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Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

  • PRESS RELEASE : High-risk but high-reward research tackling hardest-to-treat cancers receives £2 million funding boost [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : High-risk but high-reward research tackling hardest-to-treat cancers receives £2 million funding boost [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 September 2023.

    Innovative researchers working to tackle some of the hardest-to-treat cancers, including through the use of AI, have received a £2 million funding boost.

    • Four projects exploring pioneering techniques – including artificial intelligence – to tackle cancers with poor survival rates
    • each team granted £500,000 to drive forward ambitious plans that could save more lives
    • announcement comes as Science and Technology addresses top AI and tech festival

    Innovative researchers working to tackle some of the hardest-to-treat cancers, including through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), have received a £2 million funding boost, Science and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, has announced today (Tuesday 12 September).

    Four teams from across the UK will receive £500,000 each to drive forward high-risk but high-reward projects that could prove key to curing cancers with poor survival rates, including that of the brain, lungs and oesophagus.

    Among the teams to receive government-backed Medical Research Council (MRC) funding is King’s College London, to determine how artificial intelligence could read lung scans and more accurately predict whether a cancer is resistant to treatment. The data will then be used to create targeted drugs that selectively kill treatment-resistant cancer cells.

    The investment follows last month’s announcement of £13 million towards research for AI innovation in healthcare and comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary’s address to the CogX conference in London today, where she will outline the wider potential for AI to transform the UK’s economy, society and public services.

    Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s speech, Science and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said:

    While pioneering treatments have progressed enormously over the years thanks to world class researchers, cancer continues to impact on so many lives – whether through diagnoses or experiencing the heart-wrenching loss of a loved one.

    By investing in high-risk but high-reward techniques – including artificial intelligence – we are backing our ambitious, world class researchers to build on generations of discoveries and give more people a fighting chance to live long and healthy lives.

    The four projects were selected following a two-day ‘sandpit’ event – an interactive workshop – to promote new conversations and create teams of researchers across scientific disciplines from clinical, biomedical, engineering, physical and data sciences. The teams co-developed ideas and solutions to advance cancer research including for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

    Among the other projects receiving today’s funding is work by Imperial College London to develop techniques for the precision removal of brain cancer cells using a laser. The technique could reduce the impact of treatment on normal cells as well as provide real-time data on the nature of the cancer, which can then be used to inform post-operative treatment.

    Elsewhere, Cardiff University and Brain Tumour Research are exploring the potential for a cryogel placed at the site of a brain tumour to deliver drugs directly to the site, in turn overcoming the blood-brain barrier and reducing the effects of drugs on non-targeted areas.

    Meanwhile the University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust will explore ways to optimise engineered nanoparticle therapeutics for oesophageal cancer. Researchers hope to target cells that hinder effectiveness of medicines that boost the immune system against cancer.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

    Research and technology are crucial in the fight against cancer, with AI already transforming the way we deliver healthcare in some settings by diagnosing cancer earlier, meaning people can be treated more quickly.

    Cancer survival rates are improving and more people are being seen and treated than ever before.

    We are looking at how new technology can help provide the best possible treatments for patients and this £2 million investment will be vital in supporting researchers to understand and treat those cancers with lower survival rates.

    Doctor Megan Dowie, MRC Head of Molecular and Cellular Medicine:

    We look forward to supporting the teams towards achieving real-world impacts, both in a clinical setting and the real hope they may ultimately be able to offer to those suffering from some of the most challenging cancer diagnoses.

    We were inspired by the success of the sandpit event. The many new interdisciplinary connections formed over the two-days will have a lasting legacy of future collaboration of life and physical sciences researchers. This will help achieve the step change we need to address hard-to-treat cancers with potential for translation to other types of cancer too.

    In August, the Technology Secretary visited University College London (UCL) where she announced £13 million for research that will deliver cutting-edge AI innovation in healthcare, with 22 winning university and NHS trust projects stretching from Edinburgh to Surrey to receive a share.

    The boost will support everything from the development of a semi-autonomous surgical robotics platform for the removal of tumours, to the ability to predict the likelihood of a person’s future health problems based on their existing conditions – showcasing the real-world impact artificial intelligence is having.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Major national strategy to reduce number of tragic suicides [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Major national strategy to reduce number of tragic suicides [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 September 2023.

    Government pledge to reduce England’s suicide rate within 2 and a half years with launch of new national suicide prevention strategy.

    • Action to aid specific groups at risk of suicide, including children and young people, middle-aged men, autistic people, pregnant women, and new mothers
    • More than 100 measures being taken including a national alert system to combat emerging methods of suicide and refreshed guidance for first responders

    Thousands more people approaching a crisis will get the support they so desperately need and fewer loved ones will go through the heartbreak of losing a friend or relative to suicide, as the government launches a new national strategy to rapidly reduce England’s suicide rate.

    The Suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028 delivers a firm commitment to see the number of suicides in England decrease within 2 and a half years at the very latest.

    The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out an ambition to grow the mental health workforce by 73% by 2036 to 2037, and the workforce already continues to grow to help cut waiting lists – one of this government’s top 5 priorities. In March 2023, there were almost 9,300 more mental health staff working than the previous year.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    Too many people are still affected by the tragedy of suicide, which is so often preventable.

    This national cross-government strategy details over 100 actions we’ll take to ensure anyone experiencing the turmoil of a crisis has access to the urgent support they need.

    It’s imperative we support people earlier to prevent them reaching the lowest point, while tackling emerging methods of suicide and eradicating harmful material online.

    We’re working at pace to achieve this, and we continue to invest billions of pounds to transform and improve our nation’s mental health services, and – most importantly – save lives.

    Over 100 measures have been outlined in the strategy aimed at saving lives, providing early intervention and supporting anyone going through the trauma of a crisis. This includes:

    • a new national alert system to notify relevant authorities – like schools, universities, and charities – of emerging methods of suicides and risks, and any required actions that can reduce access or limit awareness
    • fresh guidance issued to first responders, recognising new and emerging methods, and how such incidents should be dealt with
    • near real-time surveillance of trends in tragic suicides to be introduced on a national scale this year – enabling more timely and targeted actions
    • a government pledge to collaborate with countries around the world to target and stop suppliers of dangerous and lethal substances at the source

    Last month, the government launched a £10 million Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, calling on the voluntary sector across England to apply for funding to continue supporting tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts. It comes alongside an expected spend of £13.6 billion this year alone to transform the country’s mental health services so millions of people can quickly access NHS support.

    The government is committed to ensuring children and young people receive the mental healthcare they deserve. It is going further and faster to achieve that.

    Tens of millions of children in schools across England will have access to a dedicated mental health support team by the end of March 2025, with at least half of school pupils set to receive such support. Mental health support teams intervene where a mild-to-moderate mental health issue is identified, and ensure children and young people are both protected and supported.

    As part of its ongoing work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), the government will explore whether regulatory change is required to decrease how many tablets like paracetamol can be sold to a customer or patient at once.

    Minister for Mental Health Maria Caulfield said:

    The impact of suicide on individuals and loved ones is devastating.

    This strategy will bolster the work this government is already undertaking to reduce the number of suicides and help us intervene, where needed, as early as possible.

    An extra £2.3 billion is going into our mental health services each year, which will help an additional 2 million people access vital NHS-funded mental health support by 2024.

    Professor Sir Louis Appleby, Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group, said:

    The strategy makes a new commitment to bring down the unacceptable figure of over 5,000 suicides per year in England. It stresses the need for safer services and supportive communities.

    It acknowledges the bereaved families whose campaigning has turned personal tragedy into benefit for others.

    It gives the message that suicide can affect any of us and there is a role for all of us in prevention.

    The new national alert system on emerging methods or risks will mean anyone who comes into contact with potentially dangerous new methods of suicide will have a direct link into central government to report it for consideration and discussion at the already-established cross-sector emerging methods working group.

    Through this, alerts will be circulated to all authorities who should be aware and may be required to take mitigating action. If the method in question is being used predominantly by children or young people, for example, every single school and headteacher in the country will receive a government alert. This one-page alert will lay out the risks and give clear instruction about how to react to safeguard those who could be affected.

    Change on a national scale is vitally important. Female deaths by suicide are heartbreakingly increasing at a higher rate than male deaths. It’s imperative such trends are captured as early as possible and preventative measures put in place to save lives.

    The government will therefore work much more closely with the police to use its data about ‘suspected’ suicides, as well as with the Office for National Statistics, to get an indication of trends much more quickly. The government will publish a monthly report on its near real-time findings.

    Steve Mallen, co-founder of Zero Suicide Alliance, said:

    The publication of the new national suicide prevention strategy is perfectly timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, which reminds everyone everywhere that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

    The new strategy was prepared in consultation with sector leaders, diverse interest groups and people with lived experience, making it a collaborative resource impacting the whole population. In addition, the inter-departmental co-operation and alignment across government in preparing the new strategy was essential and greatly welcomed.

    With the accompanying action plan and oversight, there is a clear intention to save lives and improve wellbeing.

    The strategy also contains measures for specific groups of people. Sadly, middle-aged men, for example, have had the highest rates of suicide of any other group since 2010. Men need appropriate support when experiencing the agony and turmoil of a crisis.

    To support them, the strategy therefore includes an action to ensure employers in largely male industries like construction and manufacturing have appropriate support in place for employees, such as mental health first aiders.

    In the UK, suicide is sadly the leading cause of direct deaths 6 weeks to a year after the end of pregnancy.

    To further understand possible links between these factors and suicide and self-harm, the government is working with various partners to sponsor a project led by the charity Tommy’s and Sands Maternity Consortium, which will engage people who have had suicidal thoughts or self-harmed and present with certain risk factors during the perinatal period.

    Robert Wilson, Head of the Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit, said:

    We know how important it is to make sure the right support is available for women and birthing people during their pregnancy journey, including as they plan for pregnancy.

    This is especially true where someone has a mental health condition that could put them at greater risk of harm. In order to better understand how care and support can be improved, the Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit is leading a project that will explore people’s experiences of suicide and self-harm, and risk factors during the perinatal period.

    We are grateful to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance for sponsoring this work.

    Unprecedented action is already being taken to improve the nation’s mental health and provide appropriate support:

    • a £150 million investment up to April 2025 to better support people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mental health crises. This will support the roll-out of mental health ambulances and delivery of over 160 projects – including alternatives to A&E – to ensure people can receive specialist care in appropriate spaces and help ease pressure on the NHS
    • the government has worked with big business, including online suppliers and manufacturers of certain potentially dangerous substances, to significantly reduce access to them, with major online suppliers also removing substances from sale to individuals
    • we are also tackling harmful material that encourages self-harm or suicide through the Online Safety Bill, and continue to work with multiple agencies to ensure appropriate messaging and labelling is used
    • In addition to the legislation, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, alongside the Department of Health and Social Care, will explore further opportunities to address online harms, including harmful content shared in pro-suicide websites and forums
    • we are investing £2.3 billion extra a year into mental health services, and have set out our aim in the NHS Long Term Plan for an additional 345,000 children and young people to access NHS-funded mental health support by 2024
    • the Department for Education is engaging experts and those with lived experience to review relationships, sex and health education guidance to determine whether suicide and self-harm prevention will be included as an explicit part of the curriculum to support young people
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government delivers extra £50 million home adaptation funding [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government delivers extra £50 million home adaptation funding [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 September 2023.

    Money provided to local authorities so they can make quicker home adaptations for older people or those with disabilities, ensuring they can stay independent.

    • Additional funding to help older and disabled people live more independently in their own homes
    • £50 million to be provided this year to adapt people’s homes
    • Overall, adaptation grants support 50,000 people a year and help people to be discharged from hospital quicker, cutting waiting times

    Fifty million pounds has been allocated to local authorities from today to help older people and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes.

    Delivered jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), eligible disabled people of all ages will be able to apply to their local authority for a grant to adapt their home to better meet their needs.

    Available to homeowners, private renters and those in social housing, the funding will be delivered through the Disabled Facilities Grant and comes on top of the annual £573 million already provided to local authorities for home improvement services.

    Since 2010, there have been almost half a million home adaptions, backed by £4.8 billion in funding.

    Minister for Adult Social Care, Helen Whately, said:

    If you’re older or living with a disability, a well-adapted home gives you independence and safety.

    Living in your own home can be impossible after illness or injury without changes like wheelchair ramps, handrails or a stairlift.

    This new funding will help thousands more people have homes fit for their needs – and faster. When time is of the essence, this fund will help local authorities do urgent and smaller-scale adaptations more quickly.

    Sometimes all that stands in the way of a patient going home from hospital is a simple home adaptation – so this is good news for patients and hospitals too. It’ll mean more people can recover from a hospital stay at home, and more NHS beds for patients who need them.

    Announced as part of the Next steps to put people at the heart of care plan, the £50 million is the first tranche of a £102 million investment over 2 years that will enable local authorities to provide additional services that are agile, make minor adaptations quickly and support speedier hospital discharge.

    Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DLUHC, Felicity Buchan, said:

    We want everyone to have high quality, safe and suitable homes so they can keep living more independently, including people leaving hospital care. This funding provides councils with additional resource to support those in need and builds on the funding already in place.

    Providing suitable adaptations to homes, such as wheelchair ramps, handrails, stairlifts or specialist equipment, will mean that when someone is medically fit to be discharged, they will have somewhere safe to be discharged to, freeing up hospital beds for those who need them.

    As a result, this will help to reduce waiting times, which will be important as the health service approaches the winter months, when pressure on the NHS increases.

    The Disabled Facilities Grant is one of a range of housing support measures that a local authority can use to help enable people to live independently and safely at home. The government also provides guidance to local authorities to help them effectively and efficiently deliver home adaptations and best serve the needs of older and disabled people in their local communities.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Landmark survey seeks women’s views on reproductive health [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Landmark survey seeks women’s views on reproductive health [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 September 2023.

    Women in England are being encouraged to help shape reproductive health policy by sharing their experiences, as the government launches a landmark survey.

    • Launch of national online survey to gather vital data on women’s menstrual health, contraception, pregnancy planning and menopause
    • Responses will help shape future policy on women’s health, enhance care and improve wellbeing
    • Survey delivers on key commitment to ensure the health and care system prioritises women’s voices

    Women across England are being encouraged to help shape future reproductive health policy by sharing their experiences of a range of issues, as the government launches a new landmark survey.

    Delivering on a key commitment in the Women’s Health Strategy, the Women’s Reproductive Health Survey will seek women’s views across England on issues including periods, contraception, fertility, pregnancy and the menopause.

    Findings from the survey will then be used to better understand women’s reproductive health experiences over time. The vital information gathered about the lives and experiences of women will inform current and future government decision-making and health policy.

    There are currently disparities in women’s health across the country, and far too many cases where women’s voices are not being heard. Along with the strategy, the new survey will play a key part in changing this.

    Minister for Women’s Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said:

    Women and girls deserve the best healthcare at every stage of their lives, but we simply cannot deliver that without listening to their lived experiences and concerns.

    Women should always have a say in their own healthcare, whether that’s in managing pregnancy and fertility or dealing with the challenges of the menopause in the workplace.

    I would encourage every woman to complete the survey on reproductive health as soon as they’re able and ensure their voice is heard.

    Women’s Health Ambassador Professor Dame Lesley Regan said:

    We need to make healthcare work for women and girls – and for it to fit around their lives. There’s no point bolstering services if they cannot be accessed, or the support available does not work for them and meet their needs.

    That’s why we’re asking women and girls to share their experience, whether it’s about periods, menopause or endometriosis. We need your voice to shape a new system of healthcare that gives women what they need.

    Dr Rebecca French, Associate Professor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said:

    For most women, it can be nearly 40 years from their first period to menopause. Throughout this time, women should be able to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health and wellbeing, such as if and when to get pregnant and where to access appropriate support and treatment.

    Women have previously described difficulties accessing reproductive health services – for example, to get contraceptive supplies, to access fertility treatment or to obtain an appointment with a gynaecologist. Often health services are not ‘joined up’, leading to multiple visits and appointment delays.

    We know that poor reproductive health not only has a negative effect on health in general but can also impact women’s mental health, relationships and finances. Further research is needed to better understand inequalities across England so that women and people described as female at birth are able to make the choices they need for their own reproductive health and wellbeing.

    The Women’s Reproductive Health Survey provides an opportunity to better understand what support is needed and how these issues can best be addressed.

    The survey is open to all women in England aged 16 to 55 years and will run for 6 weeks from Thursday 7 September 2023.

    It is being delivered by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care.

    Questions women are being asked to answer include:

    • how much pain they experience during their periods
    • how they prefer to access contraceptive services
    • how satisfied they were with any support they received for menopausal symptoms

    Just over a year on from the launch of the Women’s Health Strategy, over 300,000 more women have accessed cheaper hormone replacement therapy, new women’s health hubs are opening across the country in every integrated care board and a dedicated women’s health area has been added to the NHS website.

    Further measures being introduced include:

    • a new artificial intelligence tool to identify early risks in maternity units
    • £25 million will be distributed across England so every area can create a women’s health hub
    • a new IVF tool on GOV.UK so people can look up information about NHS-funded IVF treatments
    • a new network of women’s health champions led by the Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Professor Dame Lesley Regan

    A Menopause Employment Champion has also been appointed – recruitment and employability expert Helen Tomlinson – to improve support for menopause in the workplace. Helen is working with the Department for Work and Pensions to create an online repository of menopause resources for employers on GOV.UK. The Menopause Taskforce met in June to discuss menopause in the workplace.

    The government has also awarded grant funding to charities across England to help employers make changes to their workplace to support women’s reproductive health, which includes menopause.

  • PRESS RELEASE : NHS doctors to receive pay rise this month [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : NHS doctors to receive pay rise this month [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 September 2023.

    Around 150,000 NHS doctors in England, including doctors in training and consultants, will start to receive their pay rise this month, backdated to April 2023.

    • Accepting the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies in full means first year doctors in training will receive a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%, and consultants will receive 6%
    • This award is final and the Health and Social Care Secretary has urged the BMA to call off strike action and end disruption to care

    This month, around 150,000 NHS doctors will start to receive a pay rise after the government accepted the recommendations of the Independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration’s (DDRB).

    As part of the award, doctors covered by the review body, which includes doctors in training, consultants, specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors and dentists, will receive their pay rise backdated to April. This pay rise balances the need to keep inflation in check while giving staff significant pay increases.

    First year doctors in training will receive a 10.3% uplift. This means basic pay for a first year junior doctor will increase from £29,300 to £32,300. For a junior doctor in core training with 3 years’ experience, it will increase from £40,200 to £43,900.

    Pay scales for consultants are also increasing by 6%, meaning starting basic full-time pay will rise to £93,600. Taken together with on-call payments and other activities, the average consultant’s NHS earnings will increase to £134,000 a year. This is in addition to their 4.5% pay rise last year and significant pension reforms, which saw the annual allowance for tax-free pension saving increasing by 50% to £60,000 and removing the £1 million lifetime cap.

    Some staff will also benefit from performance pay, overtime, pay progression and pay rises from promotion, alongside the pay uplift.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    I hugely value the work of NHS staff, and we’re giving junior doctors, consultants and senior NHS staff a fair pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review bodies – which is above what most in the public and private sectors are receiving.

    We have worked at speed to ensure they will start receiving this in their pay packets this month. I’ve been clear this pay award is final and I urge the British Medical Association (BMA) to end its callous and calculated strike action – these are only serving to lengthen waiting lists, harm patients and put more pressure on their colleagues.

    The government is funding this pay award through prioritisation within existing departmental budgets, with frontline services being protected. More borrowing would add pressures on inflation at exactly the wrong time, risking higher interest rates and higher mortgage rates.

    More widely, and alongside the pension tax reforms announced at budget, the government is implementing new retirement flexibilities to help retain experienced doctors, while making it easier and attractive for retired staff to return.

    From 1 April 2023, restrictions were lifted on the amount of work that staff can do if they return to service after retirement, and allowed staff who retire and return to re-join the scheme and build more pension. From 1 October 2023, a further partial retirement option for staff will be introduced, which will allow them to claim a portion of their pension benefits but continue working and building further pension.

    This means more clinicians to provide appointments, ease winter pressures and deliver care to patients, as well as the retention of crucial knowledge and experience to ensure patients are receiving first-class care.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Consultation launched into unregulated cosmetic procedures [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Consultation launched into unregulated cosmetic procedures [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 September 2023.

    People and businesses are invited to share their views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer as thousands complain of ‘botched’ procedures.

    • Government to seek views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer for consumers
    • Calls for views from industry and people who have undergone these procedures will be used to shape regulations
    • Proposals considered include restrictions on who can perform certain high-risk procedures and age limits for those undergoing cosmetic procedures

    People and businesses are being invited to share their views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures – including Botox, laser hair removal and dermal fillers – safer as thousands complain of ‘botched’ procedures.

    The government’s first-ever consultation on treatments – also known as aesthetic procedures – will be used to shape a new licensing scheme for practitioners and cosmetic businesses which operate in England. This could include age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures, including those involving injecting fillers into intimate parts of the body – including the breasts and buttocks.

    Any new licensing scheme would protect patients from potential harm associated with poorly performed procedures. This will provide reassurance to people that wherever they go to get their treatments, they will receive the same high standards of practice.

    The beauty industry is hugely important for the UK economy and is largely made up of female-owned, small and medium sized businesses, with the non-surgical cosmetic industry previously being valued at an estimated £3.6 billion in the UK.

    New regulations will support businesses by introducing high standards across the sector, raising the reputation and professionalism of the industry.

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

    Whether it’s Botox, dermal fillers or even a chemical peel, we have heard too many stories of people who’ve had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is inexperienced or underqualified.

    There’s no doubt that the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.

    We want to make sure we get this right for everyone, which is why we want to hear your opinions and experiences through our new consultation.

    An estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year. Save Face – a government approved register of accredited practitioners – received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, with over two-thirds of those complaints relating to dermal fillers and almost a quarter relating to Botox.

    Ashton Collins, Director, Save Face said:

    Whilst we appreciate that we are still at very early stages of any potential licensing scheme being implemented in England, we are delighted to have been invited by the government to contribute our thoughts and ideas ahead of the release of this public consultation.

    Being involved in the process has enabled Save Face to actively contribute to roundtable discussions with ministers, policy makers and key stakeholders.

    As the largest and longest established Professional Standards Authority accredited register, we are able to provide a unique level of insight based on 10 years of gathering data from practitioner and clinic audits as well as patient reported complaints, adverse reactions, and complications.

    This will enable us to help develop a fit for purpose scheme that has public safety as its primary focus. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the government and key stakeholders during the next stages of the process.

    Professor David Sines CBE, Chair of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, said:

    I warmly welcome the government’s decision to consult on this new, proposed licensing scheme.  It will help to ensure that people who undergo non-surgical cosmetic procedures receive treatment from practitioners who are properly trained and qualified, have the necessary insurance cover and operate from premises that are safe and hygienic.

    I would urge everybody to seize the opportunity provided by this consultation and support the move towards sensible and proportionate regulation in this important sector.

    Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy Officer at the British Beauty Council:

    Since its inception, the British Beauty Council has been working to raise the reputation of the beauty industry and we see greater checks and balances around aesthetic procedures as a key part of this. Having worked with the government to achieve the ban on injectables for under 18s in 2021, we are delighted that they have continued this momentum with the commitment to introduce a licensing scheme covering a raft of higher-risk aesthetic treatments, many of which are largely unregulated.

    Those seeking treatments deserve to do so with confidence that their practitioner is properly qualified in the service they’re offering, to the appropriate level of government approved educational standards. The Council has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to get to this point, so we look forward to seeing the outcome of the consultation and helping to shape the regulatory framework as it progresses.

    The consultation will run for 8 weeks and will close on Saturday 28 October 2023.

    It follows the passing of the Health and Care Act in April 2022, which gave the Health and Social Care Secretary the power to introduce a licensing regime.

    Under the proposed scheme, which will be operated by local authorities in England, practitioners will need to be licensed to perform specific procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed.

    The government has already made it illegal for under 18s to access Botox and filler treatments for cosmetic purposes and banned TV and social media adverts targeting under 18s with cosmetic procedures.

    Anyone considering a cosmetic procedure should reflect fully on the possible impact of the procedure on both their physical and mental health and, if they decide to go ahead, take the time to find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Healthcare studies more affordable as financial support increased [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Healthcare studies more affordable as financial support increased [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 September 2023.

    Government increases financial support to make healthcare studies more affordable.

    • Travel and accommodation support for healthcare students to be raised by 50% as part of government efforts to boost training
    • Uplift will mean students are appropriately reimbursed for cost of travelling for clinical placements
    • Follows publication of NHS Long Term Workforce Plan which committed to huge expansion of education and training places

    Eligible students on nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medical and dental courses will be able to claim 50% more for travel and accommodation expenses while more students from low-income families will be given financial help, the government has announced today (Friday 1 September 2023).

    Students will be able to claim more money for any trips taken as part of their training, such as clinical placements in hospitals. For example, a student who travels 1,000 miles by car or motorcycle during their placement will now receive £420 compared to £280 under the previous rates.

    The government will also raise the means-testing threshold for the NHS Bursary Scheme raising the amount a student’s parent or partner can earn before they are eligible for support from £24,279 to £26,076.

    Minister of State for Health, Will Quince, said:

    Working in the NHS is incredibly rewarding and we want to ensure a diverse range of students can pursue a career in nursing, midwifery or medicine.

    We have therefore listened to students’ concerns and are taking action to ensure they are appropriately reimbursed for any additional costs of travelling for clinical placements, as well as boosting means-tested and childcare support for medical students.

    Ahead of the biggest ever expansion of education and training places as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, this will help to support the next generation of NHS staff in their training.

    Today’s increase comes on top of existing support including a non-repayable training grant for eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health professional students of £5,000 per academic year, plus up to £3,000 available for childcare support or those studying certain specialisms, such as radiography or mental health nursing.

    The changes will come into effect from today, in time for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

    The 50% increase in travel and accommodation costs will include:

    • travel on the student’s own pedal cycle: from current 20p to 30p per mile, for general maintenance and wear and tear
    • travel in or on the student’s own motor vehicle: from current 28p to 42p per mile
    • commercial accommodation such as a hotel or bed and breakfast: from current £55 to up to £82.50 per night
    • non-commercial accommodation, including staying with a friend or relative, but not parents: from current £25 to up to £37.50 per night

    Changes to the NHS Bursary Scheme for medical students will:

    • uplift the means-testing threshold to £26,076 from £24,279. This is the amount a student’s parents or partner can earn before their income becomes deductible from the student’s means-tested bursary, and will increase the amount of means-tested funding available to support medical students
    • uplift childcare allowance to align with the rates provided by the Department for Education for earlier years of study, meaning medical students will be able to claim more support for childcare costs, where needed

    The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) provides non-taxable and non-repayable funding to eligible nursing, midwifery, and allied health professional (such as paramedics or physiotherapists) students on pre-registration healthcare courses. The NHS Bursary provides funding support to eligible medical and dental students.

    The NHS Bursary travel and dual accommodation rates have remained unchanged since 2015, and the LSF rates since its inception in 2017.

    The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, backed by over £2.4 billion of funding for the next 5 years, will help to train more staff and retain dedicated existing staff to help cut waiting lists, one of the government’s top 5 priorities. It will also reform the way we work, including by embracing the very latest technological innovations.

