Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the use of opt-out agreements in the care sector on workplace standards.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made, and has no current plans to make, an assessment of the potential impact of the use of opt-out agreements in the care sector on workplace standards. Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their terms and conditions, including opt-out agreements, independent of central Government.
The Government is introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector. Fair Pay Agreements will empower worker representatives, employers, and others to negotiate pay and terms and conditions in a responsible manner.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that primary care services are accessible to night workers during their normal waking hours.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To accommodate patients who may not be able to access general practices during core opening hours, integrated care boards in England are required to provide general practice out of hours services from 18:30 to 08:00 on weekdays, all weekends, and on bank holidays.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the safeguards in place to protect minors from purchasing medications online.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In February 2025, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) published updated, strengthened, guidance in response to concerns identified relating to unsafe prescribing and supply of medicines online.
Prescribers, whether National Health Service or private, are accountable for their prescribing decisions, and are expected to take account of appropriate national guidance such as this.
Prescribers are expected to verify the information given to them by the patient to ensure any medicines prescribed are appropriate – for example, through a video consultation, using a patient’s clinical record, or contacting the patient’s general practitioner. This helps to safeguard vulnerable patients, including minors.
The GPhC, Care Quality Commission and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have the powers to investigate and act against rogue prescribers, products and suppliers and we are clear they have our full support to crack down on any online services putting people in danger.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 35462 on Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy: Shortages and with reference to his Department's joint National Patient Safety Alert entitled Shortage of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT): additional actions, published on 18 December 2024, what assessment he has made of the actions taken by integrated care boards in response to that alert.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has made no formal assessment of the actions taken by integrated care boards (ICBs) in response to the National Patient Safety Alert entitled Shortage of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT): additional actions. However, the Department has engaged with representatives from specific ICBs for details on the management plans implemented and to understand how these are working in improving access to PERT at a regional level.
The Department also continues to work closely with specialist clinicians, NHS England, and the affected patient advocacy groups and charities, including Pancreatic Cancer UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Guts UK, and Neuroendocrine Cancer UK, to understand the impacts of the guidance issued and discuss further actions.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 35462 on Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy shortages, what the (a) dates and (b) attendees were of meetings held with (i) clinicians, (ii) patient advocacy groups, (iii) affected charities, and (iv) manufacturers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to discuss (A) shortages and (B) steps to increase supply.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is in regular discussions with the suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy on the latest stock availability and the actions being taken to mitigate the supply issue that is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom. We have had discussions with representatives from UK and global supply teams, and will continue these meetings to understand what more can be done to add further resilience to the UK market.
The Department has worked with specialist clinicians from impacted therapeutic areas, the Medicine Shortage Response Group, and the Specialist Pharmacy Service to devise guidance for healthcare professionals with comprehensive management advice for the treatment of patients during this time.
The Department meets regularly with the affected patient advocacy groups and charities, including Pancreatic Cancer UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Guts UK, and Neuroendocrine Cancer UK to ensure they are kept informed on the latest supply picture and any communications issued to healthcare professionals.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 35462 on Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy shortages, if he will publish the volume of unlicensed pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy stock imported since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold details on the volume of unlicensed pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) stock imported since 1 January 2024. The Department continues to work with specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a webpage to include easily accessible advice on the prescribing and ordering of alternative PERT products, including unlicensed imports where licensed stock is unavailable.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of patients prescribed medicinal cannabis by (a) the NHS and (b) private clinics in the last 12 months.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is only able to provide information on prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines that have been prescribed and submitted to the NHSBSA. Data on National Health Service prescriptions for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines is withheld in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation, due to the number of prescriptions attributed to fewer than five patients, and the enhanced risk of the release of patient identifiable information. Patient information is not routinely collected for private prescriptions.
The following table shows the number of identifiable patients that were prescribed NHS prescriptions for licensed cannabis-based medicines, for instance epidyolex, nabilone, and sativex, in the community in England in the 12 months, from February 2024 to January 2025, the latest available data:
Total items prescribed to identified patients | Total number of unique identified patients |
5,413 | 880 |
Source: NHSBSA.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that British dentists are prioritized when allocating Licence in Dental Surgery examination places.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) exam is operated by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng), and the exam is regulated by the General Dental Council (GDC). There are no restrictions to accessing the exam based on British residency status.
It is the role of the GDC to approve eligibility criteria for the exam, which is proposed by the RCSEng as its operator. The GDC is independent of the Government. The RCSEng continues to increase the capacity of the LDS exam to ensure more candidates can access a place.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British dentists have access to Licence in Dental Surgery examinations.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) exam is operated by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng), and the exam is regulated by the General Dental Council (GDC). There are no restrictions to accessing the exam based on British residency status.
It is the role of the GDC to approve eligibility criteria for the exam, which is proposed by the RCSEng as its operator. The GDC is independent of the Government. The RCSEng continues to increase the capacity of the LDS exam to ensure more candidates can access a place.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to meet (a) clinicians, (b) patient advocacy groups, (c) affected charities and (d) manufacturers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to discuss (i) shortages and (ii) potential steps to increase supply.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department monitors and manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally.
The Department is continuing to engage with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to mitigate the supply issue that is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom. Through this, we have managed to secure additional volumes of PERT for 2025 for the UK. We are continuing to work with all suppliers to understand what more can be done to add further resilience to the market. The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market.
In the longer term, the Department has had interest from non-UK suppliers wishing to bring their products to the UK and, along with colleagues in the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, we are working with these potential suppliers, and if authorised, these products could further diversify and strengthen the market.
In December 2024, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to consider the unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are put in place and implemented. The Department continues to collaborate closely with NHS England colleagues, clinicians, patient groups, and charities to ensure that these mitigation plans are supporting patients, and routinely updates advice and issues further guidance when necessary. There are no current plans to provide additional funding for unlicensed imports.
The Department will continue to meet with suppliers, clinicians, representatives from the impacted patient advocacy groups, and charities so that they are informed on the supply situation and the mitigation actions being taken.