Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 December 2022.

• £105 million to speed up diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in newborns, potentially resulting in life-saving interventions for thousands of babies
• Additional funding to kickstart programmes to help improve the accuracy and speed of cancer diagnosis and tackle health inequalities
• Part of new three-year plan to roll out new technologies across the health and care system, bolstering the UK’s position as a life sciences superpower

Patients with cancer and children born with treatable rare genetic diseases are set to benefit from earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment, following a £175 million boost to cutting-edge genomics research announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary today.

The funding will enable research which could deliver world-leading genomic healthcare to patients, which involves the study of people’s DNA. The boost is part of a new three-year plan to develop, evaluate and roll out new technologies across the health and care system and life sciences sector, bolstering the UK’s position as a life sciences superpower. This includes:

• £105 million to kickstart a world-leading research study, led by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS, to explore the effectiveness of using whole genome sequencing to find and treat rare genetic diseases in newborn babies. For example, rare genetic thyroid hormone conditions, which are not detectable by the routine NHS heel prick test, and can cause developmental and learning difficulties and longer-term health complications without treatment. The study will sequence the genomes of 100,000 babies over the course of the study – which will begin in 2023 – and will gather evidence to consider whether this could be rolled out across the country.
• An initial £26 million to support an innovative cancer programme, led by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS, to evaluate cutting-edge genomic sequencing technology to improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis for cancer patients and use artificial intelligence to analyse a person’s DNA, alongside other information such as routine scans.
• £22 million for a programme, led by Genomics England, to sequence the genomes of up to 25,000 research participants of non-European ancestry, are currently under-represented in genomic research to improve our understanding of DNA and its impact on health outcomes. This will help reduce health inequalities and level up patient outcomes across all communities.

The government has also today announced up to £25 million of UKRI-MRC funding for a UK wide new initiative on functional genomics, an area of genomic research which uses molecular tools such as gene editing to improve understanding of how genetic variation leads to disease and support smarter diagnostics and the discovery of new treatments. The Life Sciences Vision set out in 2021 commits to delivering a world-class offer on functional genomics and the UK is in a strong position to become a leader in this area.

These announcements will build on the world-leading work of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

We’ve made advancements in so many areas to improve people’s health – from ensuring ground-breaking new medicines get to patients faster to bolstering the NHS workforce to ensure we have record numbers – and this plan, backed by £175 million, sets out how we will use the latest genomic technology to go further.

The potential for genomics to revolutionise the way we deliver health care is great – if we can detect treatable illnesses earlier and ensure patients access potentially lifesaving treatment faster, we could improve people’s lives across the county, including thousands of babies through this new pilot.

The NHS is a world leader in genomics and by investing in this cutting-edge research we’re cementing our status as a life sciences superpower.

Thousands of children are born in the UK every year with a treatable rare condition that could be detected using genome sequencing. Most rare disorders are genetic and children under the age of five are disproportionately affected. Whilst these conditions are often difficult to identify, genomic testing has already become the main way of providing a diagnosis.

The current NHS heel prick blood test carried out as part of newborn screening is used to detect nine rare but serious health conditions in babies, including sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis. However, screening a baby’s entire genome – all of their DNA – alongside the current heel prick could detect hundreds more rare, treatable diseases in their first years of life. For many of these illnesses early and effective intervention is crucial for helping these children live healthier lives.

The Newborn Genomes Programme will support vital healthcare research to enable better diagnostics and treatments to be developed and explore the potential benefits of safely and securely storing a patient’s genome on record to help predict, diagnose and treat future illnesses through their lifetime. For example, if a child who has had their genome sequenced falls sick when they are older, such as developing cancer, there may be an opportunity to use their stored genetic information to help diagnose and treat them.

A public consultation by Genomics England has shown overall support for the use of genomics in newborn screening, providing the right safeguards are in place. Genomics England engaged widely with the public, parents, families with rare disease, and healthcare professionals and scientists to navigate the scientific, clinical, ethical, and societal issues that newborn genome sequencing presents.

Minister for Health, Will Quince, said:

Genomics is changing the future of healthcare and this plan is a crucial next step in delivering our vision to create the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world.

Genomic sequencing can speed up diagnosis of cancer, ensure children with treatable illnesses receive treatment faster and improve our understanding around how health outcomes differ by ethnicity.

The UK continues to lead the way in genomics expertise, and this pioneering plan will save lives and ensure we are delivering better health outcomes at lower costs.

Alongside this, as part of their innovative cancer programme, Genomics England will partner with NHSE England (NHSE) to test new genomic sequencing technology for faster, more accurate cancer diagnosis. Working with NHSE and the National Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC), Genomics England will also combine imaging, genomic, and clinical data to better diagnose and predict the progress of a patient’s cancer.

