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Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatment and support is available for people who suffer from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP); and what research into PSP is being funded by his Department. [159705]
Norman Lamb: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and complex neurological disorder. The specific treatment and support available for patients with this condition is dependent upon the clinical symptoms the patient is experiencing and the stage of the disease; this varies between patients due to the presentation and progression rate of the disease.
NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of neurological care, including for people who suffer from PSP. Patients with specialist and complex neurological conditions such as PSP often require both a multi-speciality and multi-disciplinary approach from a specialist neurological (neuroscience) centre supported by on-going long-term condition care provided by local hospitals and community services.
NHS England does not directly fund research but has a commitment to enable research activity with the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (CRN).
The CRN is currently supporting a study of diagnosis and prognosis in progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration (ID 5827) and this can be found at:
http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/Search/StudyDetail.aspx?StudyID=5827
Property
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) location and (b) value is of any property his Department owns in Scotland. [160281]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not own any property in Scotland.
Prosthetics: Training
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of (a) the number of vacancies which exist nationally for NHS prosthetists and orthotists and (b) the number of NHS prosthetists and orthotists currently in training. [160492]
Dr Poulter: There is no central estimate of the number of vacancies. Following the publication of the Fundamental Data Review in March 2013, the national health service vacancy collection, which had previously been suspended, has now been discontinued.
The following table shows the combined total number of prosthetists and orthotists currently in training. Combined figures have been provided because prosthetists and orthotists study the same degree course.
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Thromboembolism
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the level of restrictions in access to novel oral anticoagulants for people with (a) atrial fibrillation, (b) deep vein thrombosis and (c) pulmonary embolism in (i) England, (ii) London and (iii) Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency; and if he will make a statement; [159842]
(2) what recent representations he has received on access to novel oral anticoagulants for people with (a) atrial fibrillation, (b) deep vein thrombosis and (c) pulmonary embolism in (i) England, (ii) London and (iii) Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency; and if he will make a statement. [159843]
Norman Lamb: No such assessment has been made of access to novel oral anticoagulants for people with atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in England, in London and in Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a number of oral anticoagulants, including dabigatran etexilate, apixaban and rivaroxaban as options for the treatment and prevention of conditions such as venous thromboembolism, stroke and systemic embolism.
National health service organisations in England are legally required to fund treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.
The Department has received a small number of representations on access to oral anticoagulants in the form of written ministerial correspondence and parliamentary questions.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what directions he has given to (a) clinical commissioning groups and (b) local NHS providers on ensuring that novel oral anticoagulants with a positive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence appraisal are available to all patients; and if he will make a statement. [159844]
Norman Lamb: National health service organisations, including clinical commissioning groups and local NHS providers, are legally required by regulations to fund anticoagulant treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in its technology appraisal guidance.
Decisions on the prescribing of medicines are a matter for clinicians in discussion with their patients.