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Answering member
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Patricia Hewitt
Type
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Hewitt, Patricia (476)
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My hon. Friend is right. It was unfair and unacceptable that in the past a minority of overspending trusts were bailed out, sometimes year after year, when other parts of the NHS—mental health organisations or, more often, underspending trusts in parts of the country, especially the midlands and the north—had even worse health problems. That was not fair and it gave the overspenders no incentive to sort themselves out. I am glad to say that with the fair, transparent and responsible financial system that we have put in place, we are stopping that unfairness at last.
My hon. Friend is right. It was unfair and unacceptable that in the past a minority of overspending trusts were bailed out, sometimes year after year, when other parts of the NHS—mental health organisations or, more often, underspending trusts in parts of the country, especially the midlands and the north—had even worse health problems. That was not fair and it gave the overspenders no incentive to sort themselves out. I am glad to say that with the fair, transparent and responsible financial system that we have put in place, we are stopping that unfairness at last.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Paddy Tipping
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Turnaround teams are important, because they resolve the problem in the current financial year so that there are not even bigger projected problems in the next financial year, 2007-08. Is it not right that individual trusts live within their means so that other partners and NHS trusts are not disadvantaged?
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c138
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
My hon. Friend makes an extremely important point. In striking contrast to the scaremongering that we get from the Conservative party about 20,000 redundancies, over the current financial year there have been just over 1,400 redundancies, the great majority in management and administrative jobs. Although it is of course difficult for the individuals concerned—we are ensuring that the NHS supports them in these difficult times—it is a very different picture from what the Conservative party and some of the media have been telling people.
My hon. Friend makes an extremely important point. In striking contrast to the scaremongering that we get from the Conservative party about 20,000 redundancies, over the current financial year there have been just over 1,400 redundancies, the great majority in management and administrative jobs. Although it is of course difficult for the individuals concerned—we are ensuring that the NHS supports them in these difficult times—it is a very different picture from what the Conservative party and some of the media have been telling people.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Charlotte Atkins
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Is my hospital trust typical? The university hospital of North Staffordshire announced 1,000 redundancies as a result of its deficit, but ultimately only 150 redundancies resulted, two thirds of which were voluntary. Clearly, any redundancy is a matter of regret, particularly in an area like north Staffordshire, but where does that leave the Opposition’s claims of 20,000 redundancies nationwide?
Subjects
Finance; NHS; Medical treatments; NHS trusts; Redundancy; Surgery
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c151
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the Health Committee report that was debated yesterday. The scale of achievement by NHS managers and front-line staff, supported by turnaround teams, is indicated by the in-year position of organisations that had a deficit last year. That deficit has been reduced by £600 million, almost all of which—nearly £500 million—can be attributed to the turnaround organisations, which have supplemented the excellent management in many parts of the NHS. It is up to local organisations to decide when they cease to make use of them.
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the Health Committee report that was debated yesterday. The scale of achievement by NHS managers and front-line staff, supported by turnaround teams, is indicated by the in-year position of organisations that had a deficit last year. That deficit has been reduced by £600 million, almost all of which—nearly £500 million—can be attributed to the turnaround organisations, which have supplemented the excellent management in many parts of the NHS. It is up to local organisations to decide when they cease to make use of them.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Kevin Barron
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
My right hon. Friend will know that in its report on NHS deficits the Select Committee on Health said that the fact that the turnaround programme had to be introduced was"““a sad reflection on the quality of much management in the NHS over many years.””"
When does she think that the turnaround teams will leave NHS institutions, which will be capable and competent enough to run services themselves?
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c138
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman did not mention the fact that in the past three years the budget for the national health service in Milton Keynes has increased by more than £47 million. In the current two years, it will receive a further £55.6 million increase. I congratulate the staff of Milton Keynes primary care trust and others working in the local NHS who have made difficult decisions this year to reduce their deficit, although they will need longer than this year to do so. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman speak to his hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), who said in the House yesterday that primary care trusts"““receive a given amount of public expenditure resources.””"
He might have said they receive more than every before. He continued:"““They should live within the overall resource envelope."
He said that a PCT"““has a responsibility not to spend more than the resources that are voted to it through the House.””—[Official Report, 12 March 2007; Vol. 458, c. 41.]"
Does the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) agree with that, or not?
I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman did not mention the fact that in the past three years the budget for the national health service in Milton Keynes has increased by more than £47 million. In the current two years, it will receive a further £55.6 million increase. I congratulate the staff of Milton Keynes primary care trust and others working in the local NHS who have made difficult decisions this year to reduce their deficit, although they will need longer than this year to do so. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman speak to his hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), who said in the House yesterday that primary care trusts"““receive a given amount of public expenditure resources.””"
