Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 22 February 2024.

Baby loss certificates for parents who experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks are now available for application from 9am today (22 February 2024).

• Baby loss certificates launched to support parents who have experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks
• The voluntary scheme is designed to formally recognise the devastating loss of a baby during pregnancy
• It delivers on priorities set out in the Women’s Health Strategy for England and on recommendations from the Pregnancy Loss Review

Parents who have experienced the devastation of losing a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy can apply for a certificate to have their grief recognised from today.

The government is launching a voluntary scheme to allow parents to record and receive a certificate to provide recognition of their loss. Parents can access this free service from 9am today (22 February 2024).

The government is committed to ensuring bereaved parents feel supported through their grief and recognise their loss, acknowledging their pain and ensuring they feel heard. The certificates will not be compulsory – it remains the choice of all parents to manage the difficult time of a loss, however they see fit.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

Losing a baby can be a hugely traumatic event and the introduction of certificates to formally acknowledge the loss of life is a positive step towards better supporting women and parents affected.

I’d like to thank charities and campaigners for their continuous work in bringing awareness to baby loss and making the certificates launching possible.

Improving women’s health care and maternity support is a priority, and this demonstrates progress in delivering our Women’s Health Strategy and ensuring parents feel supported during this heart-breaking experience.

Delivering on baby loss certificates was part of the government’s response to the independent Pregnancy Loss Review. The review was commissioned in 2018 to consider the registration and certification of pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks gestation and on the quality of care.

The review concluded that while it currently may not be possible to prevent many pre 24 week pregnancy losses from occurring, much more can be done to ensure each grieving parent receives excellent care and compassionate support.

Improvement to maternity care and birth trauma support were announced as a priority area within the women’s health strategy for England in 2024 – a vital plan to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls.

Minister for the Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, said:

We have listened to parents who have gone through what can be an unbelievably painful experience of losing a baby, and that is why today we are introducing baby loss certificates to recognise their loss, as part of our wider long-term plan for women’s health in our country, the Women’s Health Strategy.

I would like to thank the tireless work of campaigners and charities for their work in supporting this agenda and making the certificates a reality.

To ensure all women get the support they need, the government is investing £25 million in women’s health hubs. Women’s health hubs provide integrated services for women in the community, enabling easier access to essential services for menstrual health, contraception, pelvic pain, menopause care and more.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England – NHS England, said:

Compassionate and personalised care at every stage of pregnancy is vital, and I am pleased that women in England will now be able to access a baby loss certificate which recognises the impact and importance of early pregnancy loss to them and their families.

The NHS is improving maternity and neonatal bereavement care across England, including by next month bereavement services will be available in almost every NHS trust, 7 days a week for women and families who sadly experience loss.

The government recognises the tireless work of campaigners who have spoken publicly about their experience with loss, and charities including Tommy’s, Sands, the Miscarriage Association and the Mariposa Trust, for continuing to raise awareness of this important issue.

Supportive stakeholder reaction

Zoe Clark-Coates MBE BCAh, founder and CEO of the Mariposa Trust, co-chair and author of the Pregnancy Loss Review, said:

Over the past 5 years, it has been my honour to co-chair and write the Pregnancy Loss Review on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health. The 73 recommendations that Sam and I submitted within the review offer a real opportunity to revolutionise baby loss care in England.

My passion and long-term commitment is to help all bereaved families, and by the implementation of these recommendations, I believe we will make great strides in addressing the disparities in the care, support, education and training that currently exist. One of those pivotal recommendations was for the introduction of a new certificate of loss, which the Mariposa Trust (sayinggoodbye.org) has tirelessly campaigned for over the past 9 years. I’m thrilled that from today millions of families will finally get the formal acknowledgment that their baby existed and I hope this will help their grieving process.

I would like to thank Dame Floella Benjamin for working with us to make this happen and the government for their commitment to bereaved families. My focus will now turn to the other 72 recommendations to ensure their successful implementation.

Samantha Collinge, Bereavement Lead Midwife, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and co-chair of the Pregnancy Loss Review, said:

Today marks a milestone moment for not just Zoe and myself, the co-chairs and co-authors of the independent Pregnancy Loss Review but for the millions of people who have experienced pre 24 week baby loss.

Since I was appointed as a bereavement midwife in 1998 I have campaigned for a standardised care pathway that ensures that every parent experiencing baby loss (regardless of the gestation or type of loss) receives the physical and emotional care and support they deserve.

The Pregnancy Loss Review with its 73 recommendations for improving care offers a real opportunity to change the landscape of pre 24 week loss and I feel enormously privileged to have co-led this piece of work.

Miscarriage and other types of pre 24 weeks baby loss is often minimised and treated as a ‘clinical event’ or ‘just one of those things’ rather than the loss of a baby and sadly the emotional impact of the loss is often disregarded.

Zoe and I hope that the introduction of a national certificate of baby loss will give bereaved parents the official recognition that their babies did exist and that their babies lives, however brief, really do matter.

Ruth Bender Atik, National Director of the Miscarriage Association, said:

We warmly welcome the introduction of optional certificates for those who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss since September 2018, and we very much look forward to the scheme being extended to losses prior to that date as soon as possible.

For many, if not most people, even the earliest of losses can be deeply distressing, both emotionally and physically. It means the loss not only of this pregnancy but also of the hopes, plans and dreams that they had for this new life. And having no formal acknowledgement or marker of their loss can compound their grief.

The new certification scheme will make a genuinely positive difference to many who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss, offering formal recognition of the tiniest of lives.

Background information

The certificate is available for either parent to access following a loss under 24 weeks since 1 September 2018. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and have been living in England at the time of the loss.

The certificate is an official but not legal document.

We will look to expand eligibility for certificates pre-dating September 2018 as soon as we can.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 21 February 2024.

Millions invested in eight innovative companies behind lifesaving new medical technology which could destroy liver cancer tumours, detect Alzheimer’s and quickly spot those at risk of stroke.

Countless lives could be saved thanks to a multi-million pound government investment in potential breakthrough medical devices.

As part of a £10 million funding package for boosting access to medical technology, eight innovative tech companies will be supported to bring their devices to market. It could help transform the way we treat some of the biggest causes of death and disability in the UK.

One device, by HistoSonics, aims to identify and destroy liver cancer tumours using focused ultrasound waves. These waves break down tumours without damaging healthy tissue, offering a safer alternative to radiotherapy and other high intensity treatments. It could improve quality of life for many patients going through treatment – reducing hospital visits, post procedure complications, and making pain management easier.

Today’s announcement is part of the government’s long-term plan to ensure the NHS and its patients can get quicker access to new groundbreaking technologies. It follows the unveiling of our groundbreaking blueprint for boosting NHS medtech and turning innovation into real benefits for society last year.

Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said:

NHS staff need access to the latest technology to deliver the highest quality care for patients and cut waiting lists – one of our top five priorities.

These cutting-edge technologies could help thousands of patients with a range of conditions, including cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s, while easing pressure on our hospitals and reducing healthcare inequalities.

Our investment in these pioneering companies is part of our long-term plan for a faster, simpler and fairer health care system, and demonstrates our clear commitment to ensuring the UK is the most innovative economy in the world.

One company is developing a blood test for Alzheimer’s Disease which means patients could be identified and treated earlier.  Roche Diagnostics Ltd has developed the Amyloid Plasma Panel – a blood test which could help clinicians decide if patients with cognitive impairment should undergo tests or imaging to confirm Alzheimer’s Disease.

A portable blood test, from Upfront Diagnostics, could help paramedics identify stroke patients more quickly. Currently, ambulance workers can’t recognise a patient with a blood clot blocking the flow of blood and oxygen to their brain, who would require urgent treatment at stroke centres rather than local hospitals.

The blood test could help them recognise these cases on the spot – so patients could be taken to a comprehensive stroke centre for immediate, vital treatment. It could mean thousands are spared long-term disability and the associated care costs, while reducing pressure on A&E departments nationwide.

Dr Marc Bailey, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Chief Science and Innovation Officer, said:

We are very excited to announce the final eight selected technologies in the new IDAP pilot scheme. This is designed to explore how support from the regulator, UK health technology organisations and NHS bodies can accelerate the development of transformative medical devices from their initial proof of concept through to uptake in the NHS.

The pilot criteria prioritises patient need in all aspects of decision-making and, by supporting innovative medical technologies, will ease pressure on the healthcare system. Most important, it’s an initiative which could be life-changing for many patients.

We are committed to being a regulator that establishes the UK as a centre of medical innovation and look forward to working with the wider healthcare system to achieve this.

The funding is part of a radical new programme called The Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP), which aims to bring state-of-the-art technologies and solutions to the forefront of the NHS. Currently in the pilot stage, the funding will be used to test the new technologies for use on a large scale as quickly as possible.

The government is investing £10 million in the pilot as part of a wider programme of work to accelerate access to medical technology. The programme is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, Health Technology Wales, and Scottish Health Technology Group. They will be providing tailored, intensive advice on regulatory approval, health tech assessments and access to the NHS.

Jeanette Kusel, Director of NICE Advice (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) said:

NICE’s ambition is to drive innovation into the hands of health and care professionals to enable best practice in health and care treatment.

Through IDAP and our support service NICE Advice, we aim to be a trusted adviser, providing tailored advice and supporting businesses along the whole product lifecycle helping them realise their ambition and helping bring the very best of innovation into the NHS and the hands of patients.

Lenus Health Ltd. is using artificial intelligence to predict patients at risk of hospitalisation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which causes the airways to become narrow and damaged, resulting in breathing difficulties.

The company collects data from wearable devices, sensors and apps and uses AI to predict which patients are at greater risk of hospital admissions. This allows them to be monitored and treated more effectively, while simultaneously reducing pressure on hospitals.

Another device aims to reduce inequalities in the field of lung health. Oximeters – devices clipped over the end of a fingertip – are used widely at hospitals and at home to assess how well the lungs and circulatory system are working. However, research suggests this technology may not accurately detect falling oxygen levels in people with darker skin tones.

EarSwitch has produced a device which detects oxygen levels from the inner ear-canal instead, which is not pigmented irrespective of the person’s skin colour. It could offer better quality readings and a more innovative approach to oxygen level monitoring.

Vin Diwakar, Interim National Director of Transformation, NHS England, said:

This is an important milestone in our work to ensure the NHS continues to get the best new technologies and treatments to patients faster, having already rolled out more than 100 new treatments through the cancer drug fund and setting up a dedicated programme to prepare for new Alzheimer’s treatments once they are approved.

We will be working closely with our partners to support those companies selected for the pilot so that more game-changing, life-saving technologies are introduced quickly and safely on the NHS.

Other technologies set to benefit from a share of the funding include:

• Multiple Sclerosis fatigue app: Avegen Ltd. has developed a new smartphone app that delivers exercises, cognitive behaviour therapy and targeted physical activity in a personally customisable format to help patients manage Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• Self-test for neutropenia: 52 North Health. has developed a new device to allow chemotherapy patients to self-test at home – using a finger-prick blood test – for neutropenic sepsis. This is a life-threatening condition in patients whose immune system is suppressed.
• Algorithm infection predictor: Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the body’s overwhelming response to infection or inflammation. Presymptom Health Ltd. has developed a new test and algorithm with the potential to predict infection status up to three days before conventional diagnosis is possible.

Dr Susan Myles, Director of Health Technology Wales, said:

Health Technology Wales is proud to have played a role in the selection of eight pilot IDAP technologies which have the potential to support clinicians and improve the lives of patients across the UK.

We look forward to continuing to support the adoption of innovative health technologies by the NHS.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 February 2024.

New proposals would give the General Dental Council powers to provisionally register dentists trained overseas to start delivering care as quickly as possible.

• Highly skilled dentists with qualifications obtained overseas must currently undergo lengthy registration process to work in UK
• New proposals would give the General Dental Council (GDC) powers to provisionally register those dentists to start delivering care as quickly as possible
• Plans are part of wider government and NHS plans to boost the dental workforce and improve access to care for patients

Patients will benefit from plans to boost the dentistry workforce by cutting red tape and making it quicker and easier for dentists from overseas to work in the UK.

Under current rules, highly skilled dentists who qualified overseas and are attempting to register to practise in the UK are required to pass exams that can take years to complete – meaning lengthy delays in them being able to provide dental care.

The government’s proposals – which are the subject of a public consultation being launched today (16 February 2024) – mean GDC, which regulates dentists working in the UK, would be given new legal powers to provisionally register dentists with overseas qualifications. This would speed up the process and encourage more dentists trained abroad to come to the UK as part of a long-term plan to improve access to dentistry services.

Around 30% of all dentists on the GDC register qualified outside of the UK, and in 2022, 46% of new additions to the register were trained overseas. The government’s proposals would mean that overseas-qualified dentists would be able to start practising in the UK as quickly as possible.

Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

Our dental recovery plan will create millions more dental appointments, improve access for patients and ease pressure on the sector. Our hard-working dentists deserve our gratitude and this is the start of our plan to put the sector on a sustainable footing.

Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions and our proposals would abolish red tape that currently prevents fully qualified overseas dentists from working in this country, while ensuring the highest standards of care and patient safety.

We have a long-term plan to make access to NHS dental care faster, simpler and fairer for all, and I want to make sure we hear views from across the sector as we drive this forward.

GDC would be given autonomy in setting the terms for provisional registrations to ensure the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care are maintained. Those on the provisional register will be able to work in the UK, but only under the supervision of a fully GDC-registered dentist.

The consultation forms part of the government and NHS’s wider dental recovery plan, which aims to significantly improve access to dental care across the country. It goes alongside work as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to increase training places in the UK for dental professionals by 2032, with the number of dentist places increasing by 40% to 1,100.

Other measures in the plan include dentists being offered additional payments for taking on new NHS patients and ‘golden hellos’ worth £20,000 over 3 years for those willing to go and work in underserved areas. These and other measures are expected to create an additional 2.5 million dental appointments.

Jason Wong, Interim Chief Dental Officer for England, said:

Improving access to dental appointments for patients is a priority for the NHS, and increasing the number of dentists available would make it easier for patients to get the dental care they need.

The NHS dental recovery plan represents an important milestone for dental services across the country – opening up more appointments for patients – and these proposals could be another vital step towards transforming NHS dental services to ensure faster access for patients.

Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director, Strategy, GDC, said:

We very much welcome the government’s openness to new ideas for ways of streamlining international registration.

Provisional registration is an exciting opportunity that will require commitment and collaboration from across dentistry on the design and delivery of the new approach.

We need to move at pace, but we need to take the time to get this right – and we will work with stakeholders across the dental sector and 4 nations to do so.

Following conclusion of the 3-month consultation, responses will be analysed and fed into a final report. They will also be used to finalise the legislation that is planned to be laid before Parliament for MPs to debate.

Consultation on provisional registration for overseas-qualified dentists

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 January 2024.

Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK as part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health.

• Ban on disposable vapes which have driven alarming rise in youth vaping
• New powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops so they don’t appeal to children
• New law will make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, delivering on the Prime Minister’s pledge to create a smokefree generation

Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK as part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health, the Prime Minister has announced today (29 January 2024) on a visit to a school.

The measure comes as part of the government’s response to its consultation on smoking and vaping, which was launched in October last year.

Recent figures show the number of children using vapes in the past 3 years has tripled. Use among younger children is also rising, with 9% of 11 to 15 year olds now using vapes. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive, with withdrawal sometimes causing anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches. While vaping can play a role in helping adult smokers to quit, children should never vape.

Disposable vapes have been a key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping, with the proportion of 11 to 17 year old vapers using disposables increasing almost ninefold in the last 2 years.

As part of today’s package, new powers will be introduced to restrict flavours which are specifically marketed at children and ensure that manufacturers produce plainer, less visually appealing packaging. The powers will also allow government to change how vapes are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children and away from products that appeal to them, like sweets.

To crack down on underage sales, the government will also bring in new fines for shops in England and Wales which sell vapes illegally to children. Trading standards officers will be empowered to act ‘on the spot’ to tackle underage tobacco and vape sales. This builds on a maximum £2,500 fine that local authorities can already impose.

Vaping alternatives – such as nicotine pouches – will also be outlawed for children who are increasingly turning to these highly addictive substitutes.

The government has again reiterated its commitment to bring about the first smokefree generation and introduce legislation so children turning 15 this year or younger can never legally be sold tobacco.

Smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and leading to 80,000 deaths per year – so stopping young people from ever starting to smoke will protect an entire generation, and future generations, from smoking harms as they grow up.

To help ensure the success of the smokefree generation plan, £30 million new funding a year will be provided to bolster enforcement agencies – including Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and trading standards – to implement these measures and stamp out opportunities for criminals.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic.

The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit, marketing vapes to children is not acceptable.

As Prime Minister I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term. That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven the rise in youth vaping – and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops.

Alongside our commitment to stop children who turn 15 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting our children’s health for the long term.

There was overwhelming support among responses to the government’s consultation for a disposable vape ban, with nearly 70% of parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and the general public supportive of the measure.

The government has a duty to protect children’s health, which is why it is taking bold and decisive action on smoking and vaping. This is the responsible thing to do to protect children for generations to come.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

Smoking is still the single largest preventable cause of death in England. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital with a smoking-related disease. And it costs society £17 billion each year – putting a huge burden on our NHS.

That’s why we are driving the way forward through our smokefree generation plan, which will prevent our children from starting this dangerous habit.

The health advice is clear: vapes should only ever be used as a tool to quit smoking. But we are committed to doing more to protect our children from illicit underage vaping, and by banning disposable vapes we’re preventing children from becoming hooked for life.

Vapes should only be used by adults as a tool to quit smoking. They contribute to an extra 50,000 to 70,000 smoking quits a year in England.

As part of the government’s Swap to Stop scheme, almost 1 in 5 of all adult smokers in England will have access to a vape kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit and improve health outcomes.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said:

Smoking damages and cuts short lives in extraordinary numbers.

Stillbirths, cancer, asthma, dementia, stroke and heart failure – smoking causes disability and death throughout the life course. If passed, this legislation would have a major public health impact across many future generations.

Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

We are in the midst of a worrying rise in young people vaping. I want to stop youth vaping in its tracks – and a ban on disposable vapes is central to that.

Nicotine is highly addictive – and so it is completely unacceptable that children are getting their hands on these products, many of which are undeniably designed to appeal to young people.

Along with tougher enforcement measures, we are making sure vapes are aimed at the people they were designed to help – adults who are quitting smoking.

As well as benefitting children’s health, the ban will have a positive impact on the environment. Five million disposable vapes are thrown away each week, up from 1.3 million from last year. Over a year, this is equivalent to the lithium batteries of 5,000 electric vehicles.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Not only are disposable vapes often targeted, unacceptably, at children – they also represent a huge and growing stream of hard-to-recycle waste, with nearly 5 million thrown away every week.

This historic announcement will be a powerful tool in support of our efforts to crack down on waste and boost recycling, as well as helping to create the first smokefree generation.

The 8-week public consultation on Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping, closed on 6 December. Over 25,000 responses were analysed, and the government response sets out plans for upcoming legislation which will be introduced in Parliament shortly.

Creating a smokefree generation goes beyond the harm to public health. The trade in illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and other tobacco products has far reaching implications. HMRC estimates that the illicit tobacco trade costs the UK economy around £2.8 billion a year in lost revenue – money that should fund our public services.

Today (29 January 2024), HMRC and Border Force published a new illicit tobacco strategy, Stubbing out the problem, which:

• sets out their continued commitment to reduce the trade in illicit tobacco, with a focus on reducing demand, and to tackle and disrupt organised crime behind the illicit tobacco trade
• highlights the cost to the UK in lost tax revenue and the burden to taxpayers, the undercutting of law-abiding businesses and the funding of wider organised crime through illicit tobacco sales

Supportive stakeholder reaction

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, said:

As Children’s Commissioner, I want all children to grow up healthy and well, which is why I have been calling for disposable vapes to be banned, to protect children and prevent them from becoming addicted.

I am absolutely delighted that the government has listened to the appeals that I, and many others, have made to ban disposable vapes. I also welcome the decision to create far tighter restrictions on marketing and flavours of vapes so they aren’t so appealing to children and young people.

When I asked children a couple of years ago about all aspects of their health and wellbeing, I was shocked and concerned to hear from children as young as 12 who told me that vaping was normalised among their peers – even on school premises. This announcement will help tackle that issue and I know that many children and parents will be extremely relieved.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Vice President for Policy, Dr Mike McKean, said:

We’re delighted that the Westminster government has heard our calls and is rightly prioritising the health and wellbeing of our children and the planet. Bold action was always needed to curb youth vaping and banning disposables is a meaningful step in the right direction. I’m also extremely pleased to see further much needed restrictions on flavours, packaging and marketing of vapes, which RCPCH has repeatedly called for.

As a respiratory consultant it is not lost on me that smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and disease in the UK. We know this because we have 60 plus years of research and data on cigarette use on a population level. But the research and data around widespread e-cigarette use is still very much in its infancy. The long-term impacts, especially for children and young people, remain unknown.

Government must swiftly lay the legislation to ensure it can be fully considered in this Parliament. We look forward to seeing more details about these landmark plans, especially in terms of implementation, enforcement and monitoring.

Councillor David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Community Wellbeing Board said:

We’re delighted that the government has listened to the longstanding concerns of the LGA and councils and is taking decisive action to ban single-use vapes.

Disposable vapes are inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban remains the most effective solution to this problem.

Single-use vapes blight our streets as litter, are a hazard in our bin lorries and are expensive and difficult to deal with in our recycling centres. Their colours, flavours and advertising are appealing to children and are a risk to the health of young people.

We look forward to working with the government and others to enforce this ban as well as ensure plans for a smokefree generation are a success.

