Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2023.

Secretary of State visits Japan for G7 health ministers’ meeting to see how technology is improving patient care and reducing the burden on staff.

• Meetings held to discuss healthcare workforce recruitment, cutting waiting times and how member states are using innovation and tech
• End of summit agreement signed on Sunday to help tackle global health issues including antimicrobial resistance, dementia and pandemic preparedness

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, concluded a visit to Japan today (Monday 15 May) for the G7 health ministers’ meeting, where he led discussions with international counterparts on how technology can be used to improve patient care, reduce pressure on health and social care staff and cut waiting times for patients.

During his first international summit, the Secretary of State visited Silver Wing care home in Tokyo. It uses technology such as bed sensors, robotic mobility and walking aids and interactive entertainment to reduce pressure on staff while providing better care for residents.

He saw some of the tech in action, including the mobility aids staff use to lift and move residents to and from their beds, which staff say has reduced pain in their lower backs while respecting residents’ privacy.

The Secretary of State also held one-to-one meetings with health ministers from G7 countries to discuss shared opportunities on using tech and innovation, workforce recruitment as well as cutting waiting times.

Talks between the Secretary of State and his counterparts also focussed on pandemic preparedness, tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – which costs around 1.27 millon lives a year globally – and how member states are working to develop vaccines within 100 days of a pandemic threat being identified.

Speaking from Japan, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said:

Japan is pioneering the use of the latest technology and innovation in health and social care, so my visit to Nagasaki has been a great opportunity to see at first hand how this innovation helps both staff and people in care.

New technology, including artificial intelligence, has a big role to play in the NHS’s future, helping to deliver one of the government’s 5 priorities to cut waiting lists so patients get the care they need quicker.

We’re already seeing the benefits – the NHS App is being used to order more than 500,000 repeat prescriptions every week, while our £123 million investment in AI technologies is helping staff tackle issues like stroke diagnosis, cancer screening and cardiovascular monitoring.

The summit was also a vital opportunity to get round the table with health ministers from other G7 countries and commit to action to ensure we’re ready to respond to a possible future pandemic, both at home in the UK and globally with our international partners.

The Secretary of State delivered a speech at the summit in which he said new innovations will help tackle global health issues – including ageing populations and AMR. He cited as an example the UK’s world-first antibiotic subscription model – which incentivises drug companies to produce new antibiotics – which other G7 countries are looking to as something they could implement domestically.

The UK government is already taking action to implement technology across the NHS and social care. In March, the government announced nearly £16 million investment into pioneering artificial intelligence research through the AI in Health and Care Awards.

This brings the total investment to £123 million in 86 AI technologies, which stand to benefit over 300,000 patients and support the treatment of conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health and neurological disorders.

The 2-day G7 health ministers’ meeting finished on Sunday with member states signing an agreement on tackling shared global health challenges, including:

• better surveillance, data and information sharing to protect the world against another pandemic
• incentivising the development of new antibiotics to tackle the rising threat of AMR across the G7
• member states investing in research into dementia and future treatments

The Secretary of State also spoke at a side event on dementia in which he recognised the need for global, as well as domestic, solutions which improve knowledge and understanding of dementia, helping to drive the production of innovative treatments and medicines.

The government will soon launch a call for evidence for our Major Conditions Strategy which will cover 6 conditions: cancer, mental ill health, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic respiratory diseases and dementia.

The G7 health ministers’ meeting took place in Nagasaki, Japan, from Saturday 13 May to Sunday 14 May 2023.

The G7 leaders summit will take place in Hiroshima from 19 to 21 May 2023.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2023.

New community diagnostic centres (CDCs) to open in regions across the UK, adding to the 106 centres already up and running and helping to cut NHS waiting lists.

Tens of thousands of patients across the country are set to benefit from 6 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) opening this year – with the ‘one-stop shops’ due to deliver more than 500,000 additional tests, checks and scans a year.

Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s key priorities and the 6 new CDCs will offer patients a wider range of diagnostic tests closer to home, reducing the need for hospital visits and getting them the care they need sooner.

Regions including the East of England, Midlands and the South East will benefit with all new centres open to patients before the end of the year – with the government investing £2.3 billion to deliver up to 160 across England by 2025.

