce, there exists little published evidence to support the role of pharmacists in the ED or, specifically, to support pharmacists in undertaking “hands-on” clinical work in the ED. As a result, HEE commenced nation leading project development and research, in partnership with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, GPC and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, with the following aims:

– To test and justify development of clinical pharmacist roles within the ED; and

– To provide an evidence base for further project work and national scaling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the associated health benefits of some sweetened fruit juices, and of the impact of the sugar levy on sweetened fruit juices with such associated health benefits.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The new soft drinks industry levy does not target pure fruit juices where no sugar is added. Fruit juices are part of the 5-a-day message as they have intrinsic nutrients and other health benefits.

Juice drinks with added sugar are in the scope of the levy because they can be reformulated and/or sweetened with less caloric sweeteners providing the same vitamins and health benefits without the added sugar.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific steps they will take to ensure that the review of the statutory scheme for branded medicines takes into account the specificities of medicines derived from human blood plasma, in the light of the Council of Europe resolution on principles concerning human normal immunoglobulin therapies for immunodeficiency and other diseases (CM/RES(2015)2).

Lord Prior of Brampton

We are continuing to consider carefully all the consultation responses including those that refer to blood plasma products. It is important we get these changes right for patients, the National Health Service and industry. We want to look in particular at the impact on small and medium sized businesses, while securing the medicines patients need at a cost which the NHS can afford.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-06-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the implementation of NICE’s commissioning toolkit for the use of natriuretic peptides assessment in primary care.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England is working with key partners to ensure better co-ordination and integration of all services with the aim of delivering person-centred and coordinated care which is tailored to the needs and preferences of the individual, their carer and family.

In particular, to encourage better practice in the caring for heart failure patients, NHS England has established a best practice tariff for acute heart failure. It is also working with Health Education England to explore ways of improving the provision of and increasing access to echocardiography, which is used for the diagnosis of heart failure.

To help the NHS understand what a good quality service looks like, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publish quality standards which define best practice within a topic area and it has published quality standards for acute and chronic heart failure. NHS England expects all commissioners and providers to take account of quality standards in the services that are delivered to patients.

NICE has developed a commissioning toolkit for the use of natriuretic peptides assessment in primary care for suspected heart failure. It has also produced guidance on acute heart failure and chronic heart failure, both of which cover the use of natriuretic peptides.

NICE guidance and quality standards are published online only, but due to the complexity and length of their content, they cannot be included as attachments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the new revised list of treatments available via the Cancer Drugs Fund will ensure increased access for patients to effective treatment.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England has advised that the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) is reprioritised on a regular basis so that the resources available are focussed on the drugs providing the greatest benefit to patients. All decisions on drugs to be maintained in the CDF are based on the best available evidence, the cost of the treatment and the advice of clinicians.

The Government remains committed to the CDF and in 2015/16 £340 million has been invested in the Fund. NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are currently consulting on draft proposals on the future direction of the CDF. The consultation is open until 11 February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-06-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of heart failure patients who have access to heart failure specialist nurses.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England is working with key partners to ensure better co-ordination and integration of all services with the aim of delivering person-centred and coordinated care which is tailored to the needs and preferences of the individual, their carer and family.

In particular, to encourage better practice in the caring for heart failure patients, NHS England has established a best practice tariff for acute heart failure. It is also working with Health Education England to explore ways of improving the provision of and increasing access to echocardiography, which is used for the diagnosis of heart failure.

To help the NHS understand what a good quality service looks like, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publish quality standards which define best practice within a topic area and it has published quality standards for acute and chronic heart failure. NHS England expects all commissioners and providers to take account of quality standards in the services that are delivered to patients.

NICE has developed a commissioning toolkit for the use of natriuretic peptides assessment in primary care for suspected heart failure. It has also produced guidance on acute heart failure and chronic heart failure, both of which cover the use of natriuretic peptides.

NICE guidance and quality standards are published online only, but due to the complexity and length of their content, they cannot be included as attachments.