Henry Gregg, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

We welcome this robust approach to protecting young people from vaping. Disposable vapes, with their pocket money prices and brightly coloured packaging, have contributed to the increase in under 18s taking up vaping, and we support a well thought-out, properly enforced ban on disposable vapes. Immediate action to restrict flavours, packaging and the display of vapes to reduce their appeal and availability to children and non-smokers is also much needed. If you’re a smoker and you want to quit tobacco, vaping can be a helpful way to give up smoking. But for children and those who don’t smoke, starting to vape isn’t a good idea, especially if you have a lung condition.

The plan to create a smokefree generation is a landmark decision that really shows the government is putting the health of young people first. It’s one of the most impactful things the government can do to protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by smoking. Smoking is the biggest cause of lung disease deaths and today’s decision will save thousands of lives. Now these measures must be implemented as quickly as possible, with sufficient funding, to ensure they can be fully enforced.

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said:

Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, and research shows that vapes are far less harmful than smoking and can help people to quit.

If this legislation is passed, the UK government should ensure local smoking cessation services are adequately funded, and those trying to quit are given as much support as they need to help them do so.

We are also pleased to see that the government is moving forward with the tobacco age of sale legislation, applying to all tobacco products, taking us one step closer to creating the first smokefree generation.

Libby Peake, Head of Resource Policy at Green Alliance, said:

This ban can’t come soon enough, not only for the health of future generations, but also for the health of the planet. The government has followed the science, and this decision will have many environmental benefits. Valuable lithium ion batteries will stop going to waste or winding up as litter, along with all the casings that have been blighting our environment for too long. This means critical raw materials will be preserved for uses where they’re much needed – like renewable energy. The risk of fire from mishandled batteries will be minimised and dangerous plastic pollution will be prevented. This bold move by the government is nothing but good news.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said:

The announcement of a ban on disposable vapes is great news for the environment. Our surveys show that disposable vape litter has doubled in the past 2 years alone and last year more than 16% of the sites we surveyed were blighted by these single-use items, posing a significant risk to wildlife and polluting our streets, parks and beaches. An estimated 260 million are thrown away in this country every year, wasting precious scarce resources, including lithium.

Gavin Graveson, Veolia Senior Executive Vice President, Northern Europe, said:

When faced with an environmental crisis, every product that enters the market should be designed for recyclability. Disposable vapes are a clear example of when products have been designed with no thought for their environmental impact and should be subject to an extended producer responsibility scheme that incentivises the right eco-design.

Millions of disposable vapes have been littered causing environmental damage or thrown in bins where they cause weekly fires in recycling and waste trucks as well as treatment facilities.

We can’t afford to allow more pollution. Veolia’s recycling scheme has already recycled over one million vapes and we support policies that will curb products with no end of life treatment.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 29 January 2024.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins has ordered a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust which treated Valdo Calocane.

• Health and Social Care Secretary announces special review of mental health services at NHS trust where Valdo Calocane was treated.
• Pledging to help provide victims’ families with answers, the government asks health regulator to report on Calocane’s care and other Nottinghamshire mental health services.
• Care Quality Commission required to present findings within weeks on patient and public safety, and on the quality of care provided across the Trust.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins has ordered a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, where Valdo Calocane was treated for paranoid schizophrenia.

The review will provide further answers for the families affected by the horrendous and tragic killings of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates in Nottingham in June 2023. It will also focus on wider issues in mental health care provision in Nottinghamshire, including at Highbury Hospital and Rampton Hospital.

Conducted by The Care Quality Commission (CQC), it will be carried out alongside the Independent Mental Health Homicide Review ordered by NHS England to examine the case of Valdo Calocane.

Any concerns regarding patient safety, quality of care, or public safety will be reported by the CQC, and it will have access to witness statements and oral evidence regarding health services which were called during the criminal trial.

Acknowledging the importance of identifying any failings as quickly as possible, the Health and Social Care Secretary has asked the CQC to present its findings in March. The government will then issue its response to the review in due course.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

“My thoughts remain with the families and friends of Barnaby, Grace, and Ian, who lost their lives in such a tragic, cruel and barbaric way.

“It is crucial that our mental health services ensure both the care of patients and the safety of the public.

“I hope the review provides the families and public with some much-needed answers, and that it helps the Trust to improve the standard of mental health care in Nottinghamshire.”

Investigations continue at Highbury Hospital in the light of separate recent staff suspensions and a rapid improvement plan is underway, overseen by a new oversight board established to ensure appropriate action is being taken.

Rampton Hospital – one of three high security hospitals across the country and part of the Trust – recently received an ‘inadequate’ inspection rating from the CQC. The government has asked the regulator to assess the progress made by the hospital to improve standards since that inspection.

Director of Mental Health at CQC, Chris Dzikiti said:

“We will conduct a rapid review into mental health services in Nottingham to understand whether there are any practical actions which can be taken to improve the quality of services and ensure people receive safe and effective care. We will begin this work immediately, aiming to report to the Secretary of State before the end of March.”

Separately, last autumn, the government announced the new Health Services Safety Investigations Body will soon commence a national investigation into mental health inpatient care settings, including inpatient deaths and the transition between child and adult mental health services. The recommendations from that far-reaching investigation will help service providers to improve safety standards in mental health facilities across the country.

Claire Murdoch, NHS national mental health director said:

“The killings of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates are devastating, and my thoughts are with their families who have suffered unimaginable loss.

“It is essential that there is a thorough review that looks into all agencies involved, and to ensure appropriate action is taken. NHS England is commissioning an independent investigation into the case, and we will cooperate fully with the Government’s review of the trust’s mental health services, while continuing to provide the trust with intensive support to protect patient safety in partnership with the CQC.”