The new centres include:

• North Lincolnshire CDC – situated in a car park in Scunthorpe town centre, the facility will offer more than 146,000 additional checks a year. This will include ultrasound checks, blood tests and CT and MRI scans
• Pitsea CDC – opening in the next few months it will provide up to 46,000 tests, checks and scans a year. Located in a retail park, it will boost the number of endoscopy rooms in the regions for cancer patients and offer potentially life-saving CT and MRI scans
• Ilkeston Community Hospital (Walton) CDC – providing more than 100,000 tests, checks and scans per year. It will be based at Walton NHS Community Hospital and give patients access to ultrasound checks, X-rays and cardiology and respiratory diagnostics
• North Solihull CDC – set to open in winter 2023, the new CDC will be based on a commercial retail site in Chelmsley Wood, North Solihull. It will offer access to MRI, CT and X-ray scans, along with cardiology and respiratory diagnostics – delivering 116,000 tests, checks and scans a year
• Hereford City CDC – opening in winter, the new CDC will be based on an NHS community hospital site in the city. It will offer MRI, CT and X-ray scans, alongside ultrasound and respiratory checks, alongside blood tests – delivering 38,000 tests, checks and scans a year
• Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CDC – the facility, a refurbishment of Livingstone Community Hospital in Dartford, will offer access to ultrasound checks, blood tests, along with CT and MRI scans. Opening in autumn 2023, it will deliver over 96,000 tests, checks and scans

Following a referral from a GP or consultant, patients will be able to get their symptoms checked much closer to home and receive a diagnosis for a range of conditions such as cancer and heart or lung disease, rather than travelling to hospital. This is not only more convenient for patients, it is also more efficient for staff and will free up clinician time to help further cut the waiting lists.

So far, 106 CDCs are open across England, including 3 temporary sites, in a variety of settings including shopping centres and university campuses, and the CDC programme has delivered over 3.8 million additional tests, checks and scans since July 2021. Thirty-two other facilities are due to open before the end of the year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I have pledged to cut waiting lists and these new community diagnostic centres will do exactly that. By offering checks, tests and scans closer to home, we can speed up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease and ensure patients get their treatment quickly.

These centres revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care and crucially, they are saving lives.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

We know early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for patients, which is why these centres are so vital.

Based in the heart of communities, they are making it easier for people to access life-saving checks and cutting out unnecessary hospital visits.

They have already made a huge difference, delivering nearly 4 million tests, checks and scans since the programme started in July 2021, helping to deliver on the government’s commitment to cut waiting lists.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS Medical Director for Transformation, said:

The NHS delivered a record 2.3 million diagnostic tests in March, up more than 128,000 on the previous monthly record, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff.

These new CDCs will continue to increase access to care by providing vital scans, X-rays, endoscopies and blood tests closer to patients’ homes, building on the progress we have already made to drive down the longest waits and diagnose cancer earlier.

As a result of this, and wider measures, the government successfully met the first target in its elective recovery plan to virtually eliminate waits of over 2 years and has cut 18 month waits by over 91% from the peak in September 2021.

Further action to cut waiting lists and offer patients quicker access to healthcare include the government’s publication of its primary care recovery plan, which will:

• get rid of the 8am rush for GP appointments
• enable patients to get prescriptions and medication directly from a pharmacy without a GP appointment
• free up around 15 million GP appointments over the next 2 years
• improve patient access to their own medical records through the NHS App

The press release issued by the Department for Health on 9 May 2023.

Patients, or carers of patients, who carry Emerade 300 or 500 microgram adrenaline auto-injector pens should contact their GP and obtain a prescription for, and be supplied with an alternative brand. They should then return their Emerade 300 or 500 microgram pens to their local pharmacy.

Patients, or carers of patients, who carry Emerade 300 or 500 microgram adrenaline auto-injector pens should immediately contact their GP to obtain a prescription for, and be supplied with two auto-injectors of a different brand. Pharmacists and pharmacy teams can also help with obtaining new prescriptions and dispensing of new pens. Patients or carers should then return all Emerade 300 and 500 micrograms auto-injectors to their local pharmacy.

Patients should only return their Emerade pens when they have received a replacement from their pharmacy which will be an alternative brand – either EpiPen or Jext. They should ensure they know how to use the replacement pen, as each brand of pen works differently. Patients should ask their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse for help with this. Instructions are included inside the pack, along with details of the manufacturer’s website that also provides information, including videos, on how to use a new EpiPen or Jext adrenaline pen.

This precautionary recall is because some 300 microgram and 500 microgram Emerade auto-injector pens may rarely fail to activate if they are dropped, meaning a dose of adrenaline would not be delivered. Premature activation has also been detected in some of the 300 microgram and 500 microgram pens after they have been dropped, meaning that a dose of adrenaline is delivered too early.

The activation failure and premature activation was detected during a design assessment conducted by the manufacturer and therefore means there is a potential for some 300 microgram and 500 microgram Emerade pens to fail during use after having been dropped.

Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said:

Patient safety is our top priority.

We are taking prompt action to protect patients, following detection of damage to internal components of the Emerade pens if they are dropped, which may mean they activate too early or fail to activate and deliver adrenaline.

The Department for Health and Social Care has confirmed that there are appropriate supplies of EpiPen or Jext adrenaline pens available for patients across the UK, however, patients will need to request a new prescription.

Patients are reminded to carry two pens with them at all times as normal and to contact their healthcare professional when a replacement is due.

Further information for patients and carers on what to do if they suspect anaphylaxis is available on the MHRA’s Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) safety campaign.

Additional information

1. Exposure to high temperature may increase the risk of pen failure. Emerade pens should not be exposed to temperatures above 25°C, such as being placed near to a radiator or fire. If travelling to a hot climate, patients should visit their doctor to obtain a prescription for an alternative brand of adrenaline pen.

2. Emerade pens that are dropped or vigorously handled may fail to activate or may prematurely activate. General advice states that users should inspect the pen if dropped and replace if they notice damage or leakage. This recall considers that damage within some pens may not be visible and therefore a precautionary patient-level recall is being carried out.

3. If an Emerade pen does need to be used, it should be pressed very firmly against the thigh. If this does not result in activation, the patient should immediately use their second pen. More detailed information for patients is available on the MHRA website. This includes images showing users what an activated pen looks like, compared to a non-activated pen.

4. Training videos on how to use the 0.15mg EpiPen and 0.3mg EpiPen and Jext 150 pen and 300 pen are available on the respective manufacturers’ websites.

5. Since May 2021, there have been no Yellow Card reports of Emerade 300 microgram or 500 microgram pens prematurely activating or failing to activate.

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 8 May 2023.

Action to make it easier for patients to contact their GP and end the 8am rush, with £240 million given to practices across England to embrace latest technology.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 May 2023.

The offer of a first or second dose of Covid vaccine will end on 30 June 2023 for most people.

• The offer of a first and second dose of Covid vaccine for those at lower risk of severe illness will end on 30 June 2023
• There are eight weeks left for people who are completely unvaccinated to get their first and second doses
• Around 40 million adults across England have already come forward for both doses

People who have not yet come forward for their first and/ or second dose of the Covid vaccine are being encouraged to get their jabs before the offer ends on Friday 30 June.

The NHS’s world-leading vaccination programme has so far delivered over 146 million Covid jabs, helping to save tens of thousands of lives, protect the most vulnerable from serious illness and allowed us to resume our normal lives without restrictions.

For people aged 18 and over, there is an 8-week interval requirement between receiving a first and second dose of Covid vaccine. Appointments can be booked easily online, by calling 119, or people can visit one of the hundreds of walk-in vaccination sites open across the country.

Building on the success of autumn and spring booster programmes, a seasonal, targeted vaccination offer will remain open for those most at risk, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This will help to focus efforts and ensure the most efficient use of NHS resources as we work to cut the backlogs and reduce waiting times.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield said:

As we live with Covid without restrictions on our freedoms, it is right that we move towards a more targeted vaccination offer that prioritises those most at risk, so we can focus our efforts on cutting waiting lists for NHS treatment – one of the Prime Minister’s top five priorities.

As the offer for any adult to get a Covid vaccine comes to an end on 30 June, I would urge those who have not yet come forward to choose to have the first and second Covid vaccine. It takes minutes to get your jab and thousands of sites are open across England.

Vaccines are our best line of defence against the virus. I’ve stayed up to date with mine – it’s quick and easy so I would urge you to do the same before the offer closes.

This year’s spring booster programme continues to gather pace, with over two million eligible people receiving their vital top-up dose.  Roving NHS vaccination teams have been visiting care homes across the country since 3 April, with eligible people living in the community accessing the jab since 17 April. The spring campaign will end on 30 June – the same day the offer of a first or second jab ends.

The JCVI advised the risk of serious illness with Covid continues to be disproportionately greater in those from older age groups, residents in care homes for older adults, and persons with certain underlying health conditions.

NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said:

The fastest and largest vaccination programme in NHS history has delivered more than 146 million Covid jabs since it began, including more than 45 million first doses, but now it is right as we learn to live with covid, that we move to targeted seasonal campaigns to protect the most vulnerable.

