Tag: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the rate of uptake by the NHS of faecal microbiota transplants in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on faecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. NICE has recommended that the procedure is safe enough for use in the National Health Service, but no assessment of its cost effectiveness has been made by NICE.

Data on the uptake by the NHS of faecal microbiota transplants in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-06-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial support has been offered to the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance in addition to the support given over the Right Chair, Right Time, Right Now campaign and charter.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Minister for Community and Social Care (Alistair Burt), together with the Minister for Disabled People (Justin Tomlinson) recently met with Baroness Grey-Thompson, Chair of the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance, and NHS England to discuss what action could be taken to improve wheelchair services. This includes NHS England discussing the focus and content of a model service specification for wheelchairs with the Alliance.

NHS England made available a further £10,000 to the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance for support during 2015/16.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Basildon and Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group has diverted finance intended for mental health services to reduce financial shortfalls in the acute sector.

Lord Prior of Brampton

No such assessment has been made. NHS England allocates funding to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to commission health services, including mental health services, to meet the needs of local communities. CCGs are responsible for decisions about how their allocation is used, taking account of local priorities, and are committed to increasing spending on mental health each year in line with the increases in overall National Health Service funding allocations. NHS England advises that, in line with Basildon and Brentwood CCG’s move towards parity of esteem, the CCG has increased investment into mental health services in 2016/17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with other EU member states about whether the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive provides sufficient safeguards to allow regulators to assure themselves that migrant healthcare professionals have kept their skills and competence up-to-date.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The revised Directive was negotiated between Member States including the United Kingdom over a number of years before its publication in the Official Journal in 2013. A copy of the Directive is attached.

The main aim of the Directive is to increase freedom of movement of professions across the European Union by providing a framework for the regulatory bodies to consider a professional’s qualification. If a professional’s qualifications are of the standard recognised across Europe they are deemed to be of sufficient quality. Ifhowever a professional’s qualification does not meet the minimum standards set out across Europe the regulator can require them to undertake further training to improve their skills and competence before being permitted to practise in the UK.

Individual employers also have a responsibility to ensure that the people they employ or contract with have the required knowledge and skills and qualifications for the posts for which they are applying.

Once a professional has been registered with the regulatory body they must adhere to the same requirements as UK registrants including continuing professional development and revalidation (for doctors and nurses) to ensure that they remain fit to practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken in the light of the recommendations of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2011 that NICE and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency should be instructed to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug bevacizumab in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and produce national guidelines for the use of anti-VEGF agents in AMD.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Department has no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop technology appraisal guidance on the use of bevacizumab for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Bevacizumab is not licensed for use in the treatment of wet AMD. Other licensed drugs are available for the treatment of AMD and have been recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance as clinically and cost effective. The National Health Service in England is legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE technology appraisal guidance. NICE is currently developing a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of AMD and currently expects to issue final guidance in August 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the focus in the current dietary advice by NHS Choices to people with diabetes or who are pre-diabetic on the possible benefits of a diet combining protein with low glycemic load carbohydrates.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Public Health England (PHE) advocates a healthy balanced diet for all based on the eatwell plate; the national healthy eating guide. The eatwell plate shows for a healthy balanced diet people should try to eat plenty of starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, some milk, dairy, meat, fish and other non-dairy sources of protein and only small amounts of food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar.

The Government takes a whole population approach to healthy eating, and therefore does not provide specific dietary advice to individuals with medical needs. It is recommended for anyone with a medical condition who is in search of dietary advice to consult their local general practitioner or a dietician.

In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, a review of the latest evidence on dietary carbohydrates and health. SACN recommended reducing sugar consumption, increasing fibre consumption and minimising consumption of sugars-sweetened drinks. A copy of Carbohydrates and Health is attached.

Following publication, advice on what constitutes a healthy balanced diet, for the general population, which includes those with diabetes, was updated to reflect SACN’s recommendations. As part of this, PHE is undertaking a review of the eatwell plate; the refreshed resource will be launched in early 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have, if any, to show that sponsored academies are more successful at improving in terms of Ofsted status, when compared to similar maintained schools.

Earl of Courtown

Ofsted inspection reports for sponsored academies are readily available, as is information on exam performance.

Sponsored academies are transforming some of the worst underperforming schools under the guidance of an expert sponsor. Becoming an academy enables us to move quickly to replace poor leadership and governance in these failing schools, giving strong leaders the freedom to make decisions that will drive up standards balanced with tough accountability.

The latest Ofsted Annual Report (December 2015) stated that: “Sponsor-led academies were initially created to raise attainment in schools with long-standing poor performance, often in very deprived areas. Attainment in these schools has increased over time, with the longest standing academies having the strongest performance.”

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements have been put in place for independent external evaluation of the Lead Provider Framework process, and when that evaluation will report.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Given the relatively early stage of procurements from the Lead Provider Framework, it would be premature to undertake an independent evaluation. NHS England is, however, keen to learn lessons as to how the Lead Provider Framework process can be improved for users and bidders alike.

NHS England has therefore sought feedback from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), providers and NHS clinical commissioners. They are acting on this information and are intending to share lessons learnt with those CCGs who are yet to use the Lead Provider Framework; for example by sharing specifications and evaluation approaches that other organisations have developed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the outcome of the Clinical Commissioning Group review into recent allegations about the NHS 111 service in the East Midlands.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England advises that North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) comprehensively and swiftly investigated the allegations about the NHS 111 service in the East Midlands. The core of the allegations has no substance.

The report however made a number of recommendations for the service, and the CCG will update NHS England regularly as these are implemented.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost of giving free prescriptions to students in full-time education.

Lord Prior of Brampton

We are unable to provide the cost of giving free prescriptions to students in full-time education.

The estimated cost of giving free prescriptions to those young people aged 16, 17 and 18 in full-time education for the period April 2014 to March 2015 is £68,088,373. This is based on information captured when processing National Health Service FP10 prescription forms which were dispensed in the community during the period April 2014 to March 2015.

We do not hold the information on how much the average student spends per year on prescriptions.