The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR invests in expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce and support services to support recruitment to clinical trials. The NIHR Clinical Research Facilities support the delivery of early phase trials and the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) and Patient Recruitment Centres support delivery and participation in later phase clinical trials.<\/p>
The NIHR also provides the online platform 'Be Part of Research' which allow users to search for and register interest in clinical trials, matching people to trials of relevance to them.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:23:48.693Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Clinical Trials"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) new clinical trials have the support they need to recruit patients and (b) patients are made aware of clinical trials as a potential way to access new medicines.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1383", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Tami"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Alyn and Deeside"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Tami"} ], "uin" : "1458"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669465", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669465/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Action is being taken to increase and support the existing NHS workforce capacity. The Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) surgical hub programme has published workforce guidance designed to assist providers and integrated care systems (ICSs) in planning the workforce requirements for new or expanded surgical hubs. The guidance outlines key enablers for successful workforce recruitment, retention and planning, as well as helpful operational tools such as e-rostering and staff passports. The guidance focuses on surgical and theatre teams as well as on the wider hub team including allied health professionals.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:28:59.503Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Surgical Hubs: Staff"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure surgical hubs are fully-staffed with (a) allied health professionals and (b) other staff.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4368", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil Coyle"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bermondsey and Old Southwark"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil Coyle"} ], "uin" : "1587"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669492", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669492/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are aware of disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While some issues have now been resolved, we know that there are currently disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. These issues are expected to resolve in early 2024.<\/p>
<\/p>
We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine shortages can be and we want to assure patients that we are working intensively with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom, in the short and long term.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have issued communications to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients whilst there continue to be disruptions to supplies. Patients are advised to speak to their clinician regarding any concerns they have and to discuss the suitability of treatment with alternative medicines.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:12:03.45Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of supplies of ADHD medication for (a) children and (b) adults.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"} ], "uin" : "1646"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669540", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669540/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are currently 3,738 full time equivalent doctors working in the specialty of cardiology in the National Health Service in England. This is 666 (21.7%) more than in 2019. Within this there are 1,653 full time equivalent consultants working in the speciality of cardiology, 278 (20.2%) more than in 2019.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP), published by NHS England on 30 June 2023, sets out our aim to double the number of medical school places in England to 15,000 places a year by 2031/32. It also sets out how we will work towards this expansion by increasing places by a third, to 10,000 a year, by 2028/29. The LTWP commits to an adequate growth in foundation placement capacity, as those taking up these new places begin to graduate, and a commensurate increase in specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS in the future. This will substantially increase the potential pipeline for the cardiologist workforce in primary and secondary care.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:20:39.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Heart Diseases: Health Services"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to increase the specialist cardiology workforce in (a) primary and (b) secondary care.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Dowd"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bootle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Dowd"} ], "uin" : "1606"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669548", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669548/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP), which was published on 30 June 2023, sets out an expansion of new and extended roles to increase the breadth of skills within multidisciplinary teams, better meet the needs of patients, their families and unpaid carers, and enable more care to be delivered in primary and community settings. The National Health Service is determined to continue to invest in training opportunities and the development of career paths for the whole workforce. The LTWP set out that training places for anaesthesia associates (AAs) will increase to 250 by 2028/29. This will support our ambition to increase places to 280 a year by 2031/32.<\/p>
We strongly recommend that employers only consider recruiting AAs who are on the AA Managed Voluntary Register (MVR) which is currently held by the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA). It enables supervisors and employers to check whether an individual is qualified and safe to work in the United Kingdom.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:25:16.39Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Anaesthesia Associates"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the impact of the number of anaesthesia associates on the quality of care.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4515", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kate Osamor"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Edmonton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kate Osamor"} ], "uin" : "1659"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669674", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669674/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), who have invested £1.1 million in a randomised controlled trial to examine if it is feasible, safe and effective to use psilocybin to treat people with treatment-resistant depression. The NIHR is supporting psilocybin research via the NIHR King\u2019s Clinical Research Facility and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, where researchers are developing and evaluating the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapy for use in the National Health Service and other healthcare settings. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the use of psilocybin in the treatment of severe depression and other chronic conditions.<\/p>
Before any new medicine can be used to treat patients, it must go through a strictly monitored development process. Manufacturers of medicines are expected to conduct research and clinical trials, and medicines must undergo scrutiny by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency which will assess the safety, quality and efficacy of a product before a marketing authorisation (licence) may be granted. For a licence to be granted for a medicine the MHRA must receive a full marketing application from the applicant. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evaluates all new medicines for clinical and cost effectiveness and makes recommendations about routine funding and use on the NHS. This is the foundation of NHS decisions about routine access and funding of medicines.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-16T17:19:08.523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Psilocybin"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to provide access to psilocybin for the treatment of (a) severe depression and (b) other health conditions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4737", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dehenna Davison"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bishop Auckland"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dehenna Davison"} ], "uin" : "1758"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669702", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1669702/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "