Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many of the reports in relation to (a) fatal outcomes and (b) adverse reactions in patients who have received a COVID-19 vaccine received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency under its statutory function to operate a system of post marketing surveillance were judged as (i) likely, (ii) possibly and (iii) unlikely to have been caused by Covid-19 vaccine; and how many such reports lacked sufficient information to make a judgement.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

While the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency carefully assesses Yellow Card reports of suspected adverse reactions, including those with a fatal outcome, to determine whether additional information is required to facilitate assessment of the link between a medicine and the reported adverse event, they do not assign causality at the level of individual reports.

Cumulatively, Yellow Card data is thoroughly analysed for patterns or evidence which might suggest a causal link between the vaccination and the reported reaction, alongside other relevant data. In relation to fatal reports, it is the role of a Coroner to determine the likely cause of death for an individual.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding her Department has provided for research and development into a (a) cure and (b) vaccine for HIV in each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department supports research on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The remit of the NIHR is translational, clinical, and applied healthcare research. Basic research towards the development of a novel cure or vaccine for HIV is supported by other research funders such as the Medical Research Council. The NIHR has awarded over £10 million of funding since 2019 for research to evaluate new HIV treatments. The below table shoes the specific NIHR spend on HIV treatments, for each financial year since 2019:

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding her Department plans to provide for research and development into HIV in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department supports research and development on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). For the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26, the Government has committed to a new £20 million research project to evaluate an expansion of HIV opt-out testing, in 47 emergency departments in England where HIV prevalence is high.

However, NIHR funding awarded for HIV projects varies depending on the volume and quality of applications received and approved via open competition, which means overall NIHR funding for HIV research in the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26 is not yet known. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including HIV.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in the South West have been eligible for pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT) is used to identify genetic anomalies in embryos created through in-vitro fertilisation. Over 600 genetic conditions can currently be tested for using this technique, as licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. NHS England has commissioned five centres to provide PGT to patients in England. The number of PGT cycles undertaken has increased from 223 patients in 2009 to 620 in 2019, but NHS England does not have access to data that describes the geographical profile of the people that have used the National Health Service or privately commissioned PGT services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve NHS England's handling of complaints made by (a) staff, (b) patients and (c) carers.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

On complaints made by patients and carers, we have worked closely with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on their work to develop the NHS Complaint Standards. These standards set out how National Health Service organisations that handle NHS complaints, such as NHS England, should approach complaint handling to ensure they are handled and resolved effectively.

On complaints made by staff, NHS England has published information about how people can speak to NHS England’s Freedom to Speak Up Team. Whilst there is a network of over 1,000 local Freedom to Speak Up Guardians across healthcare in England to support staff in speaking up, the information published by NHS England makes it clear that staff across the NHS can speak up to NHS England about anything that gets in the way of patient care, or affects their working life. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care speaks regularly to NHS England about its performance, responsibilities, and activity, including complaints.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is she taking to address defensive culture in the handling of NHS complaints.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

We have worked closely with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on their work to develop the NHS Complaint Standards, which set out how organisations providing services in the National Health Service should approach complaint handling. The standards place a strong focus on several aspects of complaint handling to avoid defensiveness, including emphasising the importance of actively listening and demonstrating a clear understanding of what the main issues are for the complainant, as well as the outcomes they seek, being thorough and fair, and identifying suitable ways to put things right for people.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to ensure that people with low agency have an opportunity to raise concerns and complaints within the NHS; and what recent discussions she has had with NHS leaders on this matter.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

There is a range of support available for people who may need help when making a complaint. This includes the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), which is available in most hospitals. The PALS offers confidential advice, support, and information to help resolve concerns or problems, as well as information about the National Health Service complaints procedure, including how to get independent help. Support is also available from the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service. Advocates can provide a range of support, such as help writing a complaint letter, and attending meetings with complainants. People can get advice from a complaints advocate at any stage of the process, so it is never too late to ask for help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to bring waiting times for mental health patients in-line with waiting times for physical health patients.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

We remain committed to achieving parity between mental and physical health services, as outlined in the parity of esteem definition set out in a letter to the Public Accounts Committee in February 2024.

Given funding is important for reaching parity of esteem, we are making good progress with investment in National Health Service mental health services. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, NHS spending on mental health has increased by £4.7 billion in cash terms, as compared to the target of £3.4 billion in cash terms set out at the time of the Long-Term Plan. For 2024/25, mental health spend is forecast to continue to grow, and will make up 9.01% of all recurrent NHS spending.

In February 2022, NHS England published the outcomes of its consultation on the potential to introduce five new access and waiting time standards for mental health services, as part of its clinically led review of NHS Access Standards. These are: for an urgent referral to a community based mental health crisis service, a patient should be seen within 24 hours of referral, across all ages; for a very urgent referral to a community based mental health crisis service, a patient should be seen within four hours of referral, for all age groups; patients referred from accident and emergency should be seen face to face within one hour by a mental health liaison or children and young people’s equivalent service; children, young people and their families and carers presenting to community-based mental health services, should start to receive care within four weeks of referral; and adults and older adults presenting to community-based mental health services should start to receive help within four weeks of referral.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her department is taking to improve retention rates of NHS maternity staff.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out how to improve culture and leadership, to ensure that up to 130,000 fewer staff leave the National Health Service over the next 15 years. This includes: implementing actions from the NHS People Plan that have been shown to be successful; implementing plans to improve flexible opportunities for prospective retirees, and delivering the actions needed to modernise the NHS pension scheme; and committing to ongoing national funding for continuing professional development for nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals, so NHS staff are supported to meet their full potential. These measures apply across staff groups, including maternity staff.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she plans to take to ensure that online pharmacies that provide medicines to patients in the UK adhere to the NHS clinical guideline on puberty-suppressing hormones or the treatment of children and adolescents who have gender (a) incongruence and (b) dysphoria.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

All community pharmacists, whether working on a high street or online, have a duty of care to their patients. We would expect pharmacists to take reasonable steps to ensure that all the medicines they dispense are against legally valid prescriptions, and appropriate for the patient under the authority of the prescriber. This includes both National Health Service prescriptions and private prescriptions. Registered pharmacy professionals and premises are independently regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), and guidance has been issued for those providing services at a distance, including online pharmacies.

While pharmacists are responsible for a final clinical check, ultimately the responsibility for the product prescribed rests with the prescriber. We are looking closely at what can be done to address any loopholes in prescribing practices, including work with the GPhC to define the dispensing responsibilities of pharmacists providing private prescriptions, as recommended by the Cass Report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the medication reimbursement mechanism for community pharmacists.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through the medicine margin survey, the Department assesses whether the reimbursement arrangements pay pharmacy contractors as agreed as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF). The medicine margin survey considers what pharmacies paid for medicines by looking at their invoices compared to the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. Where the survey finds that they have been underpaid, we increase the pharmacy contractors’ payments, and where they have been overpaid, we decrease payments.

Furthermore, where pharmacies cannot purchase products at or below the Drug Tariff NHS reimbursement price, Community Pharmacy England can request that the Department reassesses the reimbursement price. If a new reimbursement price is issued, this is known as a concessionary price.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of medication costs on community pharmacies.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through the medicine margin survey, the Department assesses whether the reimbursement arrangements pay pharmacy contractors as agreed as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF). The medicine margin survey considers what pharmacies paid for medicines by looking at their invoices compared to the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. Where the survey finds that they have been underpaid, we increase the pharmacy contractors’ payments, and where they have been overpaid, we decrease payments.

Furthermore, where pharmacies cannot purchase products at or below the Drug Tariff NHS reimbursement price, Community Pharmacy England can request that the Department reassesses the reimbursement price. If a new reimbursement price is issued, this is known as a concessionary price.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of offering one-off payments to dentists that agree to work in under-served areas on the morale of other dentists.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want to encourage all professionals to commit more of their time to National Health Service work, and to work in areas of the country with low provision of NHS dental care. That is why we are introducing Golden Hellos, as set out in our plan to reform and recover NHS dentistry. A golden hello of £20,000 will be offered per dentist, for a total of up to 240 dentists. The Golden Hellos will support practices in areas where recruitment is particularly challenging and make a real difference to those patients needing dental care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling shortages of Ezetimibe.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is aware of supply issues affecting several Ezetimibe suppliers. We are engaging with these suppliers to address the issues, and are working with alternative suppliers to ensure supplies remain available.

The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the United Kingdom, as well as other countries around the world. There can be a variety of causes, including manufacturing issues, problems with access to raw ingredients, and sudden spikes in demand.

Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, the Department has well-established tools and processes to manage them, in order to mitigate risks to patients. We work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients continue to have access to suitable medicines when supply is disrupted.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with stakeholders on tackling shortages of atorvastatin.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There have been supply issues with atorvastatin, but as a result of our work to manage those issues, including engaging with alternative suppliers to cover supply gaps in order to meet demand, they have now been resolved.

The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the United Kingdom, as well as other countries around the world. There can be a variety of causes, including manufacturing issues, problems with access to raw ingredients, and sudden spikes in demand.

Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, the Department has well-established tools and processes to manage them, in order to mitigate risks to patients. We work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients continue to have access to suitable medicines when supply is disrupted.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England's web page entitled Diabetes treatment and care programme, whether all eight Type 1 diabetes and disordered eating pilots have been commissioned by their Integrated Care Systems to secure services independently of NHS England pilot scheme funding.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The national approach to funding the establishment of Type 1 Diabetes with Disordered Eating services was delivered in two phases. Initial sites in London, Hampshire, and Dorset received national funding between 2018/19 and 2021/22, before the transition of commissioning responsibility to local systems commenced from April 2023. All three of these services did initially secure local funding, independent of the national pilot scheme. More recently, we understand that the status of these sites to be as follows: London services are partially active across London, with local consideration of ongoing funding and delivery arrangements underway; Hampshire services are active and embedded in wider eating disorder specialist services; and Dorset services have been discontinued. The remaining five newer services have been funded from September 2022, and are nationally funded up to March 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that seriously ill children and their families can access information on how to access emotional and psychological support.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The clinical team responsible for a seriously ill child’s physical healthcare should discuss and review their emotional and psychological status regularly with them, or their family, and support them with access to information and services for their mental health if needed. Commissioners are encouraged to ensure local pathways include assessment and ongoing support of patients’ mental and psychological wellbeing and cognitive status.

The Health and Care Act 2022 placed a legal duty on integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission palliative and end of life care services, which meet the needs of their whole population. To support ICBs in this, NHS England has published statutory guidance, along with service specifications for children and young people, which make reference to including a holistic approach to care. This includes links to social prescribing, assessing, and addressing the needs of children, young people and families, and clear referral pathways to other services such as children and young people’s mental health services. The statutory guidance and the service specifications for children and young people are available respectively at the following links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/palliative-and-end-of-life-care-statutory-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards-icbs/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/service-specifications-for-palliative-and-end-of-life-care-children-and-young-people-cyp/

Patients’ family members who feel they need emotional and psychological support should speak to their general practice, or can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies online. Details are available on the NHS website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support the recruitment and retention of midwives in Wellingborough constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

We are investing an additional £186 million a year to improve maternity and neonatal care and grow the workforce. On top of this, the Government and NHS England are investing nearly £35 million over three years, from 2024/25 to 2026/27, to further improve maternity safety across England, with specialist training for staff, additional numbers of midwives, and support to ensure maternity services listen to, and act on, women’s experiences to improve care. As announced at the Spring Budget, we are further increasing the number of midwives by funding an additional 160 new posts over three years, to support the continued growth of the maternity and neonatal workforce.

On retention, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out how to improve culture and leadership to ensure that up to 130,000 fewer staff leave the National Health Service over the next 15 years. This includes: implementing actions from the NHS People Plan that have been shown to be successful; implementing plans to improve flexible opportunities for prospective retirees, and delivering the actions needed to modernise the NHS pension scheme; and committing to ongoing national funding for continuing professional development for nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals, so NHS staff are supported to meet their full potential. These measures apply across the country, including for midwives in the Wellingborough constituency.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of NHS providers that have adopted two stage shared decision-making across all admitted pathways.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In May 2023, NHS England published guidance setting out five core perioperative care requirements relating to the care of adult patients awaiting planned inpatient surgery. One of these requirements is that patients must be involved in shared decision making regarding admitted pathways. NHS England does not collect data on the number of National Health Service providers that have adopted two stage shared decision making across all admitted pathways. NHS England’s published guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/earlier-screening-risk-assessment-and-health-optimisation-in-perioperative-pathways/#2-five-core-requirements-for-providers

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to mental health services in Suffolk Coastal constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The National Health Service forecasts that, between 2018/19 and 2023/24, spending on mental health services has increased by £4.7 billion in cash terms, compared to the target of £3.4 billion set out at the time of the NHS Long Term Plan. All integrated care boards are also on track to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2023/24.

Almost £16 billion was invested in mental health in 2022/23, enabling over 3.5 million people, including in the Suffolk Coastal constituency, to be in contact with mental health services, a 10% increase on the previous year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce (a) assessment and (b) diagnosis waiting times for ADHD.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make appropriate provision available, to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The NICE’s guidelines for ADHD diagnosis and management aim to improve the diagnosis of ADHD, as well as the quality of care and support people receive. The NICE’s guidelines do not recommend a maximum waiting time standard for ADHD diagnosis, either from referral for an assessment to receiving an assessment, a diagnosis, or a first contact appointment.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment or treatment for ADHD nationally. The Department is exploring options to improve data collection and reporting on ADHD assessment waiting times, to help improve access to ADHD assessments in a timely way and in line with the NICE’s guideline. In support of this, the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Programme has commissioned a research project to provide insights into local ADHD diagnosis waiting time data collection.

NHS England is establishing a new ADHD taskforce alongside the Government, to improve care for people living with the condition. The new taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, and help provide a joined up approach in response to concerns around rising demand for assessments and support.

Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England has announced that it will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling shortages of Etoricoxib.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is aware that a supplier of etoricoxib 60 milligram tablets is experiencing a supply issue. We have been working with that supplier to address the issue, and resupply is expected in early May 2024. We have worked with alternative suppliers to ensure they can cover the gap in the market in the meantime.

The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the United Kingdom, as well as other countries around the world. There can be a variety of causes, including manufacturing issues, problems with access to raw ingredients, and sudden spikes in demand.

Whilst we can’t always prevent supply issues, the Department has well-established tools and processes to manage them, in order to mitigate risks to patients. We work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients continue to have access to suitable medicines when supply is disrupted.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 4.2 of the report entitled A comparison of the care of Asian and White women who have experienced a stillbirth or neonatal death, published by the MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Confidential Enquiry on 14 December 2023, whether her Department has had discussions with NHS England on taking steps to improve how ethnicity data is recorded.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Department has regular and ongoing discussions with NHS England, and other relevant bodies, on improving neonatal and maternity data quality. This includes discussions on how to improve the recording of ethnicity data. NHS Equity and Equality Guidance, produced as part of NHS England’s three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services, includes ethnic coding data completeness to better understand local populations and their health outcomes. Ethnic coding data completeness has improved year on year, from 85% in 2019 to 93% in 2022.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to The Hughes Report, published by the Patient Safety Commissioner on 7 February 2024, if she will ensure that people impacted by bowel mesh are eligible for financial redress.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Government commissioned the Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC) to produce a report on redress for those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. We are grateful to the PSC and her team for completing this report, and our sympathies remain with those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. The Government is now carefully considering the PSC’s recommendations and will respond substantively in due course. Bowel mesh, also known as rectopexy mesh, did not fall within the definition of pelvic organ prolapse that the PSC investigated for her report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her Department's timescales are for responding to The Hughes Report, published by the Patient Safety Commissioner on 7 February 2024.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Government commissioned the Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC) to produce a report on redress for those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. We are grateful to the PSC and her team for completing this report, and our sympathies remain with those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. The Government is now carefully considering the PSC’s recommendations and will respond substantively in due course. Bowel mesh, also known as rectopexy mesh, did not fall within the definition of pelvic organ prolapse that the PSC investigated for her report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand public awareness campaigns for prostate cancer, following the prediction by the Lancet Commission of a surge in cases.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom, and currently has no screening programme. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. This study is led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £42 million of Government funding.

In March 2024, NHS England implemented the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), setting a target of a maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practice or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. To achieve this target, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways by introducing best-practice timed pathways for prostate cancer, so that those suspected of having prostate cancer receive a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scan first, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy. As well as diagnosing patients faster, NHS England is working to diagnose patients at an earlier stage, through the ambitions set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028.

NHS England takes steps to raise awareness of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. For example, NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at-risk groups about prostate cancer. This is determined at a local level, and so will vary depending on local needs and priorities.

The Government has made significant strides in enabling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including prostate. The AI in Health and Care Award was established, aiming to accelerate the testing and development of AI technologies that align with the NHS Long Term Plan. The award represents a substantial investment in the future of healthcare technology, with £113 million already allocated to support 86 AI technologies. Three of these projects specifically relate to prostate cancer, one of which is the Paige prostate cancer detection tool, developed by the University of Oxford. This AI-based diagnostic software aids in the interpretation of pathology sample images, facilitating more efficient detection, grading, and quantification of cancer in prostate biopsies. The Chancellor’s recent budget announcement on 6 March 2024 includes a £3.4 billion investment to reform how the National Health Service works, including on the use of technologies such as AI.

Finally, although no specific assessment of the Lancet Commission published 4 April 2024 has been made, the Department will work with NHS England to review the details.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, what plans they have to use artificial intelligence systems to support the diagnosis of prostate cancer, as recommended by the Lancet Commission in research published on 4 April.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom, and currently has no screening programme. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. This study is led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £42 million of Government funding.

In March 2024, NHS England implemented the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), setting a target of a maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practice or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. To achieve this target, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways by introducing best-practice timed pathways for prostate cancer, so that those suspected of having prostate cancer receive a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scan first, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy. As well as diagnosing patients faster, NHS England is working to diagnose patients at an earlier stage, through the ambitions set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028.

NHS England takes steps to raise awareness of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. For example, NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at-risk groups about prostate cancer. This is determined at a local level, and so will vary depending on local needs and priorities.

The Government has made significant strides in enabling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including prostate. The AI in Health and Care Award was established, aiming to accelerate the testing and development of AI technologies that align with the NHS Long Term Plan. The award represents a substantial investment in the future of healthcare technology, with £113 million already allocated to support 86 AI technologies. Three of these projects specifically relate to prostate cancer, one of which is the Paige prostate cancer detection tool, developed by the University of Oxford. This AI-based diagnostic software aids in the interpretation of pathology sample images, facilitating more efficient detection, grading, and quantification of cancer in prostate biopsies. The Chancellor’s recent budget announcement on 6 March 2024 includes a £3.4 billion investment to reform how the National Health Service works, including on the use of technologies such as AI.

Finally, although no specific assessment of the Lancet Commission published 4 April 2024 has been made, the Department will work with NHS England to review the details.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Lancet Commission on prostate cancer, published 4 April 2024.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom, and currently has no screening programme. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. This study is led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £42 million of Government funding.

In March 2024, NHS England implemented the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), setting a target of a maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practice or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. To achieve this target, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways by introducing best-practice timed pathways for prostate cancer, so that those suspected of having prostate cancer receive a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scan first, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy. As well as diagnosing patients faster, NHS England is working to diagnose patients at an earlier stage, through the ambitions set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028.

NHS England takes steps to raise awareness of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. For example, NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at-risk groups about prostate cancer. This is determined at a local level, and so will vary depending on local needs and priorities.

The Government has made significant strides in enabling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including prostate. The AI in Health and Care Award was established, aiming to accelerate the testing and development of AI technologies that align with the NHS Long Term Plan. The award represents a substantial investment in the future of healthcare technology, with £113 million already allocated to support 86 AI technologies. Three of these projects specifically relate to prostate cancer, one of which is the Paige prostate cancer detection tool, developed by the University of Oxford. This AI-based diagnostic software aids in the interpretation of pathology sample images, facilitating more efficient detection, grading, and quantification of cancer in prostate biopsies. The Chancellor’s recent budget announcement on 6 March 2024 includes a £3.4 billion investment to reform how the National Health Service works, including on the use of technologies such as AI.

Finally, although no specific assessment of the Lancet Commission published 4 April 2024 has been made, the Department will work with NHS England to review the details.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the independent report by Carlo Breen into the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust’s historic management of concerns in relation to a Consultant Spinal Surgeon, published on 7 March 2024.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust commissioned the Spinal Patient Safety Look Back review in 2021. A report detailing the findings was published in July 2023. A second report was commissioned by the trust to review the historic management of concerns raised in relation to a particular surgeon. The findings of this report were published on 7 March 2024, and relate to issues that include bullying, speaking up, the duty of candour, governance, and the quality of disciplinary investigations at the trust.

The Government is already taking action in relation to policies relevant to the report’s findings. This includes strengthening leadership, the statutory duty of candour, and speaking up to promote an open and transparent learning culture in the National Health Service. We also expect NHS organisations to have robust policies in place to tackle bullying and harassment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to recent research conducted by the Lancet Commission, what steps they plan to take to address the projected surge in prostate cancer cases.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom, and currently has no screening programme. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. This study is led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £42 million of Government funding.

In March 2024, NHS England implemented the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), setting a target of a maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practice or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. To achieve this target, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways by introducing best-practice timed pathways for prostate cancer, so that those suspected of having prostate cancer receive a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scan first, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy. As well as diagnosing patients faster, NHS England is working to diagnose patients at an earlier stage, through the ambitions set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028.

NHS England takes steps to raise awareness of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. For example, NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at-risk groups about prostate cancer. This is determined at a local level, and so will vary depending on local needs and priorities.

The Government has made significant strides in enabling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including prostate. The AI in Health and Care Award was established, aiming to accelerate the testing and development of AI technologies that align with the NHS Long Term Plan. The award represents a substantial investment in the future of healthcare technology, with £113 million already allocated to support 86 AI technologies. Three of these projects specifically relate to prostate cancer, one of which is the Paige prostate cancer detection tool, developed by the University of Oxford. This AI-based diagnostic software aids in the interpretation of pathology sample images, facilitating more efficient detection, grading, and quantification of cancer in prostate biopsies. The Chancellor’s recent budget announcement on 6 March 2024 includes a £3.4 billion investment to reform how the National Health Service works, including on the use of technologies such as AI.

Finally, although no specific assessment of the Lancet Commission published 4 April 2024 has been made, the Department will work with NHS England to review the details.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to eliminate (a) cervical and (b) other cancer caused by human papillomavirus.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, alongside routine screening, is key to protecting people against strains of HPV that can cause some cancers including cervical, anal, head and neck cancer.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme (CSP) provides all women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 years old with the opportunity to be screened routinely, to detect certain types of HPV infection which cause 99.7% of cervical cancer. An in-service evaluation is being commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Research to determine whether HPV self-sampling could be used to improve the NHS CSP.

The HPV vaccination is offered to all adolescents in Year 8 of school, and catch-up vaccinations are available to those up to 25 years old, those born on or after 1 September 2006, for both females and males who may have missed vaccination under the schools’ programme, providing an additional failsafe. The HPV vaccination is also recommended to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, up to and including those aged 45 years old.

NHS England’s vaccination strategy sets out a range of ambitions to improve uptake across the National Health Service’s vaccination programmes. This includes building on existing work and delivery to develop implementation plans for how HPV vaccinations, alongside cervical screening and pre-cancer treatment, can help achieve the NHS ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to issue guidance to children’s hospices on changes in the distribution of the Children’s Hospice Grant for the 2024-25 financial year.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has confirmed it will renew the Children and Young People hospice funding for 2024/25, again allocating £25 million of funding for children’s hospices, using the same prevalence-based allocation approach as previously used. Funding will be distributed via integrated care boards (ICBs), in line with National Health Service devolution.

NHS England wrote to all ICBs and children’s hospices on 9 April 2024 to confirm the new arrangements, providing the sector with the clarity on 2024/25 allocations they have been seeking, for this very important funding stream.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for elective surgery for people in Suffolk Coastal constituency.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to increase National Health Service elective activity and productivity above pre-pandemic levels, while expanding capacity through creating a new network of community diagnostic centres and maximising all available independent sector capacity.

NHS England provides robust support and challenge to the trusts which have the highest number of patients waiting the longest for elective treatment, with each receiving bespoke regional or national intervention where it is required.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to (a) support research for and (b) raise awareness of Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research into rare diseases such as ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Over the last five years, NIHR infrastructure has supported 13 research awards on ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Raising awareness of rare diseases such as ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency among healthcare professionals is a priority of the 2021 UK Rare Diseases Framework, and the 2024 England Rare Diseases Action Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of care homes are rated as Good by the CQC in Wellingborough constituency.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As of 9 April 2024, the percentage of care homes in the Wellingborough Constituency with a rating of Good was 59%.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the guidance submitted to medical professions on the prescription of semaglutide on the availability of that drug for people suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has worked intensively with industry to seek commitments from them to address issues with the supply of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide, to expedite deliveries and boost supplies. As a result, the overall supply position in the United Kingdom has improved. Guidance for healthcare professionals now allows for the initiation of new patients on Rybelsus tablets, an oral semaglutide, and provides advice on what to prescribe patients who are unable to obtain their existing GLP-1 RA treatment whilst there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some products, including semaglutide. These disruptions are affecting many countries around the world, and aren’t specific to the UK.

We continue to work with international partners, given the global nature of medical supply chains, collaborating to share best practice and manage and respond to common threats to supply, including on semaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is working with her international counterparts to tackle supply issues relating to (a) semaglutide and (b) other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has worked intensively with industry to seek commitments from them to address issues with the supply of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide, to expedite deliveries and boost supplies. As a result, the overall supply position in the United Kingdom has improved. Guidance for healthcare professionals now allows for the initiation of new patients on Rybelsus tablets, an oral semaglutide, and provides advice on what to prescribe patients who are unable to obtain their existing GLP-1 RA treatment whilst there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some products, including semaglutide. These disruptions are affecting many countries around the world, and aren’t specific to the UK.

We continue to work with international partners, given the global nature of medical supply chains, collaborating to share best practice and manage and respond to common threats to supply, including on semaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking with pharmaceutical companies to increase the supply of semaglutide.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has worked intensively with industry to seek commitments from them to address issues with the supply of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide, to expedite deliveries and boost supplies. As a result, the overall supply position in the United Kingdom has improved. Guidance for healthcare professionals now allows for the initiation of new patients on Rybelsus tablets, an oral semaglutide, and provides advice on what to prescribe patients who are unable to obtain their existing GLP-1 RA treatment whilst there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some products, including semaglutide. These disruptions are affecting many countries around the world, and aren’t specific to the UK.

We continue to work with international partners, given the global nature of medical supply chains, collaborating to share best practice and manage and respond to common threats to supply, including on semaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NICE guidance entitled Integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness, published on 16 March 2022, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people experiencing homelessness have somewhere safe and secure to recover when discharged from hospital.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to promoting safe and timely discharge for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, to appropriate accommodation.

We have ensured every acute hospital has access to a care transfer hub to manage discharge for people with more complex needs. In January 2024, the Department published guidance on discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, to support staff involved in planning safe and supportive discharge of these patients from hospital. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the contract awarded by her Department to Ethypharm UK Ltd on 27 January 2022 for the storage and management of the Department's Naloxone buffer stock, how many packs of Naloxone were distributed from the buffer stock for use by patients in the UK in the (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23, and (c) 2023-24 financial year.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

No packs of naloxone were distributed from the buffer stock for use by patients, in the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23, or 2023/24. The buffer stock is maintained in case of an unprecedented demand for naloxone arising, that would exceed the capacity of business-as-usual stock, for instance due to an incident of unusually harmful opioids. Such an incident has not arisen to date. The Government remains committed to maintaining this vital precautionary measure, and would authorise the release of buffer stock supplies when needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure that (a) young and (b) vulnerable people have access to free contraception.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities across England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, openly accessible sexual and reproductive health services, which includes the provision of free contraception to meet local demand. Local authorities decide on commissioning arrangements based on an assessment of local need, including the needs of young and vulnerable people. Contraception is also widely available free of charge through general practices (GPs).

The Government is committed to improving access to contraception, and reducing reproductive health inequalities. The Women’s Health Strategy sets out our 10-year ambition and the actions we are taking to improve disparities in access to services, experiences of services, and outcomes for all women and girls.

As part of our work to deliver the Women’s Health Strategy we have launched a dedicated women’s health area on the National Health Service website as a first port of call for women’s health information, including contraception. We have also worked closely with NHS Digital to create a new YouTube series on contraception, which has been designed to help answer common questions often found in search engines, as well as more detailed information on the range of contraceptive methods available.

In 2023 we also introduced the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. This service offers greater choice in how people can access contraception services. It will also create additional capacity in GPs and sexual health clinics, to support meeting the demand for more complex assessments.

We are working with the Women’s Health Ambassador and others to provide health information to diverse groups of women, across their life course. We know that young people who receive effective relationships and sex education are more likely to use contraception and condoms, and less likely to have an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager, and in later life.

The 2020 roll-out of statutory relationships and sex education in all schools means that more young people receive support to prevent early unplanned pregnancy through learning about the full range of contraceptive choices and sexual health services available. The statutory guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education

As set out in the Women's Health Strategy, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education are working to understand women’s health topics that teachers feel less confident in teaching, and we will work to improve provision of high-quality teaching resources.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many emergency hospital admissions there have been following falls by patients aged 65 and over in each financial year since 2010-11.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England publishes information on finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for admitted patients, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity

The following table shows the total number of FCEs relating to a fall, where the patient was 65 years old or over, each year from 2012/13, the earliest year from which data is available, to 2022/23:

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many care contacts were carried out by district nurses in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold this information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many consultations have been carried out each week as part of Pharmacy First since its launch.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

98 percent of pharmacies have signed up to Deliver Pharmacy First and claimed more than 125,000 clinical pathways consultations for February, the first full month following launch. From May, the NHS Business Services Authority will publish monthly data on the number of consultations claimed.

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 9 April 2024 to Question 19659 on NHS 111: Dental Health, if she will provide breakdown of calls by symptom group by region.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many training places for district nurses her Department plans to make available in September 2025.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Long Term Workforce, published on 30 June 2023, sets out an ambition to increase the number of district nursing training places to 842 in 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to increase the scope of the Pharmacy First programme.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Pharmacy First was launched on 31 January 2024, and as the service embeds, we will monitor and evaluate the service, and keep the conditions covered by Pharmacy First under review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of NHS provision for the diagnosis of ADHD in (a) Oxfordshire and (b) England.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. The NICE guideline on ADHD does not recommend a maximum waiting time from referral for an assessment of ADHD to the point of assessment or diagnosis. The Department has not made a specific assessment of the availability of National Health Service provision for the diagnosis of, or treatment of, ADHD in Oxfordshire.

In respect of the adequacy of ADHD service provision nationally, in December 2023, NHS England initiated a rapid piece of work to consider ADHD service provision within the NHS. The initial phase of work identified challenges, including with current service models and the ability to keep pace with demand. Following this initial review, NHS England is establishing a new ADHD taskforce alongside the Government, to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The new taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, and to help provide a joined up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.

Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England has announced that it will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

In respect of the availability of NHS provision for the treatment of ADHD nationally, the Department is aware of, and taking action to address, disruptions to the supply of medicine used for the management of ADHD. Disruptions to the supply of medicines have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. Nationally, the Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues as quickly as possible. As a result of our ongoing activity, some issues have been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, including methylphenidate and guanfacine. The latest information we have received from manufacturers is that these should largely be resolved by May 2024 and October 2024, respectively.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of NHS provision for the treatment of ADHD in (a) Oxfordshire and (b) England.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. The NICE guideline on ADHD does not recommend a maximum waiting time from referral for an assessment of ADHD to the point of assessment or diagnosis. The Department has not made a specific assessment of the availability of National Health Service provision for the diagnosis of, or treatment of, ADHD in Oxfordshire.

In respect of the adequacy of ADHD service provision nationally, in December 2023, NHS England initiated a rapid piece of work to consider ADHD service provision within the NHS. The initial phase of work identified challenges, including with current service models and the ability to keep pace with demand. Following this initial review, NHS England is establishing a new ADHD taskforce alongside the Government, to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The new taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, and to help provide a joined up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.

Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England has announced that it will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

In respect of the availability of NHS provision for the treatment of ADHD nationally, the Department is aware of, and taking action to address, disruptions to the supply of medicine used for the management of ADHD. Disruptions to the supply of medicines have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. Nationally, the Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve those issues as quickly as possible. As a result of our ongoing activity, some issues have been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some other medicines, including methylphenidate and guanfacine. The latest information we have received from manufacturers is that these should largely be resolved by May 2024 and October 2024, respectively.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the help us, help you campaign.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No recent assessment has been made. In 2020 NHS England launched the Help Us, Help You (HUHY) campaigns, a major public information campaign to persuade the public to seek urgent care and treatment when they needed it. The HUHY campaign strategy is designed to address the underlying barriers to cancer diagnosis, including multifaceted fears and a lack of body vigilance, along with the lack of knowledge of cancer symptoms, to encourage people to present earlier.

On 8 January 2024, NHS England relaunched the HUHY campaign for cancer, designed to increase earlier diagnosis of cancer by reducing barriers to seeking earlier help, as well as increasing body vigilance and knowledge of key red flag symptoms. This campaign addresses barriers to people coming forward with suspected signs of cancer in general, and is not specific to screening or cervical cancer.

We are seeing continued high levels of urgent cancer referrals, which suggests the HUHY campaigns continue to be effective. Over 12,000 urgent referrals were seen for suspected cancer per working day in February 2024, compared to approximately 9,000 in January 2020.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with cancer treatment support groups on the use of direct funds to support patients and their families.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working jointly with NHS England on implementing the delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlogs in elective care, and plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to help drive up and protect elective activity, including cancer treatment, which encompasses recovery spaces. Additionally, and as outlined in the 2024/25 NHS England Planning Guidance, NHS England are providing over £266 million in cancer service development funding to Cancer Alliances, to support delivery of the operational priorities for cancer.

The Department and NHS England meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues regarding cancer. The Department's ministers and officials also frequently meet with key stakeholders within the cancer community, including discussions on support for patients and their families. As stated in the NHS Long Term Plan for Cancer, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information, and support. NHS England provides personalised cancer care and support plans, to support both patients and their families at all stages of their cancer journey. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support. NHS England estimates that approximately 80% of cancer multidisciplinary teams are now offering Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring physical, practical, emotional, and social needs are identified and addressed at all stages of the cancer pathway. Additionally, Personalised Stratified Follow Up pathways, which adapt care to the needs of individual patients after cancer treatment, are being rolled out by cancer multi-disciplinary teams, and are required for at least eight cancer types by 2023/24.

General practice surgeries also conduct cancer care reviews at regular intervals after cancer diagnosis, to offer support with any needs patients may have. This includes providing access to other specialist-led services who work alongside patients’ medical teams, to support patients and their families, such as counsellors, rehabilitation specialists, or social prescribers, who can connect you to community groups or services for more support. This is part of NHS England’s drive to universal personalised care that will see at least 2.5 million people benefiting from personalised care by 2023/24.

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for cancer patients. NHS England provide access to a personal health budget, which is an amount of NHS money that is allocated to support the health and wellbeing needs of a patient if eligible. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/what-is-a-personal-health-budget/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a rebate scheme for the cost of pharmaceuticals for community pharmacies.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacies are responsible for purchasing the medicines and other products that they supply as part of National Health Service pharmaceutical services. The purchase price, including rebates schemes available to them, is a commercial decision for the pharmaceutical wholesalers and manufacturers who sell to them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 23 June 2023 to Question 189729 on Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, whether she plans to initiate a priority review for medical devices.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Priority Review programme is not currently planned, but the Government is taking other significant steps for medical device regulatory reform, as part of a broader Medical Technology Strategy. Further information on the Medical Technology Strategy is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-technology-strategy/medical-technology-strategy

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating medical devices, and designates United Kingdom Approved Bodies to conduct conformity assessments against the relevant regulatory requirements. The MHRA works closely with Approved Bodies to ensure their timely assessment.

Following a consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in 2021, the MHRA is leading a programme of work to introduce updated regulations for medical devices that prioritise patient safety, improve patient access to innovative medical devices, and ensure the UK remains an attractive market for medical technology innovators. In January of this year, the MHRA published a MedTech Regulatory roadmap that sets out the main activities in implementing the future regulations throughout 2024 and 2025. An international recognition framework for medical devices will form part of the future regulatory framework, which will provide an alternative route to the UK’s market, by leveraging approvals from comparable international regulators. The MHRA aims to publish an outline of the International Recognition Framework for medical devices later this spring, aligned to the Life Sciences Council, subject to necessary approvals.

In addition, the MHRA is leading the reform of the medical devices regulatory landscape and includes a new pathway to accelerate access to safe, innovative medical devices to help meet the unmet needs of patients. The Innovative Devices Access Pathway aims to bring new medical technologies and solutions to the National Health Service, to support the medical needs that are not currently being met. There are eight innovative medical technologies included in the pilot phase.

We are working alongside others to further the Life Sciences Vision, particularly improving regulation and regulatory processes around medical devices, and supporting broader ambitions in the vision aligned to the conditions set out in the Major Conditions Strategy. As we work to update the medical devices regulatory landscape, the MHRA is taking the Major Conditions Strategy into consideration, including the six groups of major health conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is not a regulator but makes recommendations for the NHS on whether selected medical devices should be routinely adopted by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. Medical devices are prioritised for the NICE’s evaluation, in line with NICE’s published topic selection manual.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to develop a Priority Review programme for medical devices.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Priority Review programme is not currently planned, but the Government is taking other significant steps for medical device regulatory reform, as part of a broader Medical Technology Strategy. Further information on the Medical Technology Strategy is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-technology-strategy/medical-technology-strategy

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating medical devices, and designates United Kingdom Approved Bodies to conduct conformity assessments against the relevant regulatory requirements. The MHRA works closely with Approved Bodies to ensure their timely assessment.

Following a consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in 2021, the MHRA is leading a programme of work to introduce updated regulations for medical devices that prioritise patient safety, improve patient access to innovative medical devices, and ensure the UK remains an attractive market for medical technology innovators. In January of this year, the MHRA published a MedTech Regulatory roadmap that sets out the main activities in implementing the future regulations throughout 2024 and 2025. An international recognition framework for medical devices will form part of the future regulatory framework, which will provide an alternative route to the UK’s market, by leveraging approvals from comparable international regulators. The MHRA aims to publish an outline of the International Recognition Framework for medical devices later this spring, aligned to the Life Sciences Council, subject to necessary approvals.

In addition, the MHRA is leading the reform of the medical devices regulatory landscape and includes a new pathway to accelerate access to safe, innovative medical devices to help meet the unmet needs of patients. The Innovative Devices Access Pathway aims to bring new medical technologies and solutions to the National Health Service, to support the medical needs that are not currently being met. There are eight innovative medical technologies included in the pilot phase.

We are working alongside others to further the Life Sciences Vision, particularly improving regulation and regulatory processes around medical devices, and supporting broader ambitions in the vision aligned to the conditions set out in the Major Conditions Strategy. As we work to update the medical devices regulatory landscape, the MHRA is taking the Major Conditions Strategy into consideration, including the six groups of major health conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is not a regulator but makes recommendations for the NHS on whether selected medical devices should be routinely adopted by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. Medical devices are prioritised for the NICE’s evaluation, in line with NICE’s published topic selection manual.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (b) NICE will prioritise the regulatory timelines for medical devices that (i) respond to conditions outlined in the Major Conditions Strategy and (ii) where there is unmet need.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Priority Review programme is not currently planned, but the Government is taking other significant steps for medical device regulatory reform, as part of a broader Medical Technology Strategy. Further information on the Medical Technology Strategy is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-technology-strategy/medical-technology-strategy

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating medical devices, and designates United Kingdom Approved Bodies to conduct conformity assessments against the relevant regulatory requirements. The MHRA works closely with Approved Bodies to ensure their timely assessment.

Following a consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in 2021, the MHRA is leading a programme of work to introduce updated regulations for medical devices that prioritise patient safety, improve patient access to innovative medical devices, and ensure the UK remains an attractive market for medical technology innovators. In January of this year, the MHRA published a MedTech Regulatory roadmap that sets out the main activities in implementing the future regulations throughout 2024 and 2025. An international recognition framework for medical devices will form part of the future regulatory framework, which will provide an alternative route to the UK’s market, by leveraging approvals from comparable international regulators. The MHRA aims to publish an outline of the International Recognition Framework for medical devices later this spring, aligned to the Life Sciences Council, subject to necessary approvals.

In addition, the MHRA is leading the reform of the medical devices regulatory landscape and includes a new pathway to accelerate access to safe, innovative medical devices to help meet the unmet needs of patients. The Innovative Devices Access Pathway aims to bring new medical technologies and solutions to the National Health Service, to support the medical needs that are not currently being met. There are eight innovative medical technologies included in the pilot phase.

We are working alongside others to further the Life Sciences Vision, particularly improving regulation and regulatory processes around medical devices, and supporting broader ambitions in the vision aligned to the conditions set out in the Major Conditions Strategy. As we work to update the medical devices regulatory landscape, the MHRA is taking the Major Conditions Strategy into consideration, including the six groups of major health conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is not a regulator but makes recommendations for the NHS on whether selected medical devices should be routinely adopted by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. Medical devices are prioritised for the NICE’s evaluation, in line with NICE’s published topic selection manual.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Bite Back entitled Fuel us, don't fool us, published in February 2024, what steps she is taking to implement the 9 pm watershed restriction of unhealthy food and drink adverts online and on television.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 1 October 2025, the Government will introduce a United Kingdom-wide 9pm TV watershed for less healthy products and a restriction of paid-for advertising of these products online. The Government and regulators are now carrying out crucial processes to prepare for implementing and enforcing the regulations by 1 October 2025. The Government welcomes Bite Back’s report, Fuel Us Don’t Fool Us and will consider its wider recommendations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding has her Department allocated to provide recovery spaces for families of cancer treatment patients.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working jointly with NHS England on implementing the delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlogs in elective care, and plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to help drive up and protect elective activity, including cancer treatment, which encompasses recovery spaces. Additionally, and as outlined in the 2024/25 NHS England Planning Guidance, NHS England are providing over £266 million in cancer service development funding to Cancer Alliances, to support delivery of the operational priorities for cancer.

The Department and NHS England meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues regarding cancer. The Department's ministers and officials also frequently meet with key stakeholders within the cancer community, including discussions on support for patients and their families. As stated in the NHS Long Term Plan for Cancer, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information, and support. NHS England provides personalised cancer care and support plans, to support both patients and their families at all stages of their cancer journey. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support. NHS England estimates that approximately 80% of cancer multidisciplinary teams are now offering Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring physical, practical, emotional, and social needs are identified and addressed at all stages of the cancer pathway. Additionally, Personalised Stratified Follow Up pathways, which adapt care to the needs of individual patients after cancer treatment, are being rolled out by cancer multi-disciplinary teams, and are required for at least eight cancer types by 2023/24.

General practice surgeries also conduct cancer care reviews at regular intervals after cancer diagnosis, to offer support with any needs patients may have. This includes providing access to other specialist-led services who work alongside patients’ medical teams, to support patients and their families, such as counsellors, rehabilitation specialists, or social prescribers, who can connect you to community groups or services for more support. This is part of NHS England’s drive to universal personalised care that will see at least 2.5 million people benefiting from personalised care by 2023/24.

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for cancer patients. NHS England provide access to a personal health budget, which is an amount of NHS money that is allocated to support the health and wellbeing needs of a patient if eligible. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/what-is-a-personal-health-budget/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make a comparative assessment of the cost to the NHS of different kinds of absorbent continence products based on the (a) item price and (b) patient experience and outcome including (i) whole system cost, (ii) laundry cost and (iii) environmental impact.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to ensure that NHS organisations take into account (a) patient experience and outcomes, (b) whole system costs, (c) laundry costs and (d) the environmental impact when purchasing absorbent continence products.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the public's awareness of the side effects that can arise from taking weight loss drugs such as Ozempic.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of medicines and healthcare products available to patients in the United Kingdom. Patient safety remains the MHRA’s highest priority, and they take every opportunity to encourage reporting of any safety concerns to the Yellow Card scheme, which helps to improve the safe use of medicines and medical devices for everyone.

New medicines including, Mounjaro and Wegovy, are intensively monitored to ensure that any new safety concerns are identified promptly. The Commission on Human Medicines and the MHRA encourages the reporting of all suspected reactions to newer drugs and vaccines, which are denoted by an inverted Black Triangle symbol. This symbol appears next to the name of a relevant product in drug safety updates, the British National Formulary and the Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary, the monthly index of medical specialities, the electronic medicines compendium, and advertising material. Patient information leaflets accompanying licensed medicines in the UK must include a description of the adverse reactions which may occur in normal use of the medicinal product, as well as information on how to report them. All adverse reactions must be reflected in the leaflet, in language that the patient will understand.

The MHRA has received a small number of reports of falsified and unlicenced medicines being sold illegally online as a treatment for weight loss. The agency has issued public health messaging warning of the dangers of buying such medicines from illegal trading sources online.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to support research and development of the ACI-24 Alzheimer’s disease treatment.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Government is strongly committed to supporting research into dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease treatment, and has committed to doubling funding for dementia research to £160 million per year, by the end of 2024/25.

In addition, the NIHR’s infrastructure provides funding for clinical expertise, specialist facilities, the workforce, and support services, which underpin research across a range of clinical areas, including Alzheimer’s disease treatments. Specifically, the NIHR’s Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (CRF) has enabled the delivery of the ABATE part 1 trial, which seeks to study the effects of the ACI-24 vaccine in those diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The NIHR’s CRFs are purpose-built facilities for early-phase, experimental medicine, and supporting life science companies throughout the research process from study, design, data collection, and trial management.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle (a) sexism, (b) racism and (c) bullying behaviour within the ambulance service; and if she will establish an independent body to review complaints made by ambulance workers.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Everyone working in the National Health Service must feel safe from any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, or abuse, and feel confident that they can raise concerns, which will be taken seriously and acted on.

The Department welcomes the publication of the NHS England commissioned independent review into ambulance sector culture. NHS England has established a Delivery Board to deliver the review’s important recommendations. This includes actions led by the Office of the Chief Allied Health Professions at NHS England, and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, on stopping misogyny and improving sexual safety in the ambulance service. This programme of work will build on the work already underway through the NHS People Plan, and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the prices available to (a) large companies and (b) independent pharmacies for the purchase of pharmaceuticals from wholesalers.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through the medicine margin survey, the Department assesses whether the reimbursement arrangements pay pharmacy contractors as agreed, as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework. The medicine margin survey considers what a sample of independent pharmacies paid, by looking at their invoices compared to the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. As large companies are considered to have greater buying power, they are not sampled in the medicine margin survey.

Furthermore, where pharmacies cannot purchase products at or below the Drug Tariff NHS reimbursement price, Community Pharmacy England can request that the Department reassesses the reimbursement price. If a new reimbursement price is issued, it is known as a concessionary price.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Northern Ireland will receive funding through the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia mission; and what her planned timetable for delivery of the mission is.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Spending and delivery plans for the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission are currently in development. The Dementia Mission Co-Chairs Hilary Evans and Professor Nadeem Sarwar have, and continue to, engage extensively across the sector to understand and develop the missions’ key aims, ensuring it addresses the challenges the sector faces and that patient voices are heard. This has informed the missions focus on three key pillars: biomarkers and experimental medicine; clinical trials infrastructure and innovation; and end-to-end implementation.

In March 2024, the Government hosted a roundtable and reception where charities, academics, investors, business leaders, and people with lived experience came together to further accelerate efforts to tackle this devastating illness, and to thank all those involved in supporting dementia research, including charities across the United Kingdom. This event made a series announcements, including: awarding a share of the £6 million of funding to 10 projects through Innovate UK’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) dementia biomarker tools competition; the appointment of Scott Mitchell as the People’s Champion for the Dementia Mission; the appointment of Dr Ruth McKernan CBE as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Neurodegeneration Initiative, which will be a public-private partnership delivering the mission's objectives around biomarkers, boosting the number and speed of clinical trials in dementia and neurodegeneration, and working with regulatory bodies around the implementation of new treatments; and the appointment of the Medicines Discovery Catapult as the delivery partner for the establishment of the Neurodegeneration Initiative. The Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission continues to develop its deliverables, and will announce further plans for their delivery in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to breast screening for people with physical disabilities that prevent them from holding the required position for sufficient time to complete the screening.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is committed to improving the accessibility of the screening programmes it commissions under the Public Health Services (S7a) agreement, particularly for under-served groups in society. Contractually, providers of National Health Service screening services are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their services are accessible for people with disabilities. For example, the NHS breast screening service offers longer appointments at accessible sites to support women with physical disabilities.

Services make reasonable adjustments within the constraints of mammography equipment, to ensure that people with disabilities are offered the opportunity to have screening. However, there may be situations where this is not possible. Providers will deal with these on a case by case basis, and offer an alternative approach as necessary. For example, for women who are unable to have a mammogram, they may be offered a referral to a symptomatic breast clinic for a physical check.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the shortage of children’s nurses in hospices across the UK.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is seeking to address shortages in the workforce, and particularly in community care, through the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP). The LTWP, published in 2023, sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to grow the workforce, and deliver a workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. It will put the workforce on a sustainable footing for the long term. The LTWP aims to grow the number and proportion of NHS staff working in mental health, and primary and community care, and sets out an ambition to grow these roles by 73%, by 2036/37.

The Department has delivered on the Government’s commitment of 50,000 additional nurses, with over 363,000 nurses working across the NHS, which is over 62,000, or 20.7% more than September 2019. More widely, data for September 2023 from the Nursing and Midwifery Council shows there are over 58,300 registered children’s nurses across the United Kingdom. This is over 6,500, or 12.7%, more than in 2019.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that patients at high risk of developing breast cancer are recalled for MRI screening.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Women at very high risk (VHR) of breast cancer are eligible to be screened from the age of 25 years old upwards, and should be invited every year. The screening includes mammography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), depending on age and risk criteria.

In March, NHS England wrote to a small number of VHR women who had not been referred for annual MRI surveillance, and the National Health Service has been working hard to ensure these women are checked as a matter of urgency, as described in their individual letters. To support screening of VHR women, a new central database is planned to ensure all referrals reach NHS breast screening services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Any Hours and Any Speciality schemes used by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust on (a) maternity staff retention rates and (b) career progression among midwives.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Any Hours is a programme that allows for more flexible working hours and patterns. Wherever there are shifts that are unfilled, Any Hours allows midwives to choose when, where, and the number of hours they want to work. Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust data shows that since the Any Hours Scheme was enacted, it has released, on average, 300 hours a month, equalling two whole time equivalent midwives’ released every month. The Any Hours programme is expected to be featured as a case study by NHS England.

Any Specialty is a programme to encourage all Band 6 midwives to spend 15 hours a month, or two days, in a different speciality of their choice. This allows colleagues to improve the competencies and skills needed to help their career progression, or even to directly apply to a specialist midwife role at the trust. To date, specialties have recruited nine midwives following Any Specialty contact at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the £100 million AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Prime Minister announced a new artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare fund, backed by £100 million, at the AI Safety Summit. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is responsible for this fund, and the Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with them to identify areas where rapid deployment of AI could create transformational breakthroughs in healthcare. We are particularly focused on innovations in Life Sciences, which could accelerate our fight against devastating conditions like cancer and chronic mental ill-health, aiming to diagnose these conditions earlier and improve treatments. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will provide an update on our progress later in Spring.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of NHS speak up guardians in (a) primary and (b) secondary care settings.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians are a valued channel through which concerns can be raised, and have handled over 100,000 cases since the National Guardian’s Office first started collecting data in 2017. This represents over 100,000 opportunities for learning and improvement. In 2022/23 alone over 25,000 cases were raised with Freedom to Speak Up Guardians and over four-fifths, or 82.2% of those who gave feedback to their Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, said they would speak up again.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking with NHS England to (a) promote the adoption of the principles of value-based procurement in the purchase and dispensing of absorbent continence products and (b) help ensure that those principles continue to be adopted in the context of short-term savings being pursued by NHS organisations.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is working with NHS England and partner organisations across the health system to develop a standardised methodology, to assess the full value of medical technologies. This initiative underlines our commitment in the Medtech Strategy, published in February 2023, ensuring the right product, in the right place, at the right price. The methodology will seek to look beyond upfront cost to consider patient outcomes, whole system costs, supply resilience, and the environmental impact when procurement decisions are being made.

The methodology will provide a consistent approach to assessing value, and will be implemented at both the national and local level. This approach aims to ensure that procurement decisions support both short-term efficiencies and long-term benefits, drawing out the value to patients and the healthcare system. The Government appreciates contributions from the industry and procurement communities, and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback on the initial proposal in due course.

In terms of implementation, we will look to align and integrate this initiative with NHS England’s Central Commercial Function's ongoing work under their strategic framework, which aims to create commercial playbooks for standardising practices and processes across the National Health Service.

Regarding the specific point raised around absorbent continence products, the Disposable Continence tender is due to be issued to the market later this year. To ensure that the NHS’s requirements are considered during the procurement process, NHS Supply Chain is undertaking significant engagement across the health and social care system. This includes customers in the acute and wider community setting, suppliers, trade associations, professional bodies, and end user reference groups, to understand their requirements from a commercial, value, sustainability, and supply resilience perspective.

NHS Supply Chain is currently working with suppliers of disposable continence products to understand the value-based procurement and sustainability offerings on the purchase of continence products. NHS Supply Chain has identified a trust who are committed in supporting us in understanding this value in the form of a pilot study, and potential case study. More information can be provided once these studies have been finalised and confirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of her Department’s (a) advertising and (b) marketing expenditure was on (i) local newspapers in print and online, (ii) national newspapers in print and online, (iii) social media, (iv) search engines, (v) broadcast and on-demand television and (vi) other channels in the most recent year for which data is available.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The below table shows the Department’s total media expenditure, across advertising and marketing and as a proportion by media type, for the financial year 2023/24:

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential benefits of introducing more flexible working arrangements for maternity staff in NHS services.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Flexible working arrangements, or We work flexibly, is one of the elements contained in the NHS People Promise, with a commitment to deliver for staff, including midwives, by 2024/25. NHS England has created and shared flexible working arrangement resources, and delivered bespoke webinars and workshops on the issue. They have also brought together midwifery leaders from across the system to share good practice, foster collaboration, and support the implementation of flexible working across maternity services.

In September 2021, contractual changes took effect for employees covered by the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook, which includes the right to request flexible working from day one, without the need to provide a justification.

Flexible working is one of the key pillars of improving staff experience and retention, as set out in the Long Term Workforce Plan. It will contribute to the aim of retaining up to 130,000 more staff over the course of the plan. However, no assessment of the benefits of introducing more flexible working arrangements specifically for maternity staff has been made.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the proposed amendments to the Part IX of the Drug Tariff, including any impact assessments on the future provision of medical technologies in the UK; how these proposals meet the ambitions of the Life Sciences Vision; and what steps they are taking to ensure that there is sufficient patient choice following the outcome of the consultation.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The consultation response on the proposed amendments to Part IX and the final impact assessment is expected to be released in May 2024, and will outline the Government’s response.

The Department believes that it is currently difficult to identify which devices are broadly comparable, and whether more expensive devices provide added value. The proposed amendments that were consulted on intend to increase meaningful choice, not to decrease choice for clinicians and patients. Comparison between products can increase awareness of different brands amongst prescribers.

These proposals support the Life Sciences Vision, and are designed to increase innovation and alignment between partners in the health and care system. The enhanced assessment process will allow comparison between products based on their merits, increasing transparency and competition, and encouraging new products and small and medium sized businesses to enter the market. The proposed introduction of environmental attributes in social value scoring increases the vision to help the National Health Service meet Net Zero.

The Department is aware that there are some very good devices in use, relied upon by clinicians and patients. Part IX will remain a list of devices available to be prescribed in the community via the FP10 prescription route. Any amendments that are taken forward will happen gradually, with review points and engagement with stakeholders, including industry, patient representatives, clinicians, and NHS organisations. The Department will share a timeline of proposed changes taken forward, in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to formally engage with the wider health sector and industry partners on the next stages in the development of proposed changes to Part IX of the Drug Tariff, following the conclusion of the consultation on these proposals.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The consultation response on the proposed amendments to Part IX and the final impact assessment is expected to be released in May 2024, and will outline the Government’s response.

The Department believes that it is currently difficult to identify which devices are broadly comparable, and whether more expensive devices provide added value. The proposed amendments that were consulted on intend to increase meaningful choice, not to decrease choice for clinicians and patients. Comparison between products can increase awareness of different brands amongst prescribers.

These proposals support the Life Sciences Vision, and are designed to increase innovation and alignment between partners in the health and care system. The enhanced assessment process will allow comparison between products based on their merits, increasing transparency and competition, and encouraging new products and small and medium sized businesses to enter the market. The proposed introduction of environmental attributes in social value scoring increases the vision to help the National Health Service meet Net Zero.

The Department is aware that there are some very good devices in use, relied upon by clinicians and patients. Part IX will remain a list of devices available to be prescribed in the community via the FP10 prescription route. Any amendments that are taken forward will happen gradually, with review points and engagement with stakeholders, including industry, patient representatives, clinicians, and NHS organisations. The Department will share a timeline of proposed changes taken forward, in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the impact of air quality on the health of residents in Warwick and Leamington constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution indicator, measured as PM2.5, represents the percentage of annual deaths from all causes in those aged 30 years old and older, attributed to PM2.5. In 2022, the latest year from which published data is available, the fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution was 5.5% for Warwickshire, and 5.5% for Warwick.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) produces the estimates of the fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution in English local authorities and regions, as an indicator within the Public Health Outcomes Framework for England, published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. This framework is available at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data#page/0/gid/1000043/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/6/are/E12000007/cid/4/page-options/ovw-do-0

The UKHSA provides the scientific secretariat to the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, an expert committee of the Department, which advises the Government on matters concerning the health effects of air pollutants. Further information on this committee is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/committee-on-the-medical-effects-of-air-pollutants-comeap

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the recent increase in cases of tuberculosis.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

To support tuberculosis (TB) control in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England launched a collaborative TB Action Plan in July 2021. This has specific actions and measurable objectives to improve the prevention, detection, and control of TB in England. This action plan is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-tb-action-plan-for-england

The UKHSA and NHS England continue their work with partners to raise awareness of TB among vulnerable communities and healthcare professionals, to support early detection and diagnosis of TB. The measures identified in the action plan are currently being reviewed in the light of the current increase in cases, to ensure resources are focused on the actions with the highest benefit.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the mental health of medical practitioners of withdrawing NHS Practitioner Health services for new applicants.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise that the NHS Practitioner Health service is valued by many doctors. NHS England is reviewing the service as part of a wider review of its mental health and wellbeing offer to National Health Service staff. It was confirmed on 15 April 2024 that the service will continue to accept new patients from primary and secondary care whilst this review is undertaken over the next 12 months. NHS England will confirm future arrangements once the review has been completed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration was given to the costs of complicated grief in families of patients dying from SOD-1 MND during the evaluation process that led to the decision to decline access to tofersen for NHS patients.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not yet started its evaluation of tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations, and has therefore not published any guidance or recommendations on whether tofersen should be available for National Health Service patients. In developing its recommendations, the NICE will follow its published methods for health technology evaluation, which will include a thorough assessment of the available evidence. This takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health benefits not only to patients but, where relevant, to other people such as carers. The NICE’s aim is to publish its guidance on tofersen as close as possible to the date it receives its marketing authorisation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the negative impact on pharmaceutical research investment in the UK of the refusal by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to approve tofersen for SOD-1 MND patients in the UK.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not yet started its evaluation of tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations, and has therefore not published any guidance or recommendations on whether tofersen should be available for National Health Service patients. In developing its recommendations, the NICE will follow its published methods for health technology evaluation, which will include a thorough assessment of the available evidence. This takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health benefits not only to patients but, where relevant, to other people such as carers. The NICE’s aim is to publish its guidance on tofersen as close as possible to the date it receives its marketing authorisation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult patients, clinicians and manufacturers on the categorisation of products available on Part IX of the Drug Tariff as proposed in the recent consultation paper; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed changes to Drug Tariff Part IX on (1) patients with continence care needs, (2) continence care services, (3) the range of devices available to clinicians and patients, and (4) new product development and innovation in medical devices in the continence sector.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The consultation response on the proposed amendments to Part IX is expected to be released in May 2024, which will outline the Government’s response. Any amendments that are taken forward will happen gradually, with review points, and engagement with stakeholders, including industry, patient representatives, clinicians, and National Health Service organisations. The Department will share a timeline of the proposed changes taken forward in due course.

The Department believes that it is currently difficult to identify which devices are broadly comparable, and whether more expensive devices provide added value. The proposed amendments that were consulted on intend to increase meaningful choice, not to decrease choice for clinicians and patients. Comparison between products can increase awareness of different brands amongst prescribers, which can also support small and medium sized businesses in entering the market.

The Department is aware that there are some very good devices in use, relied upon by clinicians and patients. Part IX will remain a list of devices available to be prescribed in the community via the FP10 prescription route.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish a timeline for the implementation of the proposed changes to Drug Tariff Part IX; provide the definition of "quality" that will be used as part of the enhanced assessment process included in those proposed changes; and publish in full the responses received to that consultation.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The consultation response on the proposed amendments to Part IX is expected to be released in May 2024, which will outline the Government’s response. Any amendments that are taken forward will happen gradually, with review points, and engagement with stakeholders, including industry, patient representatives, clinicians, and National Health Service organisations. The Department will share a timeline of the proposed changes taken forward in due course.

The Department believes that it is currently difficult to identify which devices are broadly comparable, and whether more expensive devices provide added value. The proposed amendments that were consulted on intend to increase meaningful choice, not to decrease choice for clinicians and patients. Comparison between products can increase awareness of different brands amongst prescribers, which can also support small and medium sized businesses in entering the market.

The Department is aware that there are some very good devices in use, relied upon by clinicians and patients. Part IX will remain a list of devices available to be prescribed in the community via the FP10 prescription route.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the current shortage of the psychotropic medication Olanzapine, Risperidone and Haloperidol following the sudden departure of two generic manufacturers from the UK market.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are aware that there have been supply constraints with olanzapine 210 milligram, 300 milligram, and 405 milligram powder and solvent for prolonged release suspension for injection. We worked with manufacturers to uplift production, and the issues were resolved in February 2024. We worked with NHS England to issue national communications containing advice on how to manage patients whilst there was a disruption to supply. We are not aware of any supply issues affecting oral presentations of olanzapine, or of any supply issues with any risperidone or haloperidol products.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure the Major Conditions Strategy improves breast cancer outcomes for ethnic minority women.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing inequalities and improving breast cancer outcomes for ethnic minority women, including black women, is a priority for the Government. To support this work, NHS England has commissioned six new cancer clinical audits, which will provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatments and outcomes for patients, including metastatic breast cancer. The Royal College of Surgeons began work on this audit in October 2022, and the first outcomes are expected in September 2024.

NHS England is also leading a programme of work to tackle healthcare inequalities centred around five clear priorities, which are set out in operational planning guidance for the health system. The Core20PLUS5 approach for adults has been rolled out as an NHS England framework to focus action on reducing inequalities on issues within the National Health Services’ direct influence, which are major contributors to inequalities in life expectancy through major conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and others, or Long-Term Plan priorities where stark inequalities are evident, such as maternity or severe mental illness.

The key actions for systems as highlighted in NHS England’s planning guidance for 2024/25 is to continue to deliver against the five strategic priorities for tackling health inequalities. Additionally, by the end of June 2024, NHS England aims to publish joined-up action plans to address health inequalities, and implement the Core20PLUS5 approach.

Improving earlier diagnosis of cancers, including breast cancer, is also a priority for the Government. The NHS has an ambition to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028, which will help tens of thousands of people live for longer. Additionally, the new cancer standards developed and supported by cancer doctors and implemented in October 2023, will ensure patients are diagnosed faster, and that treatment starts earlier. In the 2023/24 Operational Planning Guidance, NHS England announced that it is providing over £390 million in cancer service development funding to Cancer Alliances in each of the next two years, to support the delivery of the strategy and the operational priorities for cancer, which includes increasing and prioritising diagnostic and treatment capacity.

Whilst the Major Conditions Strategy does not seek to describe everything that is being done, or could be done, to meet the challenges of individual conditions in silo, it instead focuses on the changes likely to make the most difference across the six groups of major conditions, including cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve breast cancer outcomes amongst Black women.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing inequalities and improving breast cancer outcomes for ethnic minority women, including black women, is a priority for the Government. To support this work, NHS England has commissioned six new cancer clinical audits, which will provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatments and outcomes for patients, including metastatic breast cancer. The Royal College of Surgeons began work on this audit in October 2022, and the first outcomes are expected in September 2024.

NHS England is also leading a programme of work to tackle healthcare inequalities centred around five clear priorities, which are set out in operational planning guidance for the health system. The Core20PLUS5 approach for adults has been rolled out as an NHS England framework to focus action on reducing inequalities on issues within the National Health Services’ direct influence, which are major contributors to inequalities in life expectancy through major conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and others, or Long-Term Plan priorities where stark inequalities are evident, such as maternity or severe mental illness.

The key actions for systems as highlighted in NHS England’s planning guidance for 2024/25 is to continue to deliver against the five strategic priorities for tackling health inequalities. Additionally, by the end of June 2024, NHS England aims to publish joined-up action plans to address health inequalities, and implement the Core20PLUS5 approach.

Improving earlier diagnosis of cancers, including breast cancer, is also a priority for the Government. The NHS has an ambition to diagnose 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028, which will help tens of thousands of people live for longer. Additionally, the new cancer standards developed and supported by cancer doctors and implemented in October 2023, will ensure patients are diagnosed faster, and that treatment starts earlier. In the 2023/24 Operational Planning Guidance, NHS England announced that it is providing over £390 million in cancer service development funding to Cancer Alliances in each of the next two years, to support the delivery of the strategy and the operational priorities for cancer, which includes increasing and prioritising diagnostic and treatment capacity.

Whilst the Major Conditions Strategy does not seek to describe everything that is being done, or could be done, to meet the challenges of individual conditions in silo, it instead focuses on the changes likely to make the most difference across the six groups of major conditions, including cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to protect the titles for all (a) psychologists, (b) psychotherapists, (c) counsellors and (d) other psychological therapy providers.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

All professional healthcare regulators have protected titles, relating to the professions they regulate. There are currently 64 protected titles across 10 professional health and care regulators, including nine protected titles relating to the practitioner psychologist profession, regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Titles can only be protected for statutorily regulated professions. There are no plans to statutorily regulate psychologist, psychotherapist, counsellor, or other psychological therapy provider roles.

The Government keeps the professions subject to statutory regulation under review and in 2022 published the consultation, Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate, seeking views on the criteria used to decide when regulation is necessary, and whether there are any unregulated professions that should be brought into statutory regulation. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in due course.

Found: has influenced the creation of WorkWell, a new programme from Department for Work and Pensions and Department

Found: For example, today in England DHSC (Department of Health and Social Care) and DWP fund 3,500 social

Found: BEIS (net zero sectors), DHSC (health and social care), DCMS (creative industries and digital), DLUHC

Found: Individual Placement Support programmes and Employment Advisors in Talking Therapies programmes (DWP / DHSC

Found: Further connections/meetings with DfT and DHSC.

Found: designed to reduce the variation of care currently experienced in NHS services. 3.NHS England and the Department

Found: staffing needs now and in the future. 4.As part of a research and workforce planning exercise, the Department

Found: The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department

Found: Action by: Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, Maternity Disparities Taskforce, Commissioners

Found: HC 118 4th Use of evaluation and modelling in government HC 254 5th Local economic growth HC 252 6th Department

Found: Mental Health has also made a statement to Parliament as follows; "I wish to inform the House that the Department

Found: The Department of Health and Social Care has initialised a review of the evidence around effective public

Found: HC 118 4th Use of evaluation and modelling in government HC 254 5th Local economic growth HC 252 6th Department

Found: People, Health and Work, Department for Work and Pensions; Lorraine Jackson CBE, Director, DWP and DHSC

Found: /procedure -committee/ Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Department

Found: Prevalence of STIs among young people Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, Department

Found: DHSC and UKHSA considered options on the long-term future requirements for testing capacity and for

Found: We think that both DWP and DHSC should look into what the underlying reasons are for this increase

Found: HC 118 4th Use of evaluation and modelling in government HC 254 5th Local economic growth HC 252 6th Department

Found: as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC

Found: Up, Housing and Communities ] are working in partnership with the Department for Education and the Department

Found: can confirm, not least from operational contacts, the good relations that are in place with the Department

Found: We welcome the steps outlined by the DHSC and FCDO regarding the continued support of the WHO through

Found: Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and arm’s- length bodies, work in concert with DBT, the Department

Found: Correspondence from Andy Brittain, Director General Finance, Department of Health and Social Care, re

Found: Correspondence from Julian Kelly, Chief Financial Officer, NHS England, re DHSC Annual Report and Accounts

Found: For example, DHSC have published their last 3 sets of statutory accounts 10 months after the year -end

Found: Correspondence from Shona Dunn, Second Permanent Secretary, Department of Health and Social Care, re

Found: They were developed in consultation over a long period with the Department of Health and Social Care

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has taken steps to align the activities of UK Research and Innovation and the UK Health Security Agency.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have complementary roles in preparing for and responding to infectious diseases threats, working in partnership with Department of Health and Social Care/National Institute Health and Care Research and Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs taking a ‘One Health’ approach. To enhance UK preparedness and resilience, UKRI works closely with UKHSA and government departments to ensure the UK has appropriate infrastructure and capabilities to prevent, detect and respond to future threats. In responding to disease outbreaks, UKRI works with UKHSA and devolved administrations, who provide vital leadership on the nature of the threats and the research questions to be addressed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Further agreement with telecoms firms to protect vulnerable customers, published on 11 March 2024, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the definition of vulnerable.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT is working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) regarding the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration.

On 29 January, DSIT Ministers met with Ministerial counterparts from DHSC and the, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to discuss Departmental responsibilities during the migration. The Departments have collectively agreed a Telecare National Action Plan (TNAP) outlining each Department’s role during the migration to ensure that telecare users and other vulnerable customers are protected. As set out in this action plan, DSIT has agreed to lead on defining vulnerability with support from DHSC and DLUHC.

For more information regarding the work to define vulnerability, I refer the Hon Member to the answers given to Question UIN 21918 and 21919 on 19^th April 2024.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase access to speech and language therapists in schools.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department’s vision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), is the same as it is for all children and young people. The department wants them to achieve well in their early years, at school and in further education, to find employment, to lead happy and fulfilled lives and to experience choice and control.

The first response when any child is falling behind in school is good quality teaching. To support with this, the department is developing a suite of Practitioner standards, called ’Practice Guides‘ in the SEND and alternative provision Improvement Plan, which will set out the best available evidence to help professionals in mainstream settings, including early years staff, teachers and teaching assistants to identify and support the needs of children and young people they work with, including for those with speech and language needs.

In some cases, additional, specialist support may be required to meet the needs of a child, including support provided by speech and language therapists. The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to take a joint approach to SEND workforce planning. The department established a steering group in 2023 to oversee this work, which is intended to be completed by 2025. The government is also backing the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which sets out the steps the NHS and its partners need to take over the next 15 years to meet the needs of the changing population. This includes increasing the number of allied health professionals such as speech and language therapists.

In addition, working with NHS England, the department is funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinders within the department’s Change Programme until 2025. The project will fund nine Integrated Care Boards and local areas within each of the nine Change Programme Partnerships to trial new ways of working to better identify and support children with SLCN in early years and primary school settings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made a recent estimate of the total amount of money that has been returned to victims of gambling-related crimes by (a) the gambling industry, (b) Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings and (c) any other means in the 2023-24 financial year.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neither the Government nor the Gambling Commission hold information on how many crimes related to harmful gambling were committed in the last 12 months and there has been no recent estimate as to the total amount of money that has been returned to victims of gambling-related crimes.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in Department of Health and Social Care have undertaken an evidence review which provides estimates of the economic costs of harmful gambling, which includes a section on criminal activity (chapter 6).The economic cost of gambling-related harm in England: evidence update 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The Gambling Act 2005 sets out the following licensing objectives:

• preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.
• ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

As the statutory regulator, the Gambling Commission is responsible for making sure all licensing applications meet these objectives. The Commission has published a statement of principles for licensing and regulation which sets out how it governs what it does and how they help to meet the Act's licensing objectives.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes related to harmful gambling were committed in the last 12 months; what the nature of those crimes was; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of those crimes on (a) the economy and (b) wider society.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neither the Government nor the Gambling Commission hold information on how many crimes related to harmful gambling were committed in the last 12 months and there has been no recent estimate as to the total amount of money that has been returned to victims of gambling-related crimes.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in Department of Health and Social Care have undertaken an evidence review which provides estimates of the economic costs of harmful gambling, which includes a section on criminal activity (chapter 6).The economic cost of gambling-related harm in England: evidence update 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The Gambling Act 2005 sets out the following licensing objectives:

• preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.
• ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

As the statutory regulator, the Gambling Commission is responsible for making sure all licensing applications meet these objectives. The Commission has published a statement of principles for licensing and regulation which sets out how it governs what it does and how they help to meet the Act's licensing objectives.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the impact of gambling-related (a) fraud and (b) other acquisitive crimes on the finances of the victims of those crimes.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neither the Government nor the Gambling Commission hold information on how many crimes related to harmful gambling were committed in the last 12 months and there has been no recent estimate as to the total amount of money that has been returned to victims of gambling-related crimes.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in Department of Health and Social Care have undertaken an evidence review which provides estimates of the economic costs of harmful gambling, which includes a section on criminal activity (chapter 6).The economic cost of gambling-related harm in England: evidence update 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The Gambling Act 2005 sets out the following licensing objectives:

• preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.
• ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

As the statutory regulator, the Gambling Commission is responsible for making sure all licensing applications meet these objectives. The Commission has published a statement of principles for licensing and regulation which sets out how it governs what it does and how they help to meet the Act's licensing objectives.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of awarding Carer’s Allowance to unpaid carers between the ages of 16-18 that are studying (a) 21 hours and (b) more than 21 hours per week.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by all informal carers.

We think it is right that people in full-time education should be supported by the educational maintenance system, via its range of loans and grants, rather than the social security benefit system. That is why, as a general principle, full-time students are usually precluded from entitlement to income-related and income-maintenance benefits, including Carer’s Allowance. Part-time students may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance though. This reflects long-standing principles of the benefit system and we have no plans to change these rules.

Department for Work and Pensions officials work very closely with their Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care counterparts to ensure that young carers get the help and support they need.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of awarding Carer’s Allowance to unpaid carers that are studying (a) 21 hours and (b) more than 21 hours per week.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by all informal carers.

We think it is right that people in full-time education should be supported by the educational maintenance system, via its range of loans and grants, rather than the social security benefit system. That is why, as a general principle, full-time students are usually precluded from entitlement to income-related and income-maintenance benefits, including Carer’s Allowance. Part-time students may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance though. This reflects long-standing principles of the benefit system and we have no plans to change these rules.

Department for Work and Pensions officials work very closely with their Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care counterparts to ensure that young carers get the help and support they need.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of households with telecare devices still to transition from the public switched telephone network to the Digital Voice service.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

According to data from the Telecare Services Association (TSA) and Farrpoint, a digital consultancy, there are between 1.7 and 2 million telecare users in the UK; given that devices are readily available to purchase privately, we cannot provide an exact figure. Of these, the TSA estimates that c.500,000 devices are compatible with digital phone lines.

However, some analogue telecare devices may also work on digital networks. DSIT has been working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the telecare industry to raise awareness of the migration and to encourage the testing of analogue devices on digital phone lines. BT and other providers have also set up test labs for telecare suppliers or telecare service providers to test their equipment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding her Department has provided to support research into pandemic preparedness in the financial year 2023-24.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DHSC are the lead department for pandemic preparedness, a core element of the UK Biological Security Strategy.

Found: progress Scheduled: Autumn 2024 Topics: Health and social care, Public health Departments: Department

Found: of Health and Social Care Introduction from the Committee This Report is part of the framework of

Found: of Health and Social Care Introduction from the Committee This Report is part of the framework of

Found: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero DfE Department for Education DfT Department for Transport DHSC

Found: From: Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Work and Pensions Published 24 April

Found: cross-government delegation from Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department

Found: Agreement (NPA) on the Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) approach (July 2023), signed by the Home Office, Department

Found: Mae'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau (DWP) a'r Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol (DHSC), gyda’i gilydd fel

Found: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), together

Found: The Department of Health and Social Care is partway through implementing a new member contribution

Found: initial set of recommended ‘scheme -set’ assumptions. 2 GAD discuss recommended assumptions with Department

Found: SW1H 9EX Website: https://www.food.gov.uk Email: fsa.communications@food.gov.uk Parent Department: Department

Found: of Health and Social Care MPCorrespondence@dhsc.gov.uk Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Found: The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also publicly committed to eradicating RAAC in the