    By 2031, as part of the biggest ever workforce training expansion in NHS history, undergraduate medical school training places will double to 15,000 a year with more places targeted in areas with the greatest shortages to level up training and tackle health disparities. As part of this the government will be working with the General Medical Council to create new medical schools.

    Adult nursing and midwifery training places will also nearly double, with more than 24,000 additional places a year.

    The NHS will ramp up the number of apprenticeships so students can earn while they learn – widening opportunities to start a career in the NHS beyond traditional training routes. As a result, nearly a fifth of all clinical staff will train through apprenticeship routes by 2030, up from just 7% today. Up to 2,000 people a year will also achieve university medical degrees through an apprenticeship by 2036 to 2037.

    Dr Navina Evans, Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer for NHS England, said:

    Changes to the Learning Support Fund and NHS Bursary Scheme is a welcome boost for healthcare students.

    Financial support is key to helping to attract a diverse range of students onto healthcare courses, many of which may be mature students with families they need to financially support while they learn.

    While on clinical placements, healthcare students are honing their skills and providing frontline care to patients. It is vital that we ensure that those that need support aren’t left out of pocket during these training periods.

    We know that making the NHS an attractive place to work and train is vital to achieving the ambitions laid out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and hope this increased funding will go some way to achieving that.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Legal powers given to Lucy Letby inquiry [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Legal powers given to Lucy Letby inquiry [August 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 August 2023.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announces that the inquiry into the circumstances around crimes committed by Lucy Letby will become statutory.

    • Government announces inquiry into murders and attempted murders at Countess of Chester hospital will become statutory
    • After listening to the views of families of the victims, the move will give the inquiry legal powers which include compelling witnesses to give evidence under oath
    • The inquiry will look at the circumstances surrounding the murders and attempted murders committed by Lucy Letby

    The inquiry into circumstances around the horrific crimes committed by former neonatal nurse, Lucy Letby, will become statutory, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced today (Wednesday 30 August).

    While statutory inquiries traditionally take longer to conclude than non-statutory inquiries, moving to a statutory footing will mean the inquiry will have legal powers to compel witnesses, including former and current staff of the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust, to give evidence. It will also mean that evidence must be heard in public, unless the inquiry chair decides otherwise.

    Announced shortly after Letby was convicted of murdering and attempting to murder babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, it will ensure vital lessons are learned and will provide answers to the parents and families impacted.

    The Health and Social Care Secretary has been clear from the outset that he wants the families impacted in this tragic case to have the opportunity to engage with and shape the scope of the inquiry. Following a meeting with them yesterday, the government has acted swiftly to respect their wishes and put the inquiry on a legal footing.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    The crimes committed by Lucy Letby are truly harrowing, and my thoughts remain with the families of her victims.

    Following her conviction, we announced an inquiry and said the nature of this inquiry would be shaped by the families.

    Having now discussed this with the families, we will launch a full statutory inquiry giving it the legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence.

    This statutory public inquiry will aim to give the families the answers they need and ensure lessons are learned.

    The statutory inquiry will investigate the wider circumstances around what happened at the trust, including the handling of concerns and governance. It will also look at what actions were taken by regulators and the wider NHS.

    We will publish the inquiry’s terms of reference – setting out the scope of the work – in due course.

    The government has indicated that it will look to appoint a judge to chair the inquiry, and the Health and Social Care Secretary is working with colleagues across government to identify a suitable candidate as soon as possible.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Flu and COVID autumn vaccine programmes brought forward [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Flu and COVID autumn vaccine programmes brought forward [August 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 31 August 2023.

    Precautionary measure taken to protect those most vulnerable from illness during winter following the identification of COVID-19 variant BA.2.86.

    • Vaccinations are now set to start on 11 September 2023 in England with adult care home residents and those most at risk to receive vaccines first
    • Eligible people urged to come forward for their jab as soon as they’re invited

    This year’s autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccine programmes will start earlier than planned in England as a precautionary measure following the identification of a new COVID-19 variant.

    The precautionary measure is being taken as scientists from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) examine the variant BA.2.86, which was first detected in the UK on Friday 18 August 2023.

    According to the latest risk assessment by UKHSA, BA.2.86 has a high number of mutations and has appeared in several countries in individuals without travel history.

    While BA.2.86 is not currently classified as a variant of concern, advice from UKHSA suggests that speeding up the autumn vaccine programme will deliver greater protection, supporting those at greatest risk of severe illness and reducing the potential impact on the NHS.

    The decision means those most at risk from winter illness – including people in care homes for older people, the clinically vulnerable, those aged 65 and over, health and social care staff, and carers – will be able to access a COVID vaccine in September.

    The annual flu vaccine will also be made available to these groups at the same time wherever possible, to ensure they are protected ahead of winter.

    Vaccinations are now set to start on 11 September 2023, with adult care home residents and those most at risk to receive vaccines first. NHS England will announce full details of the accelerated roll-out soon, and those who fall into higher-risk groups are being encouraged to take up the jab as soon as they’re invited.

    There is no change to the wider public health advice at this time.

    Health Minister, Maria Caulfield said:

    As our world-leading scientists gather more information on the BA.2.86 variant, it makes sense to bring forward the vaccination programme.

    It is absolutely vital the most vulnerable groups receive a vaccine to strengthen their immunity over winter to protect themselves and reduce pressure on the NHS.

    I encourage anyone invited for a vaccination – including those yet to have their first jab – to come forward as soon as possible.

    Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, Dame Jenny Harries said:

    As we continue to live with COVID-19 we expect to see new variants emerge.

    Thanks to the success of our vaccine programme, we have built strong, broad immune defences against new variants throughout the population. However, some people remain more vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19. This precautionary measure to bring forward the autumn programme will ensure these people have protection against any potential wave this winter.

    There is limited information available at present on BA.2.86 so the potential impact of this particular variant is difficult to estimate. As with all emergent and circulating COVID-19 variants – both in the UK and internationally – we will continue to monitor BA.2.86 and to advise government and the public as we learn more. In the meantime, please come forward for the vaccine when you are called.

    For operational expediency and in line with public health recommendations, wherever possible flu and COVID-19 vaccines should be administered at the same time.

    The vaccination campaign was previously due to commence in early October 2023. This is because the best protection is usually provided by getting vaccinated with as short a gap as possible before exposure to circulating influenza and COVID-19 viruses.

    The advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for this autumn, is to offer the vaccine to those at high risk of serious disease from COVID-19 and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.

    Those eligible for vaccination are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine as soon as they are called to ensure they head into winter with the best protection.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £5 million fund to tackle fatal drug deaths across the UK [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : £5 million fund to tackle fatal drug deaths across the UK [August 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 29 August 2023.

    12 projects awarded a share of £5 million to reduce rates of fatal drug overdoses, as part of Vaccine Taskforce style approach to tackle health challenges.

    • Projects will look at how AI and other innovative technologies can detect overdoses to alert healthcare professionals, family and local communities to provide emergency lifesaving support to people who use drugs
    • Technology to support those in need and contribute towards Prime Minister’s priority to cut waiting lists

    People at risk of drug deaths could be saved by overdose detecting artificial intelligence or antidote dispensing drones after the government awarded a share of £5 million to projects aimed at tackling fatal overdoses.

    As part of the Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Challenge which aims to reduce drug related deaths across the UK, Office for Life Sciences is investing in 12 promising projects to develop technologies aimed at improving detection, response, or intervention in potential drug related deaths.

    It supports the Addiction Mission, one of the government’s healthcare missions targeting the biggest healthcare challenges, including through funding innovative research into improved treatments and life-saving technologies to accelerate their development and rollout.

    Building on the Vaccine Taskforce model which led to one of the most successful vaccine roll outs in the world and ensured millions got a COVID-19 jab, the government will continue to harness world-leading research expertise, remove unnecessary bureaucracy, strengthen partnerships and support the new healthcare challenges.

    More widely, funding will help the Prime Minister’s objective to improve urgent and emergency care and increase the resources available to healthcare professionals to treat drug overdoses.

    Minister of State for Health Will Quince said:

    Drug use has a devastating impact on people’s health, their families and their livelihoods and every year over 4000 people in the UK die from an avoidable drug overdose.

    We want to stop people taking these substances and support them to recover from their addictions, while preventing those most at risk from dying from overdoses.

    This fund forms part of our healthcare mission programme as we take a Vaccine Taskforce style approach to some of the biggest challenges facing our society today, backed by over £200 million.

    This challenge is also being delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government as part of their National Mission on Drugs.

    The winning projects will operate across all four nations of the UK and range from AI technologies to detect overdoses, to emergency systems using drone technology to deliver antidotes, and wearable technologies such as smart watches or breathing monitors to detect overdoses and alert healthcare professionals, family, or members of the community to the need to intervene.

    Eleven projects have been awarded up to £100,000 each to launch four-month feasibility studies to develop prototypes, with one additional project securing up to £500,000 for a year-long demonstration study to collect real world evidence with residents of homeless accommodation. The studies will begin in September. Any of the feasibility studies that show promising results will be able to apply for up to £500,000 grants to carry out follow on 12-month demonstration projects starting in May 2024 to evaluate and collate real world evidence of their technology with people from population groups most at risk of overdose.

    This funding supports wider government initiatives to tackle drug misuse in society. The UK’s Drugs Strategy, published in December 2021, has a key objective to prevent 1000 drug deaths in England by 2025. This aligns with work within and across the 4 nations of the UK, to improve systems of support and reduce drug related deaths. The Addiction Mission, as part of this strategy, is aiming to enhance the UK-wide research environment and incentivise the development of innovative and effective new treatments, technologies, and approaches to support recovery, and reduce the harm and deaths addiction can cause.

    Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientific Advisor for Health, Scottish Government said:

    It is truly inspiring to see some of the innovative solutions that are being supported through the Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Competition and the partnership between the Chief Scientist’s Office in Scottish Government and the UK Government’s Office for Life Sciences.

    Tackling drug related deaths is a huge priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, and our commitment to tackling these issues through targeted research, innovation and support can be seen in recent figures, showing a reduction in drug-related deaths in Scotland, the lowest annual total since 2017.

    Utilising the expertise in Scotland and across the rest of the UK, we can continue to deliver results in harm reduction, developing truly impactful innovations and driving prevention initiatives, having a hugely positive impact both across the UK and globally.

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, George Freeman, said:

    Every single death from drug misuse is a tragedy, which has an awful impact on that person’s loved ones and community – and thousands every year are avoidable with better detection and faster intervention.

    The UK is already a world leader in much of the work this £5 million Challenge will support – from our £94 billion life science sector through to our AI industry which supports 50,000 jobs, backed by our record £20 billion for R&D.

    Now it is vital we use our world leading position to prevent overdoses and save lives. This runs to the core of what our Science Superpower ambition is all about: tackling some of the biggest problems facing society so we can all live healthier, happier, safer lives.

    Background

    This challenge is being run by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office, who have invested £500,000 of the funding, in partnership with the Office for Life Sciences who have invested the remaining £4.5 million of the funding. NHS Fife will be leading on the programme management for this innovation challenge.

    The competition has been designed in close consultation with the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to increase the potential for uptake and use of these life-saving innovations in all parts of the UK. All UK nations are represented as either applicants or collaborators who are leading the successfully funded projects.

    The central objective of this competition is to develop innovative technologies that help to reduce drug related deaths and harm across the whole of the UK and help people who use drugs and their support networks to work together to save lives.  This will support in delivering on the UK’s Drug Strategy, From Harm to Hope, and the Scottish Government’s National Mission on Drugs. In January 2021, the Scottish Government announced a National Mission on Drugs. The aim of the National Mission is to reduce drug deaths and improve the lives of those impacted by drugs in a programme of work supported by the Drug Deaths Taskforce and National Mission on Drugs plan. The demand signalling work of the CSO Innovation Team based upon the Care and Wellbeing Programme, identified tackling drugs related deaths as a key priority area for innovation in NHS Scotland.

    More detail on the winning projects and selection process:

    • Saving SAM: System for Alert and Monitoring of Potential Overdoses – eMoodie in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and NHS Scotland Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES). This project will design and develop “Saving SAM”: an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drug overdose monitoring system to enable both self and responder digital alerts.
    • ‘DoseCare: Development and Evaluation of a Wearable-Integrated, AI-Powered Overdose Detection and Response System’ – Manchester Metropolitan University in partnership with Queen’s University of Belfast, Drug and Alcohol Research Network (Northern Ireland) and the Salvation Army. This project aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionise overdose detection and prevention mechanisms in healthcare. By focusing on two distinct user groups with varying levels of risk awareness, they intend to develop tailored solutions that significantly improve patient outcomes and enhance overall care delivery utilising wearable technologies and smart phone applications.
    • Ultra-portable fast-dispersal buccal naloxone for constant carriage: testing feasibility and acceptability – King’s College London in partnership with Catalent, Accord Health, Scottish Drug Forum, Scottish Families affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), DrugFAM and South London Academic Health Science Network (AHSN). Naloxone is an opioid overdose antidote however existing naloxone products are bulky and have very low carriage rates. This feasibility project will examine a proposed ultra-portable fast-dispersal naloxone tablet suitable for constant carriage, so that it is always present with an individual who is present at an overdose emergency.
    • LifeSavr: Unobtrusive Wearable Device to Detect Overdose – NOMW Health Limited in partnership with the University of Southampton and NHS Scotland West of Scotland Innovation Hub. The study will focus on assessing the technical, economic, and operational aspects of the ‘LifeSavr’ device, which uses advanced sensor technology to provide real-time detection of opioid overdoses.
    • Drug Overdose Detection and Response using Care & Respond with CHAI999 – led by Science & Engineering Applications Ltd in partnership with Welsh and Scottish Ambulance Services. This project aims to explore the functionality of digital tools that can empower friends and family to support drug users and respond in the event of an overdose and link with emergency services to facilitate a coordinated response.
    • Vivisco Smart Revive Beacon for Opiate Overdose – Vivisco in partnership with the Kent Surrey Sussex AHSN, Forward Trust, Kent County Council and the Southeast Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. Vivisco will work with organisations in Kent to co-design and prototype an automatic alert system to contact emergency services with GPS location and type of antidote used that is triggered when a naloxone package is opened.
    • Improving Harm Reduction Strategies for Illicit Drug Use: A Handheld Device for self-monitoring Benzodiazepine use – ZiO Health Ltd working with Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES). ZiO-Health’s feasibility project is focused on improving harm reduction strategies for illicit drug use by developing a handheld therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) device to notify users and responders of potential overdose.
    • In Time Naloxone – DroneMatLab Limited  (King’s College London spinout) in partnership with the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths, HeroTech8, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton and Wessex Academic Health Science Network. The project aims to develop an effective emergency response for the distribution of naloxone (an opioid overdose antidote), by drone to prevent opioid overdoses becoming fatal.
    • RescuePatch: A controlled-release combination patch for naloxone and flumazenil delivery – MESOX LTD in partnership with Health Innovation Southeast Scotland (HISES), Aston University, the National Physical Laboratory and On Target Pharma. This project will investigate a novel transdermal patch combination therapy called RescuePatch. The patch will contain a reservoir of antidotes to both opioid and benzodiazepine overdoses ad is designed to be applied by a non-professional, which is expected to improve responder pathways and increase the chance of patient survival.
    • Co-Evaluation Study of Overdose Detection and Response Wristband Technology – Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Brave, Keele University, Two Saints Housing Association and the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network. To combat the growing problem of self-administrating drug users from overdosing, a multi-organisation collaborative led by MPFT propose to develop a wearable piece of technology that detects absence in user movements and alerts the individual or surrounding people to need for intervention.
    • A soft skin-interfacing strain sensor for overdose detection and prevention (ASSESSOR) – University of Glasgow in partnership with NHS Scotland West of Scotland Innovation Hub. The aim of this project is to develop a low-cost skin-interfacing sensor that can be seamlessly attached to the human body for long-term and remote monitoring of mechanical and physiological signs of overdose without affecting the routine daily activities of the user.
    • RESCU2 – Clinical Validation of Virtual Safe Drug Consumption Technology – PneumoWave (formerly Altair Medical Ltd) in partnership with the University of Dundee and King’s College London, alongside Third Sector partners including Humankind, Thames Reach, and Hillcrest Futures. PneumoWave ALERT is a remote monitoring platform designed to make opioid usage safer. A discrete, chest-worn biosensor paired to a mobile device allows detection of the onset of life-threatening respiratory depression during an overdose event which then alerts nearby carriers of naloxone, and emergency medical services. This project will recruit 200 residents of homeless accommodation to participate in a study with aims of reducing drug deaths and gaining usability feedback from patients and care teams.