Record funding is going into improving mental health care provision. An extra £2.3 billion is currently being invested a year into the expansion and transformation of mental health services in England, so two million more people can access crucial NHS-funded support.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 January 2024.

Half a million women in England have accessed cheaper HRT – the main treatment for negative menopause symptoms – since last April.

• Since April last year, half a million women in England have benefitted from cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help with menopause symptoms
• The HRT prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) are part of a wider scheme of government initiatives to bolster support for women experiencing negative menopause symptoms, as part of its world-leading Women’s Health Strategy
• More than £11 million saved by women using the PPC in last nine months

Since launching on 1 April last year, more than 500,000 women in England have accessed cheaper HRT – the main treatment for negative menopause symptoms – helping to save hundreds of pounds in prescription charges.

A key pillar of the first year of England’s Women’s Health Strategy, which made menopause a priority area, the HRT PPC reduced prescription costs to just £19.30 per year. It can be used against a list of eligible HRT items that includes patches, tablets and topical preparations. Patients can use the HRT PPC as many times as needed throughout the year.

Making HRT more accessible through reducing its cost is one way the government is making menopause support more readily available to women. This year the government has also successfully tackled supply issues, by working with suppliers to encourage and support them to meet growing demand.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

“I am determined to make access to healthcare faster, simpler, and fairer. Better access to HRT will improve the lives of millions and gives women the freedom to take control of their symptoms.

“This is a huge milestone and shows how successful our Women’s Health Strategy is in delivering the outcomes women want and deserve.”

Minister for Women’s Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said:

“Every woman is different and so it’s essential we make sure all women can access the right medication that works for them.

“Many women often need to try a few different types of HRT to get the right medication that works for them. By reducing the price of HRT to under £20 for a year’s supply, we’ve made it more equitable for women to go on living their normal lives.

“Our Women’s Health Strategy continues to deliver on what women want.”

Women experiencing the menopause will also benefit from the establishment of women’s health hubs in local health areas across the country.

As a result of the government investment of £25 million, women’s health hubs will improve women’s access to care, improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. The government aims to establish at least one women’s health hub in every local area this year, enabling better access and quality of care in services for menstrual problems, contraception, pelvic pain, menopause care and more.

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, the Women’s Health Ambassador for England said:

“When we created this Strategy, we made it clear it would improve women’s health outcomes. 500,000 women accessing affordable HRT is a clear, tangible result of just that.

“Menopause is an inevitable stage of every woman’s life, so receiving second rate care for a predictable problem is not acceptable.

“The HRT PPC is a fantastic way of giving more women access to treatment and our women’s health hubs will provide women experiencing severe menopause symptoms advice from a healthcare professional.”

NHS England will continue its work to improve menopause care by piloting new guidance for nurses, GPs, and other staff to better recognise and treat menopause symptoms, with integrated care systems (or primary care teams) in the Midlands region.

Michael Brodie, Chief Executive of the NHS Business Services Authority, which is responsible for delivering this service, said:

“This significant milestone highlights the crucial role this service provides for patients who rely on HRT, allowing them access to their medication at a reduced cost.”

Menopause can impact on all areas of a women’s life. The government has appointed Helen Tomlinson as the government’s first Menopause Employment Champion, and have awarded grant funding to charities across England to help employers make changes to their workplace to support women’s reproductive health, which includes menopause.

How to use the PPC

There are a few different ways to get the HRT PPC:

• online on the NHSBSA website: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc
• in person at some pharmacies
• if you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the textphone (or minicom) to contact the NHSBSA using the text relay service. Dial 18001 then the relevant phone number. This will be available from 25 May 2023
• the NHSBSA also offers a telephone translation service and can provide documents in large print or Braille on request

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 17 January 2024.

Problem periods, women’s health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims are among the government’s priorities.

• Top priorities to be tackled under the Women’s Health Strategy in 2024 include menstrual problems and menopause, maternity care and birth trauma support
• Support for domestic and sexual abuse victims and women in the criminal justice system will also be improved
• Health Secretary addresses women’s health champions at major London event to outline plans for coming year and celebrate successes of strategy’s first year
• Successes since the launch include reducing the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the rollout of women’s health hubs
• £50 million for research to tackle maternity disparities

The Health and Social Care Secretary has named problem periods, women’s health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims among the government’s priorities for women’s health in 2024.

Speaking at the Women’s Health Summit in central London to mark the second year of the landmark Women’s Health Strategy for England, Victoria Atkins said it would also prioritise improving maternity care and support for mothers who suffer birth trauma.

This follows a raft of successes over the strategy’s first 12 months, including reducing the cost of HRT for nearly half a million women, and the rollout of specialist women’s health hubs in every local health area. The strategy also championed the creation of a new dedicated women’s health section of the NHS website, providing updated information, advice and practical resources for women’s health across the life course.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

We’re breaking historical barriers that prevent women getting the care they need, building greater understanding of women’s healthcare issues and ensuring their voices and choices are listened to.

We’ve made huge progress – enabling almost half a million women access to cheaper HRT, supporting women through the agony of pregnancy loss and opening new women’s health hubs – but I absolutely recognise there is more to do.

We’re ensuring these changes benefit all women, regardless of socioeconomic background or ethnicity, because our Women’s Health Strategy is only a success if it works for all women.

The 2024 priorities were developed from responses to the government’s call for evidence from over 100,000 healthcare professionals, women’s health champions, members of the public and other stakeholders across the health sector. They are:

• better care for menstrual and gynaecological conditions - by rolling out women’s health hubs, producing new guidance for healthcare professionals, continuing to improve information and support for women suffering from painful heavy periods and endometriosis, and promoting easier access to contraception – which often plays a vital role in managing menstrual problems. The Office for National Statistics will investigate the impact of period problems and endometriosis on women’s participation and progress at work, improving our understanding to achieve reductions in diagnosis times
• expanding women’s health hubs – by delivering through our £25 million investment, the hubs will improve women’s access to care, improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. We are working towards the aim of establishing one fully functioning hub in every local area this year, enabling better access and quality of care in services for menstrual problems, contraception, pelvic pain, menopause care and more
• tackling disparities and improving support for vulnerable women including victims of sexual abuse and violence by ensuring training and support systems are working collaboratively and efficiently. This will include creating new models within the NHS to protect its staff. We will focus on improving the health of women in the justice system, by implementing the recommendations set out in the National Women’s Prison Health and Social Care Review
• bolstering maternity care, before during and after pregnancy – by continuing to deliver on NHS England’s 3-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services and ensuring women understand the care they can expect from the NHS during pregnancy and after giving birth. We will also be supporting women who suffer with birth trauma and ensure both mental and physical health are prioritised. A greater focus will be placed on preconception and postnatal care for women, raising awareness of pregnancy sickness and actioning the recommendations set out in the Pregnancy Loss Review. Through the first ever National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ‘challenge’, backed by £50 million, researchers, policymakers and women will be tasked with finding new ways to tackle maternity disparities
• more research - a vital component to levelling up the playing field for women’s health. In addition to the NIHR challenge, we are building on the £53 million invested via the NIHR programmes and will continue to improve how women are represented in medical research through the NIHR research inclusion strategy

Minister for Women’s Health, Maria Caulfield, said:

Helping women and girls who suffer from bad periods can make a huge difference to their lives, education and careers. And any woman who has experienced trauma after giving birth – either mentally or physically – will know the impact it can have on all aspects of her life.

These are issues that impact women but they should not be seen as ‘women’s problems’ – it is an everyone problem. We are doing more to put these issues on the agenda and keep them there, to close the gender health gap once and for all.

We’ve made enormous strides in the first year of the strategy and I’m excited to see what 2024 will bring.

As well as announcing its new priorities, the government announced the reappointment of Professor Dame Lesley Regan as Women’s Health Ambassador for England for a further 2 years, to December 2025.

Professor Dame Lesley was appointed as the Women’s Health Ambassador in 2022 and brings a raft of expertise spanning a 44-year career in women’s health as a practising clinician. She has specialised in core areas including miscarriage, period problems, gynaecological surgery and menopause.

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Women’s Health Ambassador, said:

Our Women’s Health Strategy is ambitious. It was created to ensure our healthcare system places women’s health on an equal footing to men.

I want women everywhere to feel confident that when they seek advice from their healthcare professional, whether it’s for heavy or painful periods or issues following birth, they know they are going to receive world-class treatment. This is the ultimate goal of the strategy, and I am delighted that we have made such positive progress in the first year and generated so much enthusiastic help to succeed.

This coming year offers us the opportunity of taking further steps forward in delivering better healthcare outcomes for every woman in our society.

Chief Nursing Officer for England, Ruth May, said:

The NHS is committed to ensuring women’s individual healthcare needs are met, which is why every area of England is being supported to develop a women’s health hub alongside the rollout of a network of Women’s Health Champions, who will use their leadership and experience to drive forward work to improve women’s health.

The NHS is also rolling out dedicated pelvic health clinics, and every local health system now has a specialist community perinatal mental health team and we have also made it easier to access contraception through local pharmacies.

But there is clearly more to do which is why it is brilliant to see the publication of the women’s health priorities for 2024.

CEO of Endometriosis UK, Emma Cox, said:

Women’s health has long been an underfunded and under-researched area. Implementing the aspirations in the Women’s Health Strategy will provide a much needed boost to turning this around, improving treatment and the lives of those suffering from endometriosis and menstrual health conditions.

At Endometriosis UK, we know that many women face an unacceptable delay in securing a diagnosis and appropriate care. With sufficient funding and support, women’s health hubs could offer a real opportunity to drive down diagnosis times and support women to access the support they need.

We’re delighted Professor Dame Lesley Regan has been reappointed and we look forward to continuing to support her vital and much needed work to deliver the key priorities outlined within the Women’s Health Strategy.

Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

We are pleased to see the government launching their 2024 priorities for the women’s health strategy at our Union Street home, also the location of 15 other women’s health organisations.

The focus on improving care and treatment for women with gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and fibroids, which are often progressive, and have a huge impact on a woman’s quality of life, is hugely welcome. We have continually called for action to improve waiting lists in gynaecology services and know that women’s health hubs present a real opportunity to improve women’s health outcomes, and reduce inequalities in access and outcomes for women across the country. I am also glad to see that ensuring high quality care following birth trauma, an area of care which has long been a professional and personal passion of mine, has been recognised as a key focus for government.

We also want to congratulate our former president, Professor Dame Lesley Regan, for her excellent leadership of the women’s health agenda at a national level and her well-deserved reappointment as Women’s Health Ambassador. As a dedicated advocate for a life course approach to women’s health, we have every faith she will continue to provide excellent leadership to drive the strategy forward.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 January 2024.

A call for evidence will collate feedback from across the health sector on the merits of a separate pay structure.

• Call for evidence launched to determine the benefits and risks of a separate pay structure for nursing staff in the NHS
• It seeks to understand whether the Agenda for Change contract is creating specific barriers to the career progression of nurses
• It will run for 12 weeks and provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their views and suggestions

The government has published a call for evidence to seek views on a new pay scale for nurses.

