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1086498

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Prescriptions: Asthma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2019 to Question 226472 on Asthma: Prescriptions, what the prescription charge exemptions are for which someone with asthma may qualify.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	230632
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people afford National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of prescription charge exemptions, for which someone with asthma may qualify.</p><p> </p><p>An individual can get free NHS prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, they:</p><p>- are 60 or over;</p><p>- are under 16;</p><p>- are 16 to 18 and in full-time education;</p><p>- are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx);</p><p>- have a specified medical condition and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx);</p><p>- have a continuing physical disability that prevents them going out without help from another person and have a valid MedEx;</p><p>- hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability; and</p><p>- are a NHS inpatient.</p><p>Individuals are also entitled to free prescriptions if they or their partner receive, or are under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:</p><p>- Income Support;</p><p>- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance;</p><p>- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance;</p><p>- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit; and</p><p>- Universal Credit and meet the criteria.</p><p> </p><p>Or are entitled to or named on:</p><p>- a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate for Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less.</p><p> </p><p>For those on a low income, people may be eligible for full or partial help with prescription charges through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 19/03/2019 16:23:56 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1079449

registered interest
date	28/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Food: Labelling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for the introduction of compulsory calorie information on restaurant menus.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	227050
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 answer text <p>I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous MP) on 23 January 2019 to Question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-01-21/210542/" target="_blank">210542</a>.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 06/03/2019 16:36:01 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1063970

registered interest
date	19/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prevent patients from being incorrectly denied access to medicinal cannabis.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	223142
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The decision to prescribe a cannabis-based product for medicinal use is one for individual clinicians to make, as part of a multidisciplinary team and in partnership with patients and their families.</p><p> </p><p>It would be inappropriate to second-guess the prescribing decisions of clinicians, who will be experts in their area and bear responsibility for prescribing.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 27/02/2019 16:19:18 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1063625

registered interest
date	18/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending entitlement to discounted (a) prescriptions, (b) eye tests and (c) dental treatment to (i) apprentices earning the apprentice rate of the minimum wage and (ii) all other apprentices.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	222612
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>The Department has extensive arrangements in place to help people access prescriptions, eye sight tests and dental treatment. This includes a broad range of National Health Service charge exemptions for certain medical conditions and related to age or entitlement to certain social security benefits. The Department has no current plans to amend these exemptions.</p><p> </p><p>Apprentices on a low income, who do not qualify for an exemption, may be eligible for full or partial help with prescription charges, dental treatment charges and the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>On prescription charges, to support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the low-income scheme, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 26/02/2019 11:43:59 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1062072

registered interest
date	15/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Dental Services and Prescriptions: Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much revenue has been generated by issuing penalty charge notices for people not in receipt of the qualifying benefit to receive free prescriptions and dental treatment.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	222000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>Information provided by the NHS Business Services Authority on income from penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued in England, in respect to prescriptions and dental treatment, in each calendar year since 2014, is provided in the following table:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar Year</p></td><td><p>Dental PCN Income (£)</p></td><td><p>Prescription PCN Income (£)</p></td><td><p>Total PCN Income (£)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>9,326,330.28</p></td><td><p>525,666</p></td><td><p>9,851,996.71</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>9,009,223.12</p></td><td><p>7,312,277</p></td><td><p>16,321,500.27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>15,542,912.60</p></td><td><p>13,835,118</p></td><td><p>29,378,031.02</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>17,086,583.83</p></td><td><p>18,252,198</p></td><td><p>35,338,782.18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>13,840,674.71</p></td><td><p>23,839,078</p></td><td><p>37,679,753.08</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total 2014-18</p></td><td><p>64,805,724.54</p></td><td><p>63,764,338.72</p></td><td><p>128,570,063.26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><ol><li>NHS Business Services Authority assumed responsibility for the Prescription Exemption Checking Service on 17 September 2014, accordingly no data is held prior to this.</li><li>Cleansing of PCN data is responsible for minor variation from previously published figures.</li></ol> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 20/02/2019 17:33:30 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1060667

registered interest
date	13/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Fluoride: Drinking Water
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent comparative assessment he has made of the (a) level of fluoride in water supplied by regional water suppliers and (b) effect of those levels on child dental health.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	220799
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>The most recent comparative assessment can be found in Public Health England’s ‘Water Fluoridation Health Monitoring Report for England (2018)’ which can be viewed at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>This gives a detailed description of the effects on dental health of living in areas with a water fluoridation scheme (containing ≥0.7mg/l fluoride) compared to areas without a water fluoridation scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The report found that in areas where there is a water fluoridation scheme children aged five in deprived areas are 39% less likely to experience tooth decay and children in deprived areas are 68% less likely to be admitted to hospital for dental extractions.</p><p> </p><p>The report found that water fluoridation is an effective and safe intervention to improve oral health and reduces inequalities.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 18/02/2019 17:15:31 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1056862