With the existing offer of a first and second dose for everyone set to end alongside the current spring campaign, everyone aged 18 and over who is unvaccinated must come forward for their primary course by the end of June to receive protection.

The vaccines are safe, effective, and the best way to boost your protection from serious illness caused by covid – so please do come forward for your dose of protection.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

The Covid vaccines have enabled us to live with the virus thanks to the protection they have given the millions >of people who have come forward to date.

Getting the vaccine remains the best way to avoid severe illness and it can increase your protection even if you have previously had the virus. It only takes a few minutes and I encourage anyone who has not yet done so to come forward before the offer ends.

Should a person move into an at-risk group, the offer of a first or second dose will re-open with the seasonal booster programmes.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 May 2023.

The government, NHS England and the pharmaceutical industry will begin negotiating the successor to the voluntary scheme for branded medicines, pricing and access (VPAS).

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 27 April 2023.

There are over 1.27 million full-time equivalent staff working in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 April 2023.

Voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS) delivers value for money to taxpayer and saves NHS billions, facilitating patient access to new lifesaving treatments and medicines, and supporting UK life sciences sector.

The NHS will save £7 billion by the end of 2023 thanks to a 5-year agreement with the pharmaceutical industry, which ensures the NHS can continue to be one of the fastest health systems in the world to roll out innovative medicines.

VPAS, the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access, was introduced in 2019 to keep the branded medicine bill affordable for the NHS by capping the growth of sales, while improving patient access to medicines by getting new medicines into use more quickly, and supporting our life sciences sector.

Thanks to the scheme, thousands of NHS patients have benefitted from dozens of new treatments for conditions ranging from the most common cancers, to cutting edge gene therapy for ultra-rare disorders.

Through VPAS, NHS England has:

• delivered a world-leading rollout of cystic fibrosis triple therapy, which is crucial as the prevalence of cystic fibrosis in the UK is the second highest in Europe and third globally
• secured first-in-Europe patient access for a number of new drugs, including a revolutionary lung cancer drug – sotorasib – and life-extending prostate cancer drug, darolutamide
• negotiated commercial agreements to provide 3 new treatments, in less than 3 years, for children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy – the leading genetic cause of infant mortality
• struck a series of national deals for HIV treatments and preventative drugs that will support England to meet an ambition to become the first country to end HIV transmissions before 2030

Health Minister, Will Quince, said:

Not only has VPAS delivered value for money for the taxpayer and saved the NHS billions of pounds, it has also saved people’s lives by supporting cancer patients and others with life-threatening conditions to have rapid access to new, life-saving and life-extending treatments.

The scheme is vitally important as it keeps the branded medicine bill affordable for the NHS, and ensures the UK life sciences industry can earn the money it needs to fund research and development into new and improved medicine.

The NHS buys medicines from pharmaceutical companies and is internationally competitive in the speed in adopting innovative medicines. Industry data shows there are 5 treatments available in England for every 4 in Europe, as well as almost a third more cancer drugs.

VPAS has also helped NHS England to:

• continue progress that keeps England on track to become the first country to eliminate hepatitis C ahead of the World Health Organization’s 2030 goal
• fast-track more than 100 cancer drugs to NHS patients via the Cancer Drugs Fund
• provide international leadership in the delivery of a subscription-style payment model for antibiotics to incentivise new development and help tackle antimicrobial resistance

Chief Negotiations Advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care, Sir Hugh Taylor, said:

The future VPAS scheme must continue to benefit the NHS and give its patients access to the best medicines, while supporting our life sciences sector.

I’m looking forward to parties getting round the table to reach an agreement which not only benefits the NHS but will also encourage the pharmaceutical sector to continue investing in the UK.

Negotiations for the successor to the current VPAS are expected to start in the spring, with Sir Hugh Taylor appointed by the government to oversee the negotiations. The successor scheme will come into force on 1 January 2024.

NHS England’s Director for Commercial Medicines Negotiation, Rob Kettell, said:

The NHS has a track record of using its commercial capabilities to secure world-leading access to life-changing new treatments for patients at the best value for the taxpayer, with recent industry data placing the UK in the top 3 fastest G20 countries to roll-out new medicines.

This scheme has had a major impact for thousands of patients and their families, and ahead of negotiations for a new branded medicines agreement, the NHS is committed to working with government and industry to ensure that patients’ needs are at the forefront of these discussions.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 April 2023.

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

Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives to help them quit as part of a sweeping package of measures to cut smoking rates in England.