It will collate feedback from across the health sector on the merits of a separate pay structure for nursing staff in the NHS, considering both the risk and benefits of this approach.

The government has heard the concerns of nursing staff and their representatives about the challenges they face in terms of career progression and professional development.

The call for evidence will seek to understand whether the Agenda for Change contract – covering more than 1 million NHS workers such as nurses, midwives, paramedics, as well as other non-medical, workers – is creating specific barriers to the career progression of nurses and explore solutions that could be considered if the evidence shows there are issues with the current arrangements.

Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said:

We hugely value the work of nurses, who play a vital role in the NHS.

We have listened to union concerns and are launching this call for evidence to explore the risks and benefits of a separate pay structure for nurses.

I want stakeholders to share their expertise and help us collate feedback from across the healthcare sector, ultimately helping to make the NHS a better place to work.

This call for evidence, which runs for 12 weeks, will now provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their views and suggestions. Any changes will be carefully considered and the government will publish a response in due course.

Nurses play a vital role in the NHS and that is why the government agreed a deal for the Agenda for Change (AfC) workforce through the NHS Staff Council in May 2023. This resulted in a pay rise of 5% for 2023 to 2024 alongside two one off payments worth over £2,000 on average for full-time nurses, alongside a series of non-pay measures to support the NHS workforce, including improving opportunities for nursing career progression.

The government is taking steps to support and grow the workforce – data published in November showed there were 51,245 additional nurses in September 2023 compared to 2019. This means the number of nurses has increased from 300,904 in 2019 to over 352,000 – hitting the government’s commitment to recruit an additional 50,000 nurses six months early.

It is the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, with the expanded workforce delivering hundreds of thousands of extra appointments, helping to tackle waiting lists and improve access for patients.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – backed by over £2.4 billion over five years – also sets out three priority areas to train, retain and reform the health workforce. The plan will significantly expand domestic education, training and recruitment and will deliver more nurses than ever before. It will almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, with around 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031. This will include over 5,000 more mental and learning disability nurses a year.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 January 2024.

The government outlined plans to improve the career prospects of the domestic care workforce through training, qualifications and a clearer, care career path.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 January 2024.

Government to take forward UK National Screening Committee recommendation on use of digital images to make it easier to identify cancer and speed up diagnosis.

• Digital pathology to speed up and support diagnosis for cancer patients
• Government and NHS England back UK National Screening Committee recommendation on digital pathology
• Reviewing tissue sample images digitally will boost breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening

Screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancer will be made quicker and more effective under plans to roll out the use of digital images to detect cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care is taking forward the recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee to increase the use of digital pathology to examine body tissue samples as part of screening programmes.

This will help:

• Clinicians to gain second opinions on whether samples obtained are cancerous.
• Laboratories to work more efficiently and quickly, including allowing reporting off site.
• Make it easier to identify cancer.
• Speed up diagnosis for patients.

The announcement comes after the NHS expanded the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme earlier this month, sending out hundreds of thousands of testing kits for people to use at home to detect cancer at an earlier stage.

The government has also opened 141 community diagnostic centres delivering more than five million additional scans, including for cancer, and earlier this year invested a further £10 million for 28 new breast screening units and over 60 life-saving upgrades to services in the areas where they are most needed.

Health Minister, Andrew Stephenson, said:

We know the earlier cancer is detected the sooner it can be treated, and the greater the chances of survival and recovery.

Cancer is already being diagnosed at an earlier stage, more often and the NHS is seeing and treating record numbers of cancer patients.

Increased use of digital pathology will help the NHS to go further and faster and provide another weapon in our battle against cancer.

In 2020, the UK National Screening Committee was asked by the National Coordinating Committee for Breast Pathology and by the Royal College of Pathologists to consider the evidence regarding the use of whole slide imaging.

This is a technique which allows slides to be reviewed digitally on a computer screen, rather than with a microscope. The technology enables an image of the entire glass slide to be created in high resolution which can then be stored and viewed on a computer screen or mobile device and saved for later review.

A trial then assessed whether using digital microscopy was as effective as using microscopes and slides for screening samples and with results confirming it was, the committee agreed it’s a safe option to complement or replace light microscopy.

Chair of the UK National Screening Committee, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said:

We need a high level of evidence when it comes to screening programmes so, alongside the National institute for Health and Care Research, we sponsored vital research to assess the effectiveness of this technique.

Following that research, I’m pleased that the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to allow the use of digital pathology has been approved. Its use will support flexibility for pathologists and make sharing samples for second opinions or quality assurance easier and more efficient.

Some areas of the NHS have been early adopters of digital pathology but the recommendation published today, and accepted by the government, will allow the rollout across the NHS.

NHS England is expected to follow by issuing guidance to pathology teams on the best way to use the technology.

Steve Russell, National Director for Vaccinations and Screening at NHS England, said:

The NHS’ successful national screening programmes – bowel, breast and cervical – are saving thousands of lives every year by identifying people at risk and spotting cancers early.

While we are already using some digital innovations to improve the accuracy of cancer diagnosis, we look forward to further utilising digital pathology imagery for the benefit of screening patients.

The UK National Screening Committee is an independent Scientific Advisory Committee that advises ministers and the NHS across the UK on all aspects of screening. They meet three times a year and consider work undertaken by the sub-groups on various conditions and existing programmes.

Background:

• The Agenda and draft minutes of the UK National Screening Committee meeting on 10 November 2023 can be found here.