Recommendations & Conclusions
14 items
2
Conclusion
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
Vaccination is the one of the greatest success stories when it comes to preventing infection. Its impact is transformative. This makes it all the more concerning that England did not reach the 95% target for any routine childhood immunisations in 2021/22. The Government and NHS England should constantly strive to …
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Vaccination is the one of the greatest success stories when it comes to preventing infection. Its impact is transformative. This makes it all the more concerning that England did not reach the 95% target for any routine childhood immunisations in 2021/22. The Government and NHS England should constantly strive to maximise the fantastic asset that vaccination represents and to ensure that nobody is excluded from the benefits that it can bring. It is unacceptable that there are people who are unable to take advantage of the important protection that vaccination offers due to practical challenges of time and location that can and must be addressed.
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Government response AI summary
NHS England, in collaboration with partners, is developing and will publish a vaccination and immunisation delivery strategy later in 2023, aimed at improving uptake and coverage, reducing inequalities, and delivering locally tailored services with targeted outreach.
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Department of Health and Social Care
5
Conclusion
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
We agree that there is a need for national oversight of vaccination programmes and the value of this was clear during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with routine immunisation programmes, the role of the Government and, in particular, NHS England must be limited to the more strategic, national level. Local ICS …
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We agree that there is a need for national oversight of vaccination programmes and the value of this was clear during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with routine immunisation programmes, the role of the Government and, in particular, NHS England must be limited to the more strategic, national level. Local ICS leaders, public health directors and health and care professionals have the best knowledge of the factors driving lower uptakes and the interventions needed to try and tackle that. As such, ICS leadership must step-up and take ownership of improving uptake in their area, and be supported to do so.
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Government response AI summary
The government described existing national oversight roles (DHSC, UKHSA, JCVI) and processes for new immunisation products. It stated it is working with JCVI and UKHSA to support resources for outbreak response and improvement of existing programmes, and mentioned funding for MHRA to bring innovative medicines …
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Department of Health and Social Care
6
Recommendation
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
We welcome NHS England’s intention to set out an integrated vaccination and immunisation strategy. This strategy will be vital if England is to meet the 95% target for all childhood vaccinations and to address the variations in uptake across routine immunisation programmes. The strategy must receive the commitment and support …
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We welcome NHS England’s intention to set out an integrated vaccination and immunisation strategy. This strategy will be vital if England is to meet the 95% target for all childhood vaccinations and to address the variations in uptake across routine immunisation programmes. The strategy must receive the commitment and support from the Government that it will need to succeed. (Paragraph 27) 14 Prevention in health and social care: vaccination
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Government response AI summary
The government confirms that NHS England, in collaboration with partners, is developing an integrated vaccination and immunisation delivery strategy to improve uptake and coverage, which will be published later in 2023.
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Department of Health and Social Care
7
Recommendation
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
The NHS England integrated vaccination and immunisation strategy must: a) have a strong focus on the action that is needed to tackle the practical challenges that limit access to vaccination; b) set out how to make best use of the wide range of healthcare professionals able to administer vaccinations; c) …
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The NHS England integrated vaccination and immunisation strategy must: a) have a strong focus on the action that is needed to tackle the practical challenges that limit access to vaccination; b) set out how to make best use of the wide range of healthcare professionals able to administer vaccinations; c) empower local leaders to pursue ways of addressing uptake in their own areas; and d) set out guidance and examples of best practice around how voices other than NHS England can be used to communicate important messaging about vaccination programmes.
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Government response AI summary
The government states NHS England is developing an integrated vaccination and immunisation delivery strategy, due for publication later in 2023, which will address the committee's points by focusing on local empowerment, diverse healthcare professionals, and targeted outreach.
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Department of Health and Social Care
8
Conclusion
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
We are deeply concerned to hear about the decline in clinical trial activity and the risk to the UK’s position as a global leader in this area. The challenges highlighted by witnesses, particularly around the administrative aspects of running a trial, are clearly fixable and it is vital that they …
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We are deeply concerned to hear about the decline in clinical trial activity and the risk to the UK’s position as a global leader in this area. The challenges highlighted by witnesses, particularly around the administrative aspects of running a trial, are clearly fixable and it is vital that they are addressed if the UK is to make the most of its world-leading academic and research expertise.
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Government response AI summary
The government notes the concerns about clinical trial decline but highlights an increase in participants since 2018 and the impact of the pandemic. It details existing efforts like the Research Reset programme and the 'Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery' strategy, reaffirming its commitment to …
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Department of Health and Social Care
9
Recommendation
Tenth Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
We welcome Lord O’Shaughnessy’s review of commercial clinical trials, which chimed with a lot of the evidence that we heard in this part of our inquiry. The Government’s positive response to the recommendations is encouraging. We especially endorse the following recommendations and will be keeping a watching brief on the …
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We welcome Lord O’Shaughnessy’s review of commercial clinical trials, which chimed with a lot of the evidence that we heard in this part of our inquiry. The Government’s positive response to the recommendations is encouraging. We especially endorse the following recommendations and will be keeping a watching brief on the Government’s progress in implementing them, which we expect to be swift: a) Recommendations 2, 3 and 4 to address overly slow and bureaucratic clinical trial set-up and approval processes, in particular the goal for a 60-day turnaround for approvals b) Recommendations 14 - 17 to address the absence of conversation about research from interactions between clinicians and patients and increase the profile and awareness of research among disadvantaged or marginalised groups c) Recommendation 27 to develop an action plan outlining how the Government and delivery partners will implement the recommendations of the review.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendations in principle, noting it has made five headline commitments backed by £121 million to improve commercial clinical trials and will provide an implementation update in the autumn outlining progress and responding in full to the remaining review recommendations.
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Department of Health and Social Care
1
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
The places where people live—homes, communities and neighbourhoods—affect their health and wellbeing substantially. Place, health inequalities and the likelihood of developing preventable health conditions are inextricably linked. People from less well-off groups, and those who live in less well-off neighbourhoods, have a much higher likelihood of developing life-limiting health conditions …
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The places where people live—homes, communities and neighbourhoods—affect their health and wellbeing substantially. Place, health inequalities and the likelihood of developing preventable health conditions are inextricably linked. People from less well-off groups, and those who live in less well-off neighbourhoods, have a much higher likelihood of developing life-limiting health conditions and associated comorbidities, and of dying prematurely from the effects of those conditions. Although much of this ill-health is preventable, it is also often not within the power of individuals to control.
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Government response AI summary
The government is extending the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to the private rented sector through the Renters (Reform) Bill and aims to halve non-decent rented homes by 2030. They have engaged with stakeholders, commissioned analysis, and intend to publish a consultation on an updated DHS …
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Department of Health and Social Care
2
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
The evidence base on the importance of place in protecting good health is stronger than it has ever been. But as we discuss in the next chapter, we have known about the relationship between health and place for decades, if not longer. It is frustrating that more progress has not …
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The evidence base on the importance of place in protecting good health is stronger than it has ever been. But as we discuss in the next chapter, we have known about the relationship between health and place for decades, if not longer. It is frustrating that more progress has not been made already. A determined focus on developing “healthy places” that can prevent ill-health amongst those most at risk is now vital in easing pressures on the NHS, and building a sustainable service for generations to come. (Paragraph 8) Immediate steps
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Government response AI summary
The government has introduced 'Awaab’s Law' via the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 to mandate social landlords to address hazards like damp and mould within a fixed timeframe. The Renters (Reform) Bill will also introduce a Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector and …
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Department of Health and Social Care
3
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
Homes in the private rented sector contribute disproportionately to both the total number of poor quality homes and the costs that poor housing causes to the NHS. The existence of a statutory minimum standard for housing in the social rented sector is not enough on its own to protect tenants …
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Homes in the private rented sector contribute disproportionately to both the total number of poor quality homes and the costs that poor housing causes to the NHS. The existence of a statutory minimum standard for housing in the social rented sector is not enough on its own to protect tenants and the health service from the many preventable health impacts of poor quality and unsafe housing. The Renters (Reform) Bill contains some welcome steps to further protect tenants. But recent high profile cases involving tenants in social housing have demonstrated that the health impact of poor quality housing can be catastrophic. Over three years after the Government first committed to review and then extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, no legal minimum quality standard exists to protect tenants in private rentals.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights existing measures such as the Nationally Described Space Standard, requirements for Permitted Development Rights, and design codes as mechanisms to maintain design quality. They conclude that further consultation on design or space standards is not necessary at this time.
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Department of Health and Social Care
7
Recommendation
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
We recommend the Government consult on both the content of existing design and space standards as they relate to health, and on the implications of making such standards mandatory for new dwellings—both for developments requiring standard planning consent, and for both householder and change of use PDR developments.
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We recommend the Government consult on both the content of existing design and space standards as they relate to health, and on the implications of making such standards mandatory for new dwellings—both for developments requiring standard planning consent, and for both householder and change of use PDR developments.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of healthy places and is committed to the Levelling Up mission, highlighting existing cross-government work and initiatives, but does not commit to the recommended consultation on making design and space standards mandatory for new dwellings.
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Department of Health and Social Care
8
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
Local authorities and councils necessarily consider a wide range of criteria in assessing planning applications. This, alongside pressures on their resources and skills, makes it difficult for them to prioritise ensuring that planning promotes health. The lack of changes to requirements relating to health in the revised National Planning Policy …
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Local authorities and councils necessarily consider a wide range of criteria in assessing planning applications. This, alongside pressures on their resources and skills, makes it difficult for them to prioritise ensuring that planning promotes health. The lack of changes to requirements relating to health in the revised National Planning Policy Framework is a disappointing missed opportunity to make promotion of health a higher priority for planning authorities.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees that places where people live, work and age is critical to our health and describes actions being taken to ensure health, wellbeing and action to tackle disparities are embedded across new active travel policies and programmes.
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Department of Health and Social Care
9
Recommendation
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
The former Public Health England’s Healthy Places team had a clear remit to support healthy development. Following PHE’s dissolution and the division of its responsibilities, there is a lack of clarity over which part of DHSC is now responsible for this role, and a lack of formal integration between DHSC …
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The former Public Health England’s Healthy Places team had a clear remit to support healthy development. Following PHE’s dissolution and the division of its responsibilities, there is a lack of clarity over which part of DHSC is now responsible for this role, and a lack of formal integration between DHSC and the organisations responsible for assessing planning applications. These is, however, encouraging evidence elsewhere of Departments enabling a greater focus on health in planning: for example, Active Travel England’s statutory role assessing applications for large housing developments. There are clear opportunities to go further in this vein: for example, by clarifying and formalising OHID’s role.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that the former Public Health England's Healthy Places team transferred to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) within DHSC, where officials continue their work to improve public health through the built and natural environment.
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Department of Health and Social Care
13
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
Integrated Care Systems aim to enable a stronger focus on prevention, and on the specific approaches needed in different communities to help ensure that they are “healthy places”. But this is a long-term agenda. The mixed longer-term outcomes of initiatives such as Healthy New Towns demonstrate that building communities that …
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Integrated Care Systems aim to enable a stronger focus on prevention, and on the specific approaches needed in different communities to help ensure that they are “healthy places”. But this is a long-term agenda. The mixed longer-term outcomes of initiatives such as Healthy New Towns demonstrate that building communities that protect good health is not something that can be accomplished through isolated programmes over a few years. The immediate pressures on health services are numerous and compelling, and there is already evidence that these are crowding out longer-term strategies including prevention. Because the numerous costs of “unhealthy places” fall so heavily on the health service, it is essential that the right systems, people and funding are in place for the long term to maintain a focus on prevention and protecting population health.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees that much of what keeps us healthy lies outside the NHS and social care system and that creating healthy places and ensuring good health for all is essential to Levelling Up. DHSC is collaborating with DfT and Active Travel England to help …
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Department of Health and Social Care
15
Conclusion
First Report - Prevention in health and…
Accepted
Healthy places are vital to protecting people’s physical and mental health from both direct and indirect consequences and in turn, to building a sustainable health service. “Healthy places” include both the built environment—homes, communities and neighbourhoods—and wider environmental factors, such as air quality and emission levels. The benefits of building …
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Healthy places are vital to protecting people’s physical and mental health from both direct and indirect consequences and in turn, to building a sustainable health service. “Healthy places” include both the built environment—homes, communities and neighbourhoods—and wider environmental factors, such as air quality and emission levels. The benefits of building healthier places go far beyond DHSC and the health service, and achieving these benefits requires buy-in from a range of Government Departments. In turn, the benefits of healthy places are crucial to a range of wider priorities, including building a stronger, more productive economy and protecting the environment in which we live. The problems caused by “unhealthy places” are 28 Prevention in health and social care: healthy places whole-society problems. Tackling them will require long-term thinking and whole- Government solutions, including commitment, leadership and co-ordination from the very top. (Paragraph 59) Prevention in health and social care: healthy places 29
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the committee's conclusion, stating it is already committed to creating healthy places through the Levelling Up mission, the Green Infrastructure Framework, and collaborations with other departments on active travel and public health initiatives.
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Department of Health and Social Care