To overcome the lack of diversity within genomic data, Genomics England will expand a range of programmes to build trusting relationships with traditionally excluded groups of people, such as patients with sickle cell disease who are unrepresented in research studies, alongside developing tools to enable doctors and researchers to better interpret genetic variations and make more informed decisions about patient care. This will help tackle health inequalities and improve patient outcomes within genomic medicine.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said:

From cancer treatment and diabetes research to increasing our understanding of rare and undiagnosed diseases, genomic medicine is already transforming lives and helping to create new treatments for all kinds of conditions.

Outstanding progress is being made across the UK, and this £175m plan sets out how we will use the latest genomic technology to go even further, leveraging the might of our excellent NHS and top researchers to lead the world in using genomics for healthcare, boost growth by supporting high quality jobs, and cement our position as a global science superpower.

NHS England National Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said:

The NHS is a world-leader in genomic medicine, and through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service we are already transforming the lives of thousands of patients with cancer and rare diseases by harnessing the latest technologies to deliver faster and more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatments and predicting and preventing certain conditions.

This project has the potential to provide yet more powerful tools for NHS teams as they work to save lives and improve life chances for patients, alongside the testing and treatment options that the genomics programme has already provided.

As set out in the government’s genomic healthcare strategy, Genome UK, the ambition is to create the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world. This will be underpinned by the latest scientific advances and engagement with patients and the public, developing the genomics workforce and supporting industrial growth. This will deliver better health outcomes at lower cost alongside commitments to enable more rapid diagnosis.

This comes as the government announced £113 million of funding last month for innovative research into cutting-edge new treatments including cancer immune therapies or vaccines and game-changing weight loss medication and technologies, to accelerate their development and rollout as part of the Life Sciences Vision.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Advisor to DHSC and CEO of the NIHR, said:

In Genome UK the government set out its ambition to create the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world. It is therefore crucial that we evaluate new genomic technologies in a robust way so that the public and clinicians can have confidence in how they are used. I therefore welcome the investment in this Implementation Plan to explore whether new approaches such as whole genome sequencing of newborns are effective, safe and acceptable to parents. These developments have the potential to transform healthcare. The Plan is a great example of the whole genomics ecosystem, including our NIHR delivery partners, coming together to achieve our goals in this exciting area of medicine.

Dr Rich Scott, Chief Medical Officer for Genomics England, said:

This continued investment in genomics means that the country is well placed to remain at the forefront and for us to be able to offer the best clinical care for patients.

Our goal in the Newborn Genomes Programme is to do more for the thousands of children born every year in the UK with a treatable genetic condition. We want to be able to offer speedy diagnosis, quicker access to treatment, and better outcomes and quality of life. We want to be able to say to parents that we’ve done the best we can to identify and do something about these life-changing illnesses, in a timely way before the damage these conditions can cause has been done. Generating this evidence will allow policymakers to make well informed decisions on whether and how whole genome sequencing could be rolled out as part of a future newborn screening programme.

With the pace of change of knowledge and the emergence of new technologies, it’s crucial that we continue to learn. That’s why our programme will also support research to improve diagnosis and treatment of genomic conditions and into the potential future healthcare uses of genomic data. It’s also why we will explore public preferences for how we might support these uses in the future if newborn genome sequencing became routinely offered.

Professor John Iredale, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:

MRC is delighted to be leading this £25m initiative in functional genomics. This exciting area of research allows us to build on the rich genomic work in UK flagship initiatives supported by MRC, such as the MRC Human Genetics Unit, Genomics England and UK Biobank, to drive a better understanding of how genes cause disease by linking genetic variation to physiological function. This will lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of disease and ultimately support the discovery and development of the next generation of diagnostics, medicines and vaccines.

ABPI’s director of research policy, Dr Jennifer Harris said:

This plan is a big step forward in delivering on the government and industry’s shared commitment to fully harness the power of genetic medicine to transform care for patients. It gives a much-needed boost to research and expands the opportunities for patients to take part in clinical trials, building on the recommendations of our report on genomics earlier this year.

It is essential UK patients get better access to genetic testing and genomic medicines through the NHS, and that Genome UK is fully implemented across the UK. The industry will continue to work with government and system partners to deliver these plans, and ultimately, realise the ambitions of the Life Sciences Vision by ensuring people across the country feel the benefits of the UK’s leadership in genomics.

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the BioIndustry Association, said:

England’s Genome UK implementation plan sets out key investments that will help make the UK the best place to start and scale new genomics companies. This is vital to allow the UK’s thriving ecosystem of genomics SMEs to flourish and benefit patients.

The commitment to a world class functional genomics initiative, developed in partnership with industry, will help maintain the UK’s global position. Improving SMEs’ access to high-quality genomics data through expanding existing initiatives, as well as through Genomics England’s new diverse data programme, will also support the development of cutting-edge UK innovation.