registered interest
date	07/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking in response to the resolution of the House of 24 January 2019 on appropriate ME treatment.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	218214
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is investing over £1.7 billion a year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Since 2011, the MRC has funded seven research projects totalling £2.62 million, following a call for proposals to help increase the understanding of the mechanisms of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). CFS/ME research remains an area of high strategic importance for the MRC. Applications are encouraged in response to MRC’s Science Boards and Panels under a Cross-Board highlight notice, in place since 2003 and updated in 2011.</p><p> </p><p>On 20 September 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced its decision to undertake a full update of the guideline, ‘Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): Diagnosis and management of CFS/ME in adults and children’, following a review of the latest available evidence on the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME and a public consultation. New guidance is expected in October 2020. More information on this decision can be found at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-to-begin-review-of-its-guidance-on-the-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-cfs-me" target="_blank">www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-to-begin-review-of-its-guidance-on-the-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-cfs-me</a></p><p> </p><p>In terms of training, the General Medical Council sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that new United Kingdom medical graduates must be able to demonstrate and Royal Medical Colleges, such as the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) set the standards for postgraduate medical education in general practice. General practice is where most patients with CFS/ME are likely to be managed, and the condition is identified as a key area of clinical knowledge in the RCGP Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) content guide. The AKT is a summative assessment of the knowledge base that underpins general practice in the United Kingdom within the context of the NHS and is a key part of GPs’ qualifying exams.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, regarding concerns about the wellbeing of children; we recognise that chronic medical conditions, such as ME, can put a strain on the child and their family. Whilst the Department for Education would want to avoid action that would add to the strain, it is right that children’s services should be prepared to assess the needs of children who may be at risk. It is important that the assessment of a child is conducted on a multi-agency basis, and takes account of any medical condition the child may have.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2018, the Department for Education published an updated version of its statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’. This includes guidance on how assessments should be conducted, and sets out new local multi-agency procedures. Health services are one of the core local safeguarding partners.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 14/02/2019 12:13:54 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1055310

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Pharmacy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the quantity of drugs having to be disposed of by NHS pharmacies; and what reasons are given for the disposal of those drugs.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	216984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2019 answer text <p>The Department has made no recent estimate of the quantity of drugs having to be disposed by National Health Service pharmacies.</p><p> </p><p>However, research commissioned by the Department to determine the scale, causes and costs of waste medicines in England and published in November 2010, found that the gross cost of unused prescription medicines in primary and community care in the NHS in England in 2009 was £300 million a year and that up to £150 million of this amount was avoidable.</p><p> </p><p>Much of the waste identified was not caused by failures on the part of either patients or professionals, but by factors such as illnesses progressing and treatment changes being required.</p><p> </p><p>It also found that the NHS was managing the problem of medicines wastage more robustly than ever before, wastage of medicines was not a systemic problem in the NHS and was no worse than other comparable countries.</p><p> </p><p>The report is available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1350234/1/Evaluation_of_NHS_Medicines_Waste__web_publication_version.pdf" target="_blank">http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1350234/1/Evaluation_of_NHS_Medicines_Waste__web_publication_version.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>Nevertheless, NHS England is taking further action to promote medicines optimisation, such that patients receive the right medicine, at the right dosage, at the right time, and mitigate medicines wastage. This includes the deployment of clinical pharmacists in general practice and care homes to undertake structured medication reviews.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 08/02/2019 14:53:30 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1055311

registered interest
date	05/02/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Pharmacy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to enable NHS pharmacies to redistribute sealed quantities of drugs that would otherwise become surplus and remain unused, for approved medical purposes (a) in the UK or (b) as part of the UK's international development programme.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	216985
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2019 answer text <p>The Department is concerned about wastage from unused medicines and is keen to minimise unnecessary extra costs. However, it does not promote the reuse of returned medicines that have left a pharmacy and returned unused by patients. This is because it is not possible to guarantee the quality of returned medicines on physical inspection alone. When medicines are returned from patients’ homes, there is no way of knowing whether the medicines have been stored or handled appropriately. Some medicines may deteriorate if, for example, left too close to a radiator, in direct sunlight or exposed to the environment.</p><p> </p><p>As far as the United Kingdom’s international development programme is concerned, the World Health Organization’s ‘Guidelines for Medicines Donations’ updated in 2010 should be followed, which state that there should be no double standards in quality. If the quality of an item is unacceptable in the donor country, it is also unacceptable as a donation. The guidelines are available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44647/9789241501989_eng.pdf;jsessionid=713DED104D92853AAAE51F04C521CAF7?sequence=1" target="_blank">https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44647/9789241501989_eng.pdf;jsessionid=713DED104D92853AAAE51F04C521CAF7?sequence=1</a></p><p> </p><p>Although it wishes to help, the Department would wish to avoid being accused of dumping unwanted or substandard items on poor and developing countries, which it does not use for patients in this country.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 08/02/2019 14:54:28 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1041627

registered interest
date	15/01/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cervical Cancer: Screening
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of enabling women under the age of 25 to undergo cervical screening.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	208783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2019 answer text <p>Almost all cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is linked to the development of the disease. With the high uptake of the HPV vaccination in adolescent girls since 2008, there is little evidence for lowering the age of cervical screening, as those born since September 1994 will turn 25 this year and become eligible for routine screening.</p><p> </p><p>The United Kingdom National Screening Committee looked at the starting age for cervical screening in 2012 and recommended that screening should be offered from the age of 25. This was based on the evidence that screening below this age would in fact cause more harm than benefit.</p><p> </p><p>Younger women often undergo natural and harmless changes in the cervix that screening would identify as cervical abnormalities. In the vast majority of cases these abnormalities will resolve themselves without any need for treatment.</p><p> </p><p>A number of questions and answers have been written to help explain the rationale for starting screening at age 25 rather than 20. This document can be viewed at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://legacyscreening.phe.org.uk/cervicalcancer-qa" target="_blank">https://legacyscreening.phe.org.uk/cervicalcancer-qa</a></p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 22/01/2019 15:11:53 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead