Whole Day Download the Hansard
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tuesday Volume 650 27 November 2018 No. 213 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 27 November 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 133 27 NOVEMBER 2018 134 to ensure that community pharmacies are able to supply House of Commons vital medical supplies post Brexit, particularly in the event of no deal? Tuesday 27 November 2018 Matt Hancock: Community pharmacies, like everybody else, should support the Prime Minister’s deal, which The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock will make sure that that eventuality does not occur. NICE Guidance: Head Lice PRAYERS 2. Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] (Lab): What assessment he has made of the potential merits of reversing NICE guidance prohibiting the prescription of head lice treatment by GPs. [907849] Oral Answers to Questions The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Brine): In the year to June 2017, the NHS spent approximately £569 million on prescriptions for medicines that could be bought over the counter HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE from a pharmacy or supermarket. That is why, following public consultation earlier this year, NHS England issued guidance to reduce the routine prescribing of some The Secretary of State was asked— medicines for minor, short-term ailments, including head Local Pharmacies lice treatment. 1. Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) Emma Hardy: Yesterday, I met people from the charity (Con): What steps he is taking to support local pharmacies. Community Hygiene Concern, which provides cheap, [907848] reusable and effective bug-busting kits for less than £5. However, because of these NHS prescription guidance The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care changes, these kits are no longer available, which threatens (Matt Hancock): Community pharmacies play a vital an epidemic of head lice in our schools. Surely head lice role in our health service, but we know they can do should not be considered a minor ailment. Will the more, and we are determined to see them do more, to Minister please write to Simon Stevens to encourage keep people healthy. him to meet me and Community Hygiene Concern to look at this issue again? Michael Tomlinson: I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer, because he is absolutely right in Steve Brine: I have been itching all morning while what he says.The Dorset Local Pharmaceutical Committee thinking about this answer. I do not believe there is an is very active and is promoting the policy of Pharmacy epidemic because of NHS England’s actions. Clinical First, which should help to relieve pressure on our experts in the NHS advise that head lice can be safely general practitioners, and even on our accident and and effectively treated by wet combing; I have very emergency facilities. What is he doing to support that recent personal experience of doing this, as I am sure do policy? many parents in this House. Chemical treatment is recommended only in exceptional circumstances. I had Matt Hancock: I agree very much with my hon. not heard of the charity the hon. Lady mentions, but as Friend that pharmacies can play an increasing role in we discussed before questions, I am happy to facilitate helping to make sure that people get their healthcare that interaction. where they need it, and in keeping the pressure off GPs and off secondary care by making sure that people can Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): In France, where help themselves to stay healthy.Weare piloting 111 directing head lice are more common per capita than in the UK, people to pharmacies as well as to GPs and, where people make good use of pharmacies, because it costs appropriate, to secondary care, and encouraging people money to visit a general practitioner and because the to use pharmacies for minor ailments, but there is much state promotes the role of pharmacies. May I therefore more we can do together on this. ask the Minister why do we not advertise that we should be using pharmacies more often than not, instead of Julie Cooper (Burnley) (Lab): The NHS Confederation going to a GP? has warned that, following Brexit, the supply of some medicines and medical technologies may be delayed in Mr Speaker: Unfortunately, that has nothing to do reaching patients, and some may not be available at all. with the matter of head lice. [Interruption.] It seemed The chief executive officer of the Association of the to be slightly tangential, but never mind. The hon. British Pharmaceutical Industry has been clear that we Gentleman was at least attempting to shoehorn his cannot stockpile the amounts we are going to need, preoccupation into the question, but I will err on the because we do not have sufficient cold warehouse storage. side of generosity. I know that he knows all about heads The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory and all about hair— Agency is worried therefore that diabetics will not be able to access insulin. What steps is the Minister taking Michael Fabricant: But not lice! 135 Oral Answers 27 NOVEMBER 2018 Oral Answers 136 Mr Speaker: Indeed. not be appropriate in all cases for local councils to manage public health budgets, and whether in some Steve Brine: I do not know whether my hon. Friend is cases it might make sense for the NHS to regain control? familiar with wet combing his hair. Steve Brine: There are active discussions going on Michael Fabricant: Only with my gel. between my right hon. Friends the Health Secretary and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities Steve Brine: Only with his gel. He is absolutely right and Local Government about this, but the bottom line that, as the Secretary of State just said, community is that Parliament legislated through the Health and pharmacies are experts in so many minor health matters, Social Care Act 2012 for local authorities up and down and Pharmacy First can absolutely be used when it the country in England to be public health authorities. comes to head lice as well. We believe that they are well placed to make these Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op) rose— spending decisions with the ring-fenced grant—£16 billion —that we have given them. Mr Speaker: Is the hon. Gentleman feeling jumpy or does he wish to contribute? Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): The underfunding of public health in Cumbria means that Mr Sheerman: I was just nit-picking. the NHS spends only 75p per child per year on preventive mental health care. Added to that, over three quarters Mr Speaker: Ah, the House is in a very jocular mood. of young people with eating disorders are not seen Long may it last. within the target time of a month, and in the event that Steve Brine: It will soon be Christmas. they are seen, there is no specialist one-to-one eating disorder service to see them, despite the Government Public Health Funding (Local Authorities) promising three years ago that there would be. Will the Minister meet me and our local NHS so that we can get 3. Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab): What recent a better deal for our young people on all three of these representations he has received on the potential merits points? of increasing public health funding to local authorities. [907850] Steve Brine: The hon. Gentleman will remember, of course, that £1 billion extra was put into mental health The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in the Budget last month, but I would absolutely be and Social Care (Steve Brine): We have had lots; it is just interested to hear from him. There are very good things that none come with any idea of how that might be paid going on up and down the country in local authorities for. The Government have a strong track record on with the ring-fenced £16 billion that we have given public health. Local authorities in England have received them. We are very interested to hear about where there more than £16 billion in ring-fenced public health grants are good examples of things going on, and the long-term over the current spending period. Decisions on future future discussions around them will take in the spending funding for that area of spending are of course for the review, as I have said. next spending review. Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland MikeAmesbury:Oncurrentprojections,over£800million West) (Lab): The Secretary of State claims that prevention will have been cut from public health budgets by 2021, is one of his top three priorities, yet this year alone the £2 million of which has been cut from vital services in Government have slashed public health budgets by my constituency relating to sexual health, and to tackle £96 million. That includes cuts to smoking cessation obesity and smoking. Will the Minister guarantee that services, sexual health services, obesity and addiction the new NHS long-term plan will reverse the cuts to services and many more. This affects the most vulnerable public health budgets? in our society, so will the Minister do the right thing today and cut the rhetoric, commit to reversing these Steve Brine: I know that Opposition Members like to damaging cuts to public health, and put funding in the pretend that the past eight and a half years did not have long-term plan? to happen, but there is a reason why they had to happen—the economy was crashed—and eight and a Steve Brine: The hon.