He might have said they receive more than every before. He continued:"““They should live within the overall resource envelope."
He said that a PCT"““has a responsibility not to spend more than the resources that are voted to it through the House.””—[Official Report, 12 March 2007; Vol. 458, c. 41.]"
Does the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) agree with that, or not?
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Since the Secretary of State’s visit to Milton Keynes last summer, the Fraser day hospital has closed, along with a 23-bed surgical assessment unit, and there have been cuts to mental health services, oral health services, language therapy services, podiatry services and counselling services—the list goes on—so does she consider the turnaround programme in Milton Keynes a success?
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c137
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I very much regret the fact that the hon. Gentleman completely fails to pay credit to the NHS managers and staff who, in a very difficult year, have got a grip on NHS finances and will achieve financial balance at the end of this month, putting the NHS in a far stronger position. May I suggest that he has a word with his hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), just two seats along, who told the House only yesterday that it was the statutory responsibility of—
I very much regret the fact that the hon. Gentleman completely fails to pay credit to the NHS managers and staff who, in a very difficult year, have got a grip on NHS finances and will achieve financial balance at the end of this month, putting the NHS in a far stronger position. May I suggest that he has a word with his hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), just two seats along, who told the House only yesterday that it was the statutory responsibility of—
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Tim Loughton
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
What the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) failed to mention was that the Health Service Journal survey also revealed that seven out of 10 PCT chief executives agreed that patient care would suffer because of restricting access to treatments. Does the Secretary of State think that they should be applauded as good financial planners, encouraged by her Department to fudge the books and please the accountants, or is it a false economy that forces consultants to twiddle their thumbs for several months while sick patients are denied the treatments that they need?
Subjects
Finance; NHS; Medical treatments; NHS trusts; Redundancy; Surgery
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c151
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
Spending on the turnaround teams has been higher than we originally estimated because we found that more organisations had been overspending—some of them for years—and needed to go into the turnaround programme. The investment in the turnaround programme is a very small proportion of the savings that are now being made. The hon. Gentleman might wish to acknowledge that, as we indicated in the most recent financial report, eight out of 10 hospital trusts and seven out of 10 primary care trusts report an improvement on their in-year position. There has been an enormous improvement in the in-year position, and thanks to the difficult decisions that NHS managers and staff have made, the NHS has got a grip on its finances while continuing to improve waiting times, cancer treatment and other key services. By returning to balance at the end of this month, the NHS will be in a far stronger position for the next financial year and able to make further improvements for patients, particularly in cutting waiting times even faster.
Spending on the turnaround teams has been higher than we originally estimated because we found that more organisations had been overspending—some of them for years—and needed to go into the turnaround programme. The investment in the turnaround programme is a very small proportion of the savings that are now being made. The hon. Gentleman might wish to acknowledge that, as we indicated in the most recent financial report, eight out of 10 hospital trusts and seven out of 10 primary care trusts report an improvement on their in-year position. There has been an enormous improvement in the in-year position, and thanks to the difficult decisions that NHS managers and staff have made, the NHS has got a grip on its finances while continuing to improve waiting times, cancer treatment and other key services. By returning to balance at the end of this month, the NHS will be in a far stronger position for the next financial year and able to make further improvements for patients, particularly in cutting waiting times even faster.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Stephen O'Brien
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
In figures dragged from them last June, Ministers said that the declared central costs of the turnaround programme would be £5 million. Successive freedom of information requests showed that those costs have more than doubled to £11 million, and more recently we managed to extract the information that the local cost of the programme is more than £24 million. The central £11 million plus the £24 million means that the financial incompetence of the Secretary of State has so far cost £35 million, and rising. As the growth deficit of the NHS is forecast to increase this year, will the right hon. Lady tell us what the turnaround teams have delivered, what the final cost of the programme will be, and above all, at what cost to front-line patient care?
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c138-9
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
At least the hon. Gentleman and his party voted for those extra resources. I am surprised, however, that he did not refer to the fact that the NHS in Somerset will get additional funding of almost £120 million over the current year and next year. That is being reflected in the improvements taking place in Minehead hospital, the new cancer centre in Taunton and Somerset and the new community hospital at Frome. We believe that what we need is fair funding for the NHS—record funding for the NHS—and the best care for patients within the budget available. I know that the Liberal party has never been very keen on sound public finances or value for money, but the Government will continue to ensure that patients get the best possible value from the record investment that we have made.
At least the hon. Gentleman and his party voted for those extra resources. I am surprised, however, that he did not refer to the fact that the NHS in Somerset will get additional funding of almost £120 million over the current year and next year. That is being reflected in the improvements taking place in Minehead hospital, the new cancer centre in Taunton and Somerset and the new community hospital at Frome. We believe that what we need is fair funding for the NHS—record funding for the NHS—and the best care for patients within the budget available. I know that the Liberal party has never been very keen on sound public finances or value for money, but the Government will continue to ensure that patients get the best possible value from the record investment that we have made.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
David Heath
(Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
That was just typical: I asked three specific questions and received not a single reply from the Secretary of State. I thought that she would at least quote the results of the Health Service Journal survey of chief executives of trusts across the country, which revealed that 50 per cent. of primary care trusts are delaying operations; that 47 per cent. of all trusts may, have made or intend to make redundancies; and that 73 per cent. of PCTs are restricting access to treatment. Is not the conundrum this—that at a time when there is record cash going into the NHS and welcome investment in capital projects, we nevertheless have cuts in treatment? How can that be?
Subjects
Finance; NHS; Medical treatments; NHS trusts; Redundancy; Surgery
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c150-1
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
The decisions to which the hon. Gentleman refers are, of course, for the local NHS to make. Delayed discharges are a serious problem, and the local primary care trust must satisfy itself that alternative arrangements are in place, including intermediate care in patients’ own homes, to ensure that it does not recur and become worse, as it did when his party was in power.
The decisions to which the hon. Gentleman refers are, of course, for the local NHS to make. Delayed discharges are a serious problem, and the local primary care trust must satisfy itself that alternative arrangements are in place, including intermediate care in patients’ own homes, to ensure that it does not recur and become worse, as it did when his party was in power.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Simon Burns
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Following the turnaround team’s work in mid-Essex, how will the closure of all three intermediate care wards at St. John’s hospital alleviate the problem of delayed discharges at Broomfield hospital?
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c138
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
As set out in the most recent financial report, it is now clear that the NHS will achieve the three financial targets set for this year while maintaining key service standards. Achieving financial balance this year means that the NHS will be in a far stronger position in the new financial year and, in particular, will be able to make substantial progress towards achieving the target of 18 weeks maximum from GP referral to hospital operation.
As set out in the most recent financial report, it is now clear that the NHS will achieve the three financial targets set for this year while maintaining key service standards. Achieving financial balance this year means that the NHS will be in a far stronger position in the new financial year and, in particular, will be able to make substantial progress towards achieving the target of 18 weeks maximum from GP referral to hospital operation.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Subjects
Finance; NHS; Medical treatments; NHS trusts; Redundancy; Surgery
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c150
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
The estimated expenditure on the turnaround programme to 31 March 2007 is £10 million in central costs and £36 million locally. This is about 3 per cent. of the forecast in-year savings from the programme.
The estimated expenditure on the turnaround programme to 31 March 2007 is £10 million in central costs and £36 million locally. This is about 3 per cent. of the forecast in-year savings from the programme.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
What the accumulated central and local NHS expenditure has been on the turnaround programme.
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c137
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
What percentage of NHS trusts have (a) deferred operations, (b) made redundancies and (c) restricted provision of treatments in 2006-07 on grounds of reducing costs; and what percentage plan to do so in 2007-08.
What percentage of NHS trusts have (a) deferred operations, (b) made redundancies and (c) restricted provision of treatments in 2006-07 on grounds of reducing costs; and what percentage plan to do so in 2007-08.
Asked by
David Heath
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Tabled on
7 March 2007
For answer on
13 March 2007
Answered on
13 March 2007
As set out in the most recent financial report, it is now clear that the NHS will achieve the three financial targets set for this year while maintaining key service standards. Achieving financial balance this year means that the NHS will be in a far stronger position in the new financial year and, in particular, will be able to make substantial progress towards achieving the target of 18 weeks maximum from GP referral to hospital operation.
Subjects
Finance; NHS; Medical treatments; NHS trusts; Redundancy; Surgery
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c150; 126778
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
What the accumulated central and local NHS expenditure has been on the turnaround programme.
What the accumulated central and local NHS expenditure has been on the turnaround programme.
Asked by
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
(Conservative)
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Tabled on
7 March 2007
For answer on
13 March 2007
Answered on
13 March 2007
The estimated expenditure on the turnaround programme to 31 March 2007 is £10 million in central costs and £36 million locally. This is about 3 per cent. of the forecast in-year savings from the programme.