The UK BioIndustry Association welcomes the implementation plan and is looking forward to working with government and delivery partners on industry engagement and participation. Capturing metrics on SME engagement and support will be key to knowing if the plan has been a success.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 December 2022.

• The full £50 million pledged for MND research is being placed into the hands of researchers as quickly as possible with further awards made today.
• £29.5 million of government funding to be invested immediately through specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers.
• A further £20.5m to accelerate work on the most promising treatments has also been committed for use in MND research, available through open call processes.

The government will cut red tape in order to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, with immediate investment so NHS patients can benefit from cutting edge treatment and medicines, the Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, and Business Secretary, Grant Shapps, have announced today.

Work being done in the field of MND research has highlighted the impact that cutting-edge research can have, but also on the progress still to be made to help sufferers of this debilitating condition.

Removing red tape will ensure funding reaches frontline researchers more quickly, enabling faster progress towards treatments. This will be done through Biomedical Research Centres – which are collaborations between academics and clinicians to translate breakthroughs in the lab into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies – to get funding to the most promising researchers who are already working in MND.

As well as this, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council (MRC) will work together to ensure proposals are referred to the most appropriate scheme for consideration at the early idea stage.

This presents an opportunity for outstanding researchers to get further funding beyond the initial £50 million to get new treatments from the lab to patients.

The Health and Social Care Secretary will also host leading researchers and patient groups at a roundtable to discuss their research on MND and how they can access this additional funding and ensure bids are made – this will ensure an open dialogue of communication.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Motor neurone disease can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and I’m determined to help accelerate research to find a cure and develop innovative treatments.

We’ve already invested millions to improve treatments and our understanding of this condition but there’s more we can do and that’s why I’m now slashing red tape to fast-track funding and ensure it reaches frontline researchers more quickly.

I’m grateful to the United to End MND campaign, for their work raising awareness and I warmly congratulate Kevin Sinfield on his epic achievement completing seven ultra-marathons, as well as remembering the late Doddie Weir for his outstanding contribution over the past five years.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps said:

Some of the UK’s brightest and best scientific minds are battling to find treatments – and one day, a cure – for the cruel and devastating condition that is Motor Neurone Disease.  We have invested millions of pounds in supporting them in that fight, but we are committed to doing more.

Today’s measures will cut unnecessary red tape, getting that vital funding to the front line faster, as well as investing more in the crucial work that our world-leading scientists and researchers are doing.

£50 million was committed to MND research over the next five years by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last year, reinforcing progress being made by the UK’s world-leading scientists. Recent successes include stem cell research by the Francis Crick Institute to investigate the molecular processes that cause the disease; and the development by the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) of a new form of testing for MND, which is now being used in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a new treatment.

Today the government is accelerating £29.5 million of the committed funding into specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers to reduce bureaucracy and help researchers access funding as quickly as possible.

The £29.5 million package includes:

• £8 million for early phase clinical research for MND, speeding up innovative new treatments for patients through the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres, specialist research centres which bring together experts to translate scientific breakthroughs into potential treatments for patients.
• £12.5 million to support the best discovery science at the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI), recognising the fact that the underlying mechanisms of MND are shared with frontal temporal lobe dementia, presenting new possibilities for targeted drug development.
• A £3 million translational accelerator investment from MRC (to be matched later by another £3 million from NIHR) to join up these investments with other relevant programmes such as the MND collaborative and the UK Dementias Platform (DPUK).
• £1 million of government funding which was allocated in June 2022 enhance coordination of UK MND research by setting up a MND Collaborative Partnership, bringing together people living with MND, charities and MND researchers across the UK to discover meaningful MND treatments. This is co-funded by the medical research charity LifeArc and MND patient charities MND Association, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland.
• £2 million additional investment in this MND Collaborative Partnership to focus on gathering and analysing existing data on the condition to explore the underlying causes of MND and help develop breakthrough new treatments.

The remainder of the committed £50 million MND funding is available for researchers to access via NIHR and MRC. To support this work, the government has today published a joint NIHR/MRC Highlight Notice inviting outstanding researchers across the academic and life science sector to submit applications to an open call for the highest quality projects, responding to progress in science so breakthroughs can reach patients as quickly as possible.

NIHR and MRC are particularly looking for the opportunity to see ‘pull-through’ of treatments with early promise into clinical trials, as they emerge from the initial funding in this space. The NIHR and MRC already fund programmes across the whole translational research pipeline and anticipate funding scientifically excellent applications that will have a positive impact on patients’ lives, with the anticipation that this will increase the funded applications further over coming years over and above the initial commitment.

The funding will support researchers to better understand the disease and its related conditions, develop and test treatments and eventually give people living with the condition the chance of a better quality of life, and more good years with their loved ones.

CEO of the NIHR Professor Lucy Chappell said:

Today’s significant commitment to delivering Motor Neurone Disease research is a hugely welcome next step towards really tackling this debilitating illness.

This detailed plan makes full use of our world-leading health research sector, and gives us the best chance of making truly impactful findings and treatments.

Health research saves lives. We look forward to working with our researchers, partners and people living with Motor Neurone Disease to ensure the work outlined today is the best it can be.

The government will continue to harness expertise and innovation, such as the work that is already underway at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre where scientists are trialling new treatments to treat the condition. Promising trials have recently shown a delayed progression of the disease when the new drugs were given to patients.

The funding builds on the Life Sciences Vision, published in 2021 and sets out the government’s commitment to speed up innovative neurodegeneration and dementia research, so that new treatments reach patients faster.

Dr Catriona Crombie of LifeArc, on behalf of the MND Collaborative Partnership said:

The UK is leading the way in MND research. This new £2 million funding awarded to the MND Collaborative Partnership will help us to unlock the potential in patient data and could reveal new clues for scientists and researchers to develop new treatments.

We are grateful the government has listened to the coalition of people living with MND, the MND scientific community and MND charities who have highlighted how vital and urgent MND research progress is. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure the funding plans outlined today have the biggest impact and drive new treatments towards people with MND, fast.

This boost to MND research is part of wider funding into neurodegeneration research, including funding to support pioneering clinical trials which have led to major advances in how the disease is understood. This includes improving our understanding of how different types of MND are passed on genetically which could unlock new treatment options for patients using gene therapy. The government will continue to harness expertise and innovation, such as the work that is already underway at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre where scientists are trialling new treatments to treat the condition. Promising trials have recently shown a delayed progression of the disease when the new drugs were given to patients.

The funding builds on the Life Sciences Vision, published in 2021 and sets out the government’s commitment to speed up innovative neurodegeneration and dementia research, so that new treatments reach patients faster.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 9 December 2022.

Sixteen organisations across England will receive share of £1.97 million from the government to support women experiencing reproductive health issues in the workplace.

• Funding follows successful applications to this year’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Fund
• Money will help women to remain in or return to the workplace through and following pregnancy, pregnancy loss or menopause and delivers on commitments in the first ever Women’s Health Strategy for England

Over £1.97 million has been awarded to organisations across England to bolster innovative schemes that are improving the health of women in the workplace.

Launched in April 2018, the Health and Wellbeing Fund is a joint initiative run by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England (NHSE) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). A new round of the fund is launched every year and typically runs over three financial years.

The theme of the fund for 2022 to 2025 is women’s reproductive wellbeing in the workplace. Linking in with the development of the new Women’s Health Strategy, this fund aims to support organisations that can provide a holistic support offer to assist women experiencing reproductive health issues – for example menopause, fertility problems, miscarriage and pregnancy loss, menstrual health and gynaecological conditions – to remain in and return to the workplace.

Minister Helen Whately said:

We are supporting women experiencing reproductive health issues – such as pregnancy loss or menopause – to remain in or return to the workplace, through the Health and Wellbeing Fund.

We have already put women’s health at the top of the agenda by publishing the first ever Women’s Health Strategy for England, but there’s always more that can be done.

The contribution that the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector makes towards improving health and care is invaluable and improves the health of thousands of women.

The funding announcement demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the health of women through the first-ever Women’s Health Strategy, a landmark moment in addressing entrenched inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of women across the country.

Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:

The voluntary, community and social enterprise sector makes a significant contribution towards improving health and care and these projects will help deliver some of the important commitments set out in the Women’s Health Strategy for England.

The sector brings a wealth of understanding of the impact on people’s lives, including those from disadvantaged groups, helping us provide positive support to even more women wanting to remain in and return to the workplace.

Fund awardees

Ashiana Community Project

Ashiana Community Project will be using funding to tackle gender inequalities that women experiencing menopause transition experience in the workplace. This will include capturing the lived experiences of women to inform, educate and to advocate change while providing opportunities to offer tailored interventions so the diverse needs of women from all cultures can be addressed, and by to enabling timely support across and to challenge negative stereotypes.

Best Beginnings

Best Beginnings is a national charity that works to support all parents and caregivers throughout pregnancy and until children are five years old, with a focus on reducing inequalities. Its project will engage with employers, women and birthing people to co-produce materials to help new parents manage their health and wellbeing at work.

Birmingham Voluntary Services Council (BVSC), Salus Fatigue Foundation (Salus) and Disability Resource Centre (DRC)

Birmingham Voluntary Services Council (BVSC), Salus Fatigue Foundation (Salus) and Disability Resource Centre (DRC) partnership will use funding to develop a service that supports women’s hormonal health in the workplace and unemployed women experiencing hormonal health issues to re-join the workforce. This is part of its aim to ensure those of working age receive timely and accessible hormonal health support that is personal to them. It will support workplaces and culture being more accepting and supportive for women with hormonal health issues. By developing an Employer Pledge, the partnership will support employers in making women feel confident in applying for employment where their health and wellbeing will be prioritised.

Brook

The sexual health and wellbeing charity Brook will be using funding to deliver tailored one-to-one support, addressing the stigma and raising awareness of the impact the menopause can have within the workplace and providing practical support to local businesses to redevelop their policies and procedures so that they are inclusive of people experiencing the menopause.

Endometriosis UK

Endometriosis UK’s project will be to develop a national Workplace Menstrual Wellbeing scheme. Building on the achievements of the charity’s existing Endometriosis Friendly Employer (EFE) programme, the new scheme will provide small and medium enterprises with targeted resources to support employees with a broad range of menstrual health conditions, including webinars, case studies and downloadable materials.

Fertility Network UK

Fertility Network UK aims to change the work landscape for working women experiencing fertility issues and remove the taboos around infertility. The charity helps firms support staff on their fertility journey through working closely with organisations. This includes developing tailor-made fertility policies and facilitating sessions with managers and staff to enhance understanding of the impact of infertility and its treatment. The London-based national charity is focusing first on projects in the Yorkshire, Humber and North East.

Here

Here, a partnership health service for care, will be implementing a menopause programme in Brighton and Hove, it will work with small and medium size businesses to increase understanding and support for women going through the menopause in the workplace.

Maternity Action

Maternity Action, a maternity rights charity, will use the funding to support better health and employment outcomes for working women who are pregnant, recovering from giving birth, breastfeeding, or are experiencing pregnancy loss. This project will include providing information to employees and enabling access to legal support for families, as well as providing toolkits for employers.

Mind

Mind in Greater Manchester are funding a project to improve health outcomes for women and people experiencing reproductive health issues through delivering workplace training, raising awareness of the issues and an improved mindfulness offer.

Sands

Sands is a UK charity that works to save babies’ lives and supports anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. Its project will train managers and colleagues support bereaved staff and colleagues by creating a compassionate workplace environment.

Suffolk Libraries

Suffolk Libraries will be using the funding to deliver a new service to support women in the county to raise awareness of the menopause and signpost advice.

The Eve Appeal

The Eve Appeal’s project – the ‘Every Woman Promise’ – looks to minimise the negative impact of gynaecological health issues in the workplace through working with businesses to remove the stigma around gynaecological health and raise awareness of the support available. The aim is to both improve the health chances for women and those with gynae organs to improve the work environment, through engagement at a management level.

The Heeley Trust

The Heeley Trust is using the funding to create a community led approach by setting up multidisciplinary clinics, pop up information sessions, places for people to come together to connect, learn and share advice on occupational health, peer support and community wellbeing activities.

Wellbeing of Women

Following the continuing success of the charity’s Menopause Workplace Pledge, which has been signed by more than 2,000 employers so far, Wellbeing of Women will launch a new project in 2023 to develop menopause support for businesses so that more women feel able to continue in their careers. The charity will work with small and medium-sized businesses in parts of Bedfordshire to provide menopause awareness and training.

The Women’s Organisation

The Women’s Organisation are a developer and deliverer of training and support aimed at women in the UK. Its proposed scheme, Workplace Wellness of Women (WWOW), aims to utilise the Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, academic research on women’s health, and small and medium business employment evidence including business productivity, health and wellbeing, and staff development, to devise and rollout a social model of health support package targeting small and medium business employers in England.

Tommy’s

National charity Tommy’s works to reduce rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth in the UK through funding medical research to discover the causes of baby loss and helps women and people who give birth at every stage of their pregnancy journeys, supporting them and their partners with expert information and care.

This project will be helping women through their ‘Pregnancy and Parenting At Work’ training package, which will help workplaces understand and meet employees’ needs through pregnancy journeys, including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and other complications. Tommy’s will be developing free resources for small and medium enterprises in both Manchester and Birmingham.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 8 December 2022.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 December 2022.

The government is setting up an Elective Recovery Taskforce to help the NHS deliver on waiting list targets, bringing together a range of healthcare experts.

• 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres to deliver more life saving checks, tests and scans and speed up diagnoses for local patients
• New Elective Recovery Taskforce to help unlock spare capacity in the independent sector to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce waiting times
• First meeting of Elective Recovery Taskforce to be held at No10 Downing Street today

Patients will benefit from quicker access to treatment and lifesaving diagnostic tests close to home following the launch of a new Elective Recovery Taskforce and approval of 19 new one stop shops for tests, checks and scans, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced today.

The NHS has made progress in tackling the Covid backlogs, virtually eliminating waits of over two years for treatment – the first target in the Elective Recovery Plan – and reducing the number of people waiting 18 months for treatment by almost 60% in one year.

The taskforce will help deliver on the remaining targets, including eliminating 18-month waits by April 2023 and waits of longer than a year by March 2025.

The launch comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary announced the locations of 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) across the country which will help more people to easily access life-saving checks, tests and scans – and follows record investment into health and social care with the Autumn Statement committing up to an additional £8 billion for health and social care in 2024/25.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

The NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge to tackle covid backlogs.

Hardworking staff have made strong progress but I want to turbocharge our current plans to bust the backlog and help patients get the treatment they need.

The taskforce will look at sensible steps to utilise all existing capacity to slash waiting lists while ensuring the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

The taskforce, which will meet for the first time at Downing Street today, will be chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector to advise the government on ways to turbocharge NHS recovery from the pandemic, reduce waiting times for patients and eliminate waits for routine care of over a year by 2025.

Experts will focus on how the NHS can utilise existing capacity in independent sector to cut the backlog. The independent sector has been used to bolster NHS capacity and ease pressure at critical times for nearly two decades, delivering over 450,000 appointments in October alone, approximately 6% of NHS care. Commissioning of independent sector services by the NHS uses existing budgets and comes at no extra cost to the NHS, delivering value for taxpayer money.

The taskforce will bring together a group of experts to work on a series of recommendations which will be put to the government early next year on how the NHS can better commission the independent sector, supporting the NHS as it pulls out all the stops to tackle the Covid backlogs.

Specialties including ophthalmology and knee and hip replacements have led the way with successful collaboration with the independent sector meaning patients can return to their normal lives faster.

The taskforce will look to improve communication and collaboration between the NHS and independent sector, clearly setting out what theatres, beds and other settings (such as outpatients) are available in the independent sector. Maximising use of all additional capacity will support patients and ensure the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

Minister for Health Will Quince said:

We are relentlessly focussed on tackling waiting lists and busting the Covid backlogs and this new taskforce will bring together experts from across the healthcare system.

Doing so will ensure we’re using all the capacity available to us to improve care across the NHS and independent sector, and give patients more autonomy over when and where they are treated.

NHS England National Director of Elective Recovery Sir James Mackey said:

NHS staff are working incredibly hard to tackle the Covid backlog at a time of immense pressure on the health service with significant progress already made – virtually eliminating two year waits for care – and it’s vital that we continue to support staff to deliver for patients.

By maximising opportunities to deliver even more life-saving checks and tests, building on the successes of increasing use of the independent sector since the pandemic, we can speed up diagnoses and continue to bring down waiting lists for routine care.

Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, David Hare said:

We strongly welcome the establishment of a new taskforce to look at how the NHS can turbo-charge its use of the independent sector to tackle the elective care backlog.

For decades independent sector capacity has been used by the NHS to improve patients’ access to care free at the point of use, and giving patients’ a legal right to choose an independent sector provider for their treatment was a big factor in getting NHS waiting times down in the 2000’s.

The taskforce is a great opportunity to learn lessons from that period and in particular to make good on patients’ legal right to choose the best provider for them, whether public or independent sector, and to ensure that the capacity and capability which is available in the independent sector is being fully utilised for the benefit of NHS patients.

The new diagnostic centres will be located in the heart of communities across the country including football stadiums and shopping centres offering a range of services including MRI, CT and x-rays, making tests more accessible for patients. They will take the total of approved CDCs to 127, over 80% of the government’s intention to open up to 160 CDCs to perform up to nine million additional tests a year by 2025.

91 are already up and running across the country and new data shows the one-stop shops, backed by £2.3 billion in government funding, have delivered over 2.4 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. These are speeding up access to services for patients and reducing waiting times. In September CDCs delivered 11% of all diagnostic activity, a significant step in achieving our ambition for 40% of diagnoses to take place in CDCs by 2025.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 December 2022.

Cornwall first area in England to trial NHS Digital Health Check as part of government plans to digitise existing face-to-face health check.

• New digital check means people will do convenient and easy tests at home – making patients’ lives easier while reducing pressure on GP surgeries
• Those invited urged to take part in the trial which will inform the design and development of the digital check

A landmark trial aiming to make it easier and more convenient for patients to carry out important health checks and reduce pressure on GPs has been launched in Cornwall.

The trial – which is the first of its kind in England and part of the government’s plans to digitalise the existing NHS Health Check – will see patients complete an online questionnaire, use a kit to take a blood sample at home, and complete a blood pressure check at their local pharmacy or in their GP’s waiting room.

It will apply some of the lessons learned during Covid when people got used to doing tests at home and getting their results online.

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74. It’s designed to prevent stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of dementia. A total of 15 million people are eligible for free NHS Health Checks in England.

They are currently delivered through face-to-face appointments with GPs, but many parts of the check can be done without a GP, which means freeing up more time for clinicians. Patients also have to take time out of their day to go to the appointment, often at an inconvenience to them, with the new trial aiming to free up time for more urgent GP appointments.

More than 2,000 people from three GP surgeries across Cornwall are being invited to take part in the trial – only those whose results indicate an underlying health condition will be followed-up by their GP.

The results of the trial will help inform the design and development of the new national NHS Digital Health Check.

Minister for Public Health Neil O’Brien said:

Innovation is key to a modern, forward looking National Health Service, and this trial will help us understand what a new digital NHS Health Check could look like in the years to come.

The health check is crucial in preventing and identifying potentially life-threatening conditions, and this digital version will do just that while making patients’ lives easier and reducing pressure on frontline services.

During the pandemic people got used to doing tests at home and getting their results online, so this trial is an opportunity for us to apply some of the lessons we learnt during Covid and improve the way we deliver healthcare.

I urge everyone invited to take part in the trial so we can get the best possible data as we look to roll out a national digital check.

The checks have the potential to:

• prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes
• prevent 4,000 people a year from developing diabetes
• detect 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease each year
• avoid at least 650 premature deaths a year

Dr Andy Sant, managing director of NHS Cornwall’s North and East Integrated Care Area said:

Much has been achieved in our county around digital inclusion, and the preventative value of health checks is already proven. So we are delighted that patients in Cornwall are being given the first opportunity to access a digital version through this innovative trial. Amid such sustained pressure upon general practice, this is a welcome and logical progression.

The associated benefits are wide-reaching, from the convenience and savings for patients, to the positive impact on GP appointments. I hope that everyone who is invited will take up this offer. As well as the personal benefits, they will be helping to inform future advances at national scale.

The offer of NHS Health Checks has been historically lower in Cornwall than most local authorities in England. During 2019-20 over 13,400 checks were offered and over 6,900 were completed, but in 2021-22 approximately 4,300 were offered and just over 1,900 were completed.

Cllr Dr Andy Virr, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Public Health at Cornwall Council, said:

It is great news that this important trial involving innovative use of technology is being carried out in Cornwall and I would encourage all those invited to take part to do so.

We know there are avoidable differences in people’s health across our communities and cardiovascular disease still has a big impact on people in Cornwall.

So by making health checks like this easier to access and more convenient we can hopefully prevent more serious illnesses and identify people who may be at risk of stroke or heart attack earlier.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 November 2022.

A new package of measures to improve patient access to dental care has been introduced by the government.

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 28 November 2022.

The Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove, has today appointed Craig Crowley MBE FRSA as co-chair of the new British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board, which will advise the government on key issues impacting the Deaf community.

• Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove, announces the appointment of Craig Crowley MBE FRSA as co-chair of the BSL Advisory Board
• Mr Crowley is the CEO of Action Deafness, a Deaf-led charity providing BSL interpreting and community support
• Board’s launch follows BSL Act recognising BSL as a language in England, Scotland and Wales, which approximately 151,000 people in the UK use

Mr Crowley is the CEO of Action Deafness, a Deaf-led charity providing BSL interpreting and community support. He has worked tirelessly in several key roles to support Deaf people. As a past Chair of the UK Council on Deafness, Crowley has also been a key figure in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness, advocating for improved access to BSL in public services.

Recognising BSL as a language in England, Scotland and Wales for the first time, the BSL Act 2022 will make a considerable difference to Deaf BSL signers across the country. The new Board will provide personal and expert advice to the government on the implementation of the Act.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said:

“The British Sign Language Act is a key step to removing some of the barriers experienced by Deaf people in everyday life.

“The BSL Board will ensure we are guided and advised by those who know best how to make these important changes. I am delighted to announce Craig’s appointment and look forward to working with him to create a more inclusive, accessible, and fair society for everyone.”

The Board’s remit will be:

• advising on the use of BSL in public communications and policy delivery
• advising on how to tackle key issues facing Deaf people, such as how to increase the numbers of BSL interpreters

A senior civil servant will serve as the other co-chair. The Board membership will comprise of at least 16 members plus the co-chairs, with a majority of Deaf BSL signers. Membership will also include Deafblind people and/or those who use tactile sign.

The main criteria for appointment for all independent members will include a lived experience of BSL, alongside a willingness to work collaboratively in assisting the government to be more accessible.

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 28 November 2022.

Patients will benefit from cutting-edge new treatments as the government introduces a Vaccine Taskforce style approach to tackling health challenges.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 November 2022.

• All eligible people – including those in at-risk groups, pregnant women, and aged 50 or over – urged to get their free flu vaccine
• Many schoolchildren and 2 and 3 year old preschoolers are eligible for nasal spray flu vaccines
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) indicators have been met in England leading to the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer authorising antiviral medicines on prescription in primary care settings, in line with pre-pandemic seasons
• Flu is now circulating at higher levels than recent seasons

All those eligible for the flu vaccine have been urged to come forward as cases rise to levels not seen since before the pandemic.

So far this year, flu vaccine uptake in eligible groups is similar to the last couple of years, although there is a particular need for pre-schoolers, pregnant women and those in the health and social care workforces to take up the offer.

Latest UKHSA data shows there have been jumps in emergency department flu attendances and hospital admissions in the last week. The intensive care admission rate is now higher for flu than for COVID-19.

In the week 14 to 20 November 2022:

• the hospital admission rate for flu increased to 24 per million population, up from 15 per million the previous week. The highest rates were in the under 5s followed by the 75 years plus group. The COVID-19 rate was 44 per million population
• the intensive care and high dependency care for influenza increased to 21 per 10 million population compared to 13 per 10 million population in the previous week. The highest rates were in the under 5s followed by the 65 years plus group. The COVID-19 rate was 17 per 10 million population

Those aged 2 and 3 years old are eligible for nasal spray flu vaccines, with parents and guardians also urged to book appointments to ensure the younger age group is protected.

With both flu and COVID-19 cases both circulating this winter, it is also vital all those eligible get both vaccines as soon as possible.

Due to the increase in levels of flu circulating in the community, UKHSA has recommended that it is now appropriate for antiviral medicines to be prescribed in primary care settings.

Those eligible for antivirals if they have flu include patients in clinical at-risk groups as well as any who are at risk of severe illness and complications from flu if not treated. This includes people in those groups who present with symptoms of flu and those who have been exposed to flu-like illnesses from someone they live with, including residents of care homes.

As has happened in flu seasons before the pandemic, following an UKHSA recommendation, the Chief Medical Officer together with the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer have issued an alert to the NHS notifying the healthcare system that antiviral medicines can now be prescribed and supplied for cases of community acquired influenza.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said:

Flu and COVID-19 are both circulating. We are currently seeing higher rates of flu at this time of year than usual.

It is important those eligible have their flu jab as soon as they can. Vaccines are the best defence against these viruses. The most effective approach is to get vaccinated before it is circulating at very high rates.

As flu cases have risen and in order to protect the most vulnerable – in line with pre-COVID flu seasons antiviral medicines can now be prescribed in primary care settings such as GPs and pharmacies to those eligible who are most at risk to the complications of flu.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

Flu is a serious virus and, while we haven’t seen the number of cases we’re used to over the last couple of years, it is starting to circulate at high levels this season.

Thankfully we have the tools to protect those most at risk to flu. Thanks to our fantastic vaccination campaign, more than 17 million flu jabs have been given in England this season already.

For all those eligible who have not yet come forward for their free winter vaccines for flu and COVID-19, please do not delay in coming forward for your jab. It could not be easier.

In England, the first weekly winter update shows there were an average of 344 patients a day with flu in hospital last week, more than 10 times the number seen at the beginning of December last year.

In October, a new country-wide marketing campaign urging millions of eligible people to get their flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines to top up their immunity was launched.

Building on the success of the 2021 to 2022 COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the campaign stressed that the protection provided by vaccines wanes over time, so everyone eligible should boost their immunity by getting both vaccines ahead of a difficult winter.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Director for Immunisation and Programmes at UKHSA, said:

Our surveillance shows recent increases in laboratory and clinical influenza indicators across England, particularly NHS emergency department attendances, hospitalisations and intensive care. Alongside older adults, flu rates are rapidly rising in younger children. Vaccination remains critical and I urge everyone eligible to take up the offer.

Flu antivirals are effective in helping to keep people out of hospital and preventing the virus spreading to other more vulnerable household and family members. Now that we are seeing flu increasing it’s important that GPs consider the possibility of flu in respiratory patients and the use of antivirals in line with national guidance, particularly if they have ruled out COVID-19.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said:

The first weekly data this year shows that flu is already with us as we enter what could be the most challenging winter in NHS history, with hundreds of beds a day already occupied with patients with flu.

Flu can be extremely serious for lots of people, so pharmacies and GPs will now be able to prescribe antivirals to those most at risk of its complications to help people avoid the need for hospital care.

But the best way people who are eligible can protect themselves is by getting vaccinated without delay – there are thousands of sites across the country offering flu and COVID-19 jabs so please book in today if you haven’t already.

The alert concerning flu antiviral medicine has been issued to primary care settings including GPs and community pharmacies in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the manufacturers of antiviral medicines, used in the treatment of flu, to monitor stocks and ensure that there are adequate supplies of these medicines available to meet UK demand.

The prescription and supply of antivirals in primary care settings is in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.