Subjects
Finance; Expenditure; NHS; Management
Date
13 March 2007
Reference
458 c137; 126771
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I readily congratulate that team on its excellent research. The introduction of smoke-free legislation later this year will be an important step forward in public health generally, and specifically in reducing the risk of other people acquiring that appalling condition in future. We will, of course, redouble our efforts to get across the message about the huge dangers involved in smoking for people of any age.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I readily congratulate that team on its excellent research. The introduction of smoke-free legislation later this year will be an important step forward in public health generally, and specifically in reducing the risk of other people acquiring that appalling condition in future. We will, of course, redouble our efforts to get across the message about the huge dangers involved in smoking for people of any age.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Brian Iddon
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
On the basis that prevention is better than cure, will my right hon. Friend congratulate Simon Kelly’s team at the Royal Bolton hospital, which has established a firm link between AMD and smoking? Does she agree that we should get the message across to all smokers in the land to try to avoid incidences of that difficult condition?
Subjects
Finance; Medical treatments; Macular degeneration
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c693
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I am delighted to hear my right hon. Friend’s praise for the new GP centre and new health centre in his constituency, and I know that it is excellent. I am glad that the number of GP registrars in training has doubled, as I have said. Although we have some 300,000 more staff in the NHS than in 1997, some newly qualified graduates are finding it difficult to get jobs this year. However, I am glad to say that there are some 2,000 more training places available for new doctors than there are medical graduates in England. I hope that that reassures my right hon. Friend.
I am delighted to hear my right hon. Friend’s praise for the new GP centre and new health centre in his constituency, and I know that it is excellent. I am glad that the number of GP registrars in training has doubled, as I have said. Although we have some 300,000 more staff in the NHS than in 1997, some newly qualified graduates are finding it difficult to get jobs this year. However, I am glad to say that there are some 2,000 more training places available for new doctors than there are medical graduates in England. I hope that that reassures my right hon. Friend.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Keith Vaz
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
My right hon. Friend will know that I had the pleasure of welcoming her excellent Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham), to Leicester, East, where he launched a new £12.8 million GP centre for my constituency. I agree that it is important that we should pay GPs a proper salary, but what responsibility will she place on them to ensure that they provide more training contracts for trainee doctors? I have heard anecdotal evidence of students going through medical school and coming out to find that there are no jobs for them. Can my right hon. Friend ensure that there is more responsibility on GPs to ensure that that does not happen?
Subjects
Consultants; Finance; General practitioners; NHS; Pay
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c706-7
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
The hon. Lady is right, because one has to look at the consequences for an individual and for social care and health services of a patient losing their sight. However, it really is not good enough for Conservative Members constantly to demand additional funding for new drugs, new treatments and additional services, when they have been wholly unwilling to support additional investment in the NHS—investment that we made and they voted against.
The hon. Lady is right, because one has to look at the consequences for an individual and for social care and health services of a patient losing their sight. However, it really is not good enough for Conservative Members constantly to demand additional funding for new drugs, new treatments and additional services, when they have been wholly unwilling to support additional investment in the NHS—investment that we made and they voted against.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Anne Milton
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Does the Secretary of State agree that the cost of the drugs that can have a successful effect on people with conditions such as AMD are insignificant compared with the social costs of failing to treat such diseases?
Subjects
Finance; Medical treatments; Macular degeneration
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c693-4
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I stress that if a GP practice has decided not to carry on taking responsibility for out-of-hours services—and most of them chose not to do so—it does not get paid for that service, which is then the responsibility of the primary care trust to provide. In most places, that system works very well. GPs are earning more because they are doing more. In particular, they are doing more to care for people with long-term conditions, such as coronary heart disease, and there are thousands of people who are alive today as a direct result of the new contract. I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman would want to congratulate GPs on that achievement.
I stress that if a GP practice has decided not to carry on taking responsibility for out-of-hours services—and most of them chose not to do so—it does not get paid for that service, which is then the responsibility of the primary care trust to provide. In most places, that system works very well. GPs are earning more because they are doing more. In particular, they are doing more to care for people with long-term conditions, such as coronary heart disease, and there are thousands of people who are alive today as a direct result of the new contract. I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman would want to congratulate GPs on that achievement.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Cormack
(Conservative)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Is not the real point of public concern the one raised by the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) in Prime Minister’s questions last week, when he asked the Prime Minister—and received no satisfactory answer—why GPs are being paid considerably more and doing considerably less in the way of after-hours and weekend service?
Subjects
Consultants; Finance; General practitioners; NHS; Pay
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c707
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
My hon. Friend is right, and I am proud of the fact that we have more than 32,000 GPs, which is a rise of more than 4,500 compared with 1997, and very nearly double the number of GP registrars in training. That shows that the investment, improvements and reforms that we are making in the NHS are paying off for GPs and their patients. All of them would be put at risk by the policies of the Conservative party.
My hon. Friend is right, and I am proud of the fact that we have more than 32,000 GPs, which is a rise of more than 4,500 compared with 1997, and very nearly double the number of GP registrars in training. That shows that the investment, improvements and reforms that we are making in the NHS are paying off for GPs and their patients. All of them would be put at risk by the policies of the Conservative party.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Andrew Gwynne
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
Does my right hon. Friend remember that before 1997 the general public were concerned about the brain drain of doctors going to work in other countries, and will she make sure that we do not return to those days by ensuring that we pay doctors properly?
Subjects
Consultants; Finance; General practitioners; NHS; Pay
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c706
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
My right hon. Friend has raised an extremely important point. As he has said, Avastin has not been licensed for use on macular degeneration, although it is being used by some clinicians with the support of the NHS. The problem is that the companies concerned—Genentech which manufactures it and Roche which distributes it in Europe—have not applied for a licence for its use on macular degeneration, and no clinical trials have been conducted for that purpose. At the moment, if a clinician wants to use Avastin and the patient is willing to have an unlicensed drug used, it is available on the clinician’s judgment, which will continue to be the case within the NHS. Although we cannot require the companies concerned to apply for a licence, in view of the very promising results that have been reported by a number of doctors, I urge both companies to initiate clinical trials for the use of Avastin for people with macular degeneration and to consider applying for a licence in the light of those trials.
My right hon. Friend has raised an extremely important point. As he has said, Avastin has not been licensed for use on macular degeneration, although it is being used by some clinicians with the support of the NHS. The problem is that the companies concerned—Genentech which manufactures it and Roche which distributes it in Europe—have not applied for a licence for its use on macular degeneration, and no clinical trials have been conducted for that purpose. At the moment, if a clinician wants to use Avastin and the patient is willing to have an unlicensed drug used, it is available on the clinician’s judgment, which will continue to be the case within the NHS. Although we cannot require the companies concerned to apply for a licence, in view of the very promising results that have been reported by a number of doctors, I urge both companies to initiate clinical trials for the use of Avastin for people with macular degeneration and to consider applying for a licence in the light of those trials.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Kevin Barron
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
My right hon. Friend will know that wet AMD is also being treated at the moment on the NHS in some parts of the country by the use off-licence of a drug called Avastin that is licensed for the treatment of bowel cancer. When or if either of the drugs being appraised by NICE come into the marketplace with NICE’s approval, will Avastin still be available on the NHS if both the clinician and the patient believe that it should be?
Subjects
Finance; Medical treatments; Macular degeneration
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c692-3
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
No patient should be refused Lucentis or Macugen simply because NICE guidance does not yet exist, but NICE needs to evaluate the new treatments thoroughly and it has decided, I think rightly, to evaluate them together so that the two treatments can be compared with each other as well as with the existing treatment. That means that it is taking a little longer, although it started on the evaluation before Lucentis was licensed, as it was only a couple of weeks ago. The guidance will be ready as fast as possible, consistent with arriving at a good, thorough and fair decision.
No patient should be refused Lucentis or Macugen simply because NICE guidance does not yet exist, but NICE needs to evaluate the new treatments thoroughly and it has decided, I think rightly, to evaluate them together so that the two treatments can be compared with each other as well as with the existing treatment. That means that it is taking a little longer, although it started on the evaluation before Lucentis was licensed, as it was only a couple of weeks ago. The guidance will be ready as fast as possible, consistent with arriving at a good, thorough and fair decision.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Sandra Gidley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
The Secretary of State will be aware that 57 people start to lose their sight daily through this condition, and the average annual cost of support is £9,500. Given that these therapies are widely regarded as being very effective, is there not a case for fast-tracking the NICE decision so that fewer people go blind?
Subjects
Finance; Medical treatments; Macular degeneration
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c692
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
Health is a devolved matter. At the moment, I understand that the health boards in Northern Ireland are not funding either Macugen or Lucentis. However, I am sure that they will want to take account of the NICE guidance, as soon as it becomes available.
Health is a devolved matter. At the moment, I understand that the health boards in Northern Ireland are not funding either Macugen or Lucentis. However, I am sure that they will want to take account of the NICE guidance, as soon as it becomes available.
Answered by
Patricia Hewitt
(Labour)
Asked by
Iris Robinson
(Democratic Unionist Party)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Oral answers to questions
What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that people have the same opportunity to receive treatment for macular degeneration right across the country? In particular, Northern Ireland seems to be the last part of the United Kingdom to receive access to drugs, while others on the mainland benefit from them based on NICE guidelines.
Subjects
Finance; Medical treatments; Macular degeneration
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
456 c693
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons