Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Our Medium-Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, made it clear to integrated care boards (ICBs) that timely and effective community health services will be critical to shifting care out of hospital and into the community to deliver our ambitions for neighbourhood health.

ICB core programme allocations for 2026/27 to 2028/29, published in November 2025, gave an average recurrent allocation growth across all ICBs in England of 2.72% in 2026/27 and 2.92% in 2027/28.

And, for the first time, we have set a target for systems to reduce long waits for community health services in the Medium-Term Planning Framework. By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care. Systems have also been asked to increase the capacity of community health services and to work to standardise the provision of core community services.

To help bring about integration, the Department and NHS England will create effective mechanisms which enable service level funding to flow from acute care to community health services and create financial incentives to invest in services that improve patient outcomes and deliver better value by creating funding flows and payment mechanisms that connect the savings from improved quality of care with the investment in new services in the community.

We remain committed to working together across Government and with national autism charities to improve services and outcomes for autistic people.

On 23 January, we published our response to the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Inquiry Committee’s report Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy. We are carefully considering the report’s recommendations as well as our approach to the national autism strategy and will set out a position, including our plans to engage with stakeholders, in due course.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out to make the National Health Service fit for the future, by delivering three big shifts, from hospital to care in community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. The plan will help to address health inequalities for disabled and autistic people by improving access to care, delivering care closer to home, and supporting the development of holistic care plans for those whose needs may require support from multiple health and care providers. We want autistic people’s access to, and experience of, healthcare services to be equitable, effective, and responsive to their needs.

The plan sets out the core principle of early intervention and support, including without the need for diagnosis, including specifically for children and young people, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is clear about the importance of health services working in partnership with education settings and providing children and young people with early intervention and support to avoid needs escalating, where possible, building on learning from programmes such as Early Language Support for Every Child. We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper.

NHS England continues to support local systems to use a national framework and operational guidance to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways. It has published national guidance on meeting the needs of autistic adults in mental health services and, to address physical health inequalities, is currently testing a combined health check in primary care for autistic people, those with a severe mental health condition and/or those people with a learning disability.

The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose to revise the strategy, and if so, must publish it as revised.

On 23 January 2026, we published our response to the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Inquiry Committee’s report Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy. We are carefully considering the report’s recommendations, as well as our approach to developing a new national autism strategy and will set out a position in due course. The current strategy will remain in effect until a revised strategy is published.

Commercial access agreements, including confidential discounts, are negotiated to secure affordability and value for money for the National Health Service, and to enable access to clinically effective treatments that may not otherwise meet cost effectiveness thresholds at list price. As is standard across NHS medicines commissioning, the specific terms of commercial agreements remain confidential to protect the NHS’s negotiating position and to ensure best value for public funds.

NHS England, alongside the Department and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, routinely engages with pharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, through standard market access and appraisal processes, and commercial and supply discussions following NICE recommendations, and ongoing dialogue on implementation, demand management, and system readiness. NHS England does not comment publicly on the detail of individual commercial negotiations.

For weight management medicines, NHS England is supporting implementation via a phased and prioritised rollout approach. Prioritising populations with the greatest clinical need aligns with NHS objectives to reduce health inequalities.

NHS England is working with regions and integrated care boards to support consistent implementation of national policy, and to address unwarranted variation through guidance, oversight, and data monitoring. These approaches are designed to ensure that cost pressures do not drive postcode-based inequities, while enabling the safe and sustainable introduction of new treatments at scale.

Commercial access agreements, including confidential discounts, are negotiated to secure affordability and value for money for the National Health Service, and to enable access to clinically effective treatments that may not otherwise meet cost effectiveness thresholds at list price. As is standard across NHS medicines commissioning, the specific terms of commercial agreements remain confidential to protect the NHS’s negotiating position and to ensure best value for public funds.

NHS England, alongside the Department and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, routinely engages with pharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, through standard market access and appraisal processes, and commercial and supply discussions following NICE recommendations, and ongoing dialogue on implementation, demand management, and system readiness. NHS England does not comment publicly on the detail of individual commercial negotiations.

For weight management medicines, NHS England is supporting implementation via a phased and prioritised rollout approach. Prioritising populations with the greatest clinical need aligns with NHS objectives to reduce health inequalities.

NHS England is working with regions and integrated care boards to support consistent implementation of national policy, and to address unwarranted variation through guidance, oversight, and data monitoring. These approaches are designed to ensure that cost pressures do not drive postcode-based inequities, while enabling the safe and sustainable introduction of new treatments at scale.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the National Health Service workforce is provided with high-quality training to support them to deliver quality care to patients living with obesity.

The curricula for postgraduate specialty training are developed by royal colleges and faculties and approved by the General Medical Council. Standards of education and proficiency are the responsibility of the statutorily independent professional regulators.

Individual employers are responsible for appropriate ongoing training and continuing professional development to ensure they continue to provide safe and effective care. NHS England and other organisations support employers and the NHS workforce by providing and signposting to evidence‑based training resources on weight management. These include programmes that incorporate behavioural approaches, and in some cases psychological elements, available through platforms such as e‑Learning for Healthcare, the Royal College of General Practitioners Obesity Hub, and the Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education programme.

The National Health Service and local government provide a range of obesity services, from universal prevention initiatives to targeted interventions, including behaviour change programmes, digital tools and apps, and specialist services for people living with severe obesity and related conditions. These services support individuals at every stage to achieve and maintain a healthier weight.

Commissioning and funding decisions for obesity services are made locally by local authorities and NHS organisations in line with assessed population needs and available budgets. The Department works with these partners and NHS England to provide national policy direction, to support effective and sustainable service models and to introduce digital behavioural programmes.

NHS England is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver a phased roll‑out of tirzepatide for the treatment of obesity. They have provided funding and guidance to ICBs and established a national wraparound support service for patients receiving these treatments, covering diet, physical activity, and behaviour change.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England, we are taking decisive action on the obesity crisis, including restricting junk food advertising to children, and setting healthy sales reporting and targets for large food businesses.

Whilst we recognise that prevention will always be better than a cure, we also need to support those already living with obesity. We have committed to doubling the number of people able to access the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme and to expand access to the newest obesity medicines.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the National Health Service workforce is provided with high-quality training to support them to deliver quality care to patients living with obesity.

The curricula for postgraduate specialty training are developed by royal colleges and faculties and approved by the General Medical Council. Standards of education and proficiency are the responsibility of the statutorily independent professional regulators.

Individual employers are responsible for appropriate ongoing training and continuing professional development to ensure they continue to provide safe and effective care. NHS England and other organisations support employers and the NHS workforce by providing and signposting to evidence‑based training resources on weight management. These include programmes that incorporate behavioural approaches, and in some cases psychological elements, available through platforms such as e‑Learning for Healthcare, the Royal College of General Practitioners Obesity Hub, and the Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education programme.

We have reached a landmark agreement with the United States of America that secures a preferential tariff rate of 0% for all pharmaceuticals exports to the US for at least three years, and preferential terms for the United Kingdom’s medical technology exports, meaning no additional new tariffs on medical technology. This means that, unlike anywhere else in the world, life sciences companies exporting medicines from the UK to the US will face no tariffs to do so, protecting jobs and investment in the UK.

The agreement will see the National Health Service invest approximately 25% more in innovative treatments which will be achieved through an increase to the standard cost-effectiveness threshold that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses and a change to the way in which NICE values health benefits to better reflect societal preferences.

There are currently no plans to increase the cost‑effectiveness threshold for the highly specialised technologies (HST) programme. The HST programme already operates at a much higher threshold than standard NICE technology appraisals, reflecting the challenges of bringing treatments for very rare conditions to market, and NICE has been able to recommend nearly all the treatments that have been evaluated through the HST programme for NHS use.

Integrated care boards currently have a statutory duty in relation to public involvement and consultation and are subject to an annual assessment by NHS England of their functions.

The abolition of Healthwatch England and Local HealthWatch arrangements will require primary legislation and is subject to the will of Parliament.

We have reached a landmark agreement with the United States of America that secures a preferential tariff rate of 0% for all pharmaceuticals exports to the US for at least three years, and preferential terms for the United Kingdom’s medical technology exports, meaning no additional new tariffs on medical technology. This means that, unlike anywhere else in the world, life sciences companies exporting medicines from the UK to the US will face no tariffs to do so, protecting jobs and investment in the UK.

The agreement will see the National Health Service invest approximately 25% more in innovative treatments which will be achieved through an increase to the standard cost-effectiveness threshold that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses and a change to the way in which NICE values health benefits to better reflect societal preferences.

There are currently no plans to increase the cost‑effectiveness threshold for the highly specialised technologies (HST) programme. The HST programme already operates at a much higher threshold than standard NICE technology appraisals, reflecting the challenges of bringing treatments for very rare conditions to market, and NICE has been able to recommend nearly all the treatments that have been evaluated through the HST programme for NHS use.

We have reached a landmark agreement with the United States of America that secures a preferential tariff rate of 0% for all pharmaceuticals exports to the US for at least three years, and preferential terms for the United Kingdom’s medical technology exports, meaning no additional new tariffs on medical technology. This means that, unlike anywhere else in the world, life sciences companies exporting medicines from the UK to the US will face no tariffs to do so, protecting jobs and investment in the UK.

The agreement will see the National Health Service invest approximately 25% more in innovative treatments which will be achieved through an increase to the standard cost-effectiveness threshold that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses and a change to the way in which NICE values health benefits to better reflect societal preferences.

There are currently no plans to increase the cost‑effectiveness threshold for the highly specialised technologies (HST) programme. The HST programme already operates at a much higher threshold than standard NICE technology appraisals, reflecting the challenges of bringing treatments for very rare conditions to market, and NICE has been able to recommend nearly all the treatments that have been evaluated through the HST programme for NHS use.

The Government has accepted the recommendations of Dr Penny Dash’s Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape and confirmed in its 10-Year Health Plan for England that the strategic functions of Healthwatch England will transfer to a new patient experience directorate within the Department. This change is intended to strengthen the role of patient voice by embedding it at the centre of a reformed Department.

The Department continues to engage with Healthwatch England as this work progresses. Discussions with Healthwatch England have not included the making of public comments about the transfer of Healthwatch England functions to the proposed patient experience directorate.

The Government has accepted the Dash review recommendations and will abolish Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch (LHW) in their current form.

We are proposing to place responsibility for the health function of LHW with integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs will ensure the functions are incorporated in provider organisations alongside existing patient engagement work such as Patient Participation Groups. Local authorities will be responsible for the social care LHW functions.

However, the abolition of Healthwatch England and LHW arrangements will require primary legislation and is subject to the will of Parliament. Details of how any proposed changes will impact ICBs will be developed in due course.

The Government has accepted the Dash review recommendations and will abolish Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch (LHW) in their current form.

We are proposing to place responsibility for the health function of LHW with integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs will ensure the functions are incorporated in provider organisations alongside existing patient engagement work such as Patient Participation Groups. Local authorities will be responsible for the social care LHW functions.

However, the abolition of Healthwatch England and LHW arrangements will require primary legislation and is subject to the will of Parliament. Details of how any proposed changes will impact ICBs will be developed in due course.

The Government has accepted the Dash review recommendations and will abolish Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch (LHW) in their current form.

We are proposing to place responsibility for the health function of LHW with integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs will ensure the functions are incorporated in provider organisations alongside existing patient engagement work such as Patient Participation Groups. Local authorities will be responsible for the social care LHW functions.

However, the abolition of Healthwatch England and LHW arrangements will require primary legislation and is subject to the will of Parliament. Details of how any proposed changes will impact ICBs will be developed in due course.

As set out in the Dash Report and the 10-Year Health Plan for England, the strategic functions of Healthwatch England will transfer to a new directorate for patient experience within the Department.

We are committed to ensuring that the patient voice is not only heard but embedded at the highest levels of our leadership and decision-making structures. By creating clear routes for patient insight, feedback, and lived experience to directly influence senior leaders at the national level, we will ensure that policies, strategic priorities, and service design will be shaped by what matters most to the people who use health services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) currently gathers views through the Give Feedback on Care section on the CQC website, which allows people who use services or staff to submit experiences or concerns about a service.

The feedback gathered helps to shape the CQC’s regulatory activity and allows them to identify issues and themes in the quality of care. During their inspections, the CQC will consider information from a variety of sources, which includes feedback received from members of the public regarding their experience of a service, or the experience of someone they represent.

We are not proposing to change this as part of the implementation of the recommendations in the report on the review of patient safety across the health and care landscape.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS on the basis of an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE develops its guidance through extensive engagement with interested parties, including patient groups.

NICE is currently evaluating vorasidenib for treating astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with IDH1 or IDH2 mutations after surgery in people 12 years old and over. As part of the appraisal process, NICE’s independent committee was provided with evidence submissions from three patient groups. The committee also heard expert personal perspectives from two patient experts.

The draft guidance was shared with all stakeholders as well as being published on the NICE website for public comment as part of the consultation which took place between 15 October and 4 November 2025. The committee reviewed the consultation comments at the committee meeting on 20 November 2025. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in January 2026.

The performance of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service is monitored quarterly through an assurance framework, which ensures all seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs are operating to national quality standards. This identifies and minimises any potential variation and ensures consistent delivery of the criteria outlined in the National Genomic Test Directory.

The Department delivers research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and is committed to furthering our investment and driving scientific advancements in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR invested £11.8 million, and UK Research and Innovation invested £46.8 million in this area.

During the same period, the NIHR’s wider investments of approximately £37.5 million in research infrastructure and the research workforce have enabled the delivery of an additional 261 brain tumour research studies, allowing over 11,400 more people to participate in brain tumour research. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services to enable and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system.

In September 2024 the NIHR launched a package of support to deliver a step-change in brain cancer research by establishing a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage, and treat brain tumours. We will announce funding decisions this year, including a dedicated funding call for research into care, support, and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours, as well as the Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme, a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.

These funding calls mark an innovative collaboration between charities, research funders, and the Government to listen and consult with the brain tumour community to increase and accelerate research into brain tumours. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including brain tumours.

To improve clinical trial access for brain tumour patients, the 10-Year Health Plan outlines how the Department will fast-track clinical trial set-up time to 150 days by March 2026. We are building capacity to deliver clinical trials through 21 new Commercial Research Delivery Centres across the United Kingdom, and we also support the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. Once implemented, this bill will make it easier for brain tumour patients to be recruited to clinical trials.

Additionally, the National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, including access to genetic testing to support treatment.

NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance for the whole genome sequencing (WGS) of solid tumours, including brain tumours, to standardise collection, processing, and transport. This guidance supports collaboration between neurosurgeons, pathologists, and Genomic Laboratory Hubs to maintain DNA quality and improve access to WGS. Approaches to the handling of fresh tissue have been reviewed, including the use of tissue stabilisers, to reduce some of the barriers of having to acquire, freeze, and transport the frozen tissue, which in turn will speed up processes. These measures aim to address variability and ensure equitable regional access to WGS for brain tumour patients.

The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform that aims to accelerate the development of cancer vaccines and speed up cancer patient access to mRNA personalised cancer vaccine clinical trials. The CVLP has played a key role in accelerating trial activity in cancer research, with CVLP sites driving faster site activation and enrolment timelines. The platform is company- and clinical trial- agnostic. The CVLP would encourage any company that wishes to deliver trials via the platform, including those developing personalised cancer vaccines for brain tumours, to get in contact to explore how the platform can support their research.

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) via seven regional Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). All seven GLHs deliver testing based on the National Genomic Test Directory, which outlines eligibility criteria for genomic testing, including whole genome sequencing. NHS England monitors testing activity and performance through Patient Level Contract Monitoring data across all seven GLHs, enabling NHS England to identify variation and work with the GLHs to implement improvements. Seven NHS GMS Alliances also work to embed genomics into clinical pathways, raise awareness among clinicians and the public, and ensure equitable access to whole genome sequencing across all regions.

Government responsibility for delivering brain cancer research is shared between the Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Medical Research Council (MRC) funds fundamental discovery science through to the development and testing of new diagnostics, therapeutic interventions, and preventive measures whilst the NIHR funds applied health and care research that turns discoveries into new or improved treatments, diagnostics, medical technologies, or services.

To bridge the gap between early findings and clinical practice, the NIHR supports translational research focused on patient-centred research and healthcare. NIHR Biomedical Research Centres take leading-edge cancer research from the laboratory and rapidly translate it into clinical trials. The NIHR Innovation Observatory scans for new opportunities to identify emerging interventions or those with the potential for repurposing.

In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer. This will be done by maximising the United Kingdom’s clinical trials potential and working with the life sciences sector to make the UK a leading location for brain tumour research.

The UKRI offers a broad range of funding opportunities to support brain tumour research, including in partnership with industry. The MRC has actively engaged with brain tumour researchers to encourage applications The MRC has also identified the need for better disease models which informed a recent MRC-led funding opportunity to improve human in vitro models, and which resulted in two awards that will explore improving the use of human brain tumour tissue in research.

The Government is committed to furthering our investment and support for high-quality brain tumour research, ensuring that funding is used in the most meaningful and impactful way, and the NIHR continues to welcome further high-quality proposals from researchers to inform approaches to prevention, treatment, and care in relation to brain cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the National Health Service will improve diagnosis and outcomes for all cancer patients in England, including for those with brain cancer.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.

NHS England has no plans to mandate the framework for National Health Services. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services, based on the needs of their local population. We expect local commissioning to be informed by the best available evidence, including guidance issued by NHS England.

NHS England supports ICBs to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. On 9 April 2025, NHS England published a Wheelchair Quality Framework which sets out quality standards relevant to all suppliers regardless of Care Quality Commission registration status, as well as statutory requirements for ICBs. The framework is available at the NHS.UK website, in an online only format.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services, based on the needs of their local population, and NHS England supports ICBs to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. Any equipment provided will be agreed following a clinical assessment and based on the needs identified.

NHS England is taking steps to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of National Health Service wheelchairs, including any specialist electric wheelchair provision, and to support ICBs to reduce delays in people receiving timely intervention and wheelchair equipment. These include: establishing a national wheelchair data set which looks at waiting times across the pathway to enable targeted action if improvement is required; publishing a wheelchair quality framework which sets out quality standards relevant to all suppliers; and the introduction of personal wheelchair budgets to give people greater choice in the selection of manual and electric wheelchairs.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services, based on the needs of their local population, including the offer of a personal health budget to enable a choice of wheelchair.

There are a range of providers of National Health Service wheelchair services across England. ICBs are responsible for monitoring service provision and effectively managing contracts with their commissioned providers. We expect local commissioning to be informed by the best available evidence, including guidance issued by NHS England.

NHS England is taking steps support ICBs and wheelchair providers to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of NHS wheelchairs, and to support ICBs to reduce delays in people receiving timely intervention and wheelchair equipment. This includes publishing a Wheelchair Quality Framework on 9 April 2025, which sets out quality standards relevant to all suppliers regardless of Care Quality Commission registration status, as well as statutory requirements for ICBs. The framework is available at the NHS.UK website, in an online only format.

The Wheelchair Quality Framework aligns with the Care Quality Commission’s assessment framework and supports the aims of integrated care systems to improve outcomes in population health and health care, and to tackle inequalities in outcomes, experiences, and access. The Care Quality Commission Assessment framework is available on the Care Quality Commission’s website, in an online only format.

There are no current plans to appoint a national clinical director to oversee the commissioning of wheelchair services for the National Health Service and social care services. Oversight of wheelchair services within the NHS and social care is provided by national bodies, that monitor different aspects of the market, and by local authorities.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services, based on the needs of their local population. We expect local commissioning to be informed by the best available evidence, including guidance issued by NHS England.

NHS England supports ICBs to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. This includes taking steps to support ICBs and wheelchair providers to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of NHS wheelchairs, and to support ICBs to reduce delays in people receiving timely intervention and wheelchair equipment. On 9 April 2025, NHS England published a Wheelchair Quality Framework which sets out quality standards relevant to all suppliers regardless of Care Quality Commission registration status, as well as statutory requirements for ICBs. The framework is available at the NHS.UK website.

Oversight of wheelchair services within the National Health Service and social care is provided by national bodies, which monitor different aspects of the market, and by local authorities.

NHS England supports the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. This includes taking steps support ICBs and wheelchair providers to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of NHS wheelchairs. NHS England published a Wheelchair Quality Framework on 9 April 2025, which sets out the quality standards relevant to all suppliers regardless of Care Quality Commission registration status, and statutory requirements for ICBs. The framework is available on the NHS.UK website, in an online only format.

The Government has put in place a range of initiatives to help NHS bodies make informed choices about the products and the route through which they are bought. These include the NHS Supply Chain, a national body which is responsible for procuring and delivering the majority of equipment into the NHS. The NHS Supply Chain was set up to leverage the collective buying power of the NHS, to drive savings and provide a standardised range of clinically assured quality products at the best value.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning wheelchair services, based on the need of their local population, and for having sufficient expertise to commission high quality services. ICBs will assess the market when securing local provision. This includes monitoring service provision and effectively managing contracts with their commissioned providers.

Local authorities are responsible for providing equipment that supports daily living and independence. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services and equipment that maximise independence and put the wellbeing of the people who draw on care at the centre of decisions.

Oversight of wheelchair services within the National Health Service and social care is provided by national bodies, which monitor different aspects of the market, and by local authorities.

NHS England supports the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. This includes taking steps support ICBs and wheelchair providers to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of NHS wheelchairs. NHS England published a Wheelchair Quality Framework on 9 April 2025, which sets out the quality standards relevant to all suppliers regardless of Care Quality Commission registration status, and statutory requirements for ICBs. The framework is available on the NHS.UK website, in an online only format.

The Government has put in place a range of initiatives to help NHS bodies make informed choices about the products and the route through which they are bought. These include the NHS Supply Chain, a national body which is responsible for procuring and delivering the majority of equipment into the NHS. The NHS Supply Chain was set up to leverage the collective buying power of the NHS, to drive savings and provide a standardised range of clinically assured quality products at the best value.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning wheelchair services, based on the need of their local population, and for having sufficient expertise to commission high quality services. ICBs will assess the market when securing local provision. This includes monitoring service provision and effectively managing contracts with their commissioned providers.

Local authorities are responsible for providing equipment that supports daily living and independence. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services and equipment that maximise independence and put the wellbeing of the people who draw on care at the centre of decisions.

NHS England is the national commissioner for all solid organ transplant services, excluding renal transplant services, which were delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) from April 2025 as part of a wider programme of work to delegate to ICBs. Further information on this delegation is available on the NHS.UK website, in an online only format. As part of the ongoing work to integrate NHS England’s functions into the Department, future plans are being considered for specialised services, such as transplantation, for which NHS England is currently accountable. This work will take account of Organ Utilisation Group recommendation 12, which highlights the ongoing need for robust national level oversight of transplant services. Further information on the Organ Utilisation Group is available on the NHS.UK website, in an online only format.

There are no plans for Ministers or officials in the Department to meet with the Light House Christian Care Ministry. NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands the pressures felt across the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise sector and is in dialogue with The Light House (Christian Care Ministry) Trust Ltd. The ICB holds a £15,000 grant with the trust for counselling services and will consider the trust as part of its activities to assess its portfolio of grants.

The ICB has a duty to regularly review the services it commissions, ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely, waste is minimised, and resources are used in the best way to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. In line with this approach, the ICB is currently reviewing counselling services in its area to ensure they deliver best value and meet the needs of its population.

There are no plans for Ministers or officials in the Department to meet with the Light House Christian Care Ministry. NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands the pressures felt across the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise sector and is in dialogue with The Light House (Christian Care Ministry) Trust Ltd. The ICB holds a £15,000 grant with the trust for counselling services and will consider the trust as part of its activities to assess its portfolio of grants.

The ICB has a duty to regularly review the services it commissions, ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely, waste is minimised, and resources are used in the best way to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. In line with this approach, the ICB is currently reviewing counselling services in its area to ensure they deliver best value and meet the needs of its population.

In taking forward the independent review into physician associates and anaesthesia associates, Professor Leng sought evidence from a range of voices including patients, staff groups, employers within the National Health Service, professional bodies, and academics. This included United Medical Associate Professionals.

We will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders as we develop a clear implementation plan to address the review’s 18 recommendations.

In taking forward the independent review into physician associates and anaesthesia associates, which we recommend should now be known as physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia, Professor Leng engaged with organisations including the Physician Associate Schools Council, and specific higher education institutions.

We will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders as we develop a clear implementation plan to address the Review’s 18 recommendations.

The principle question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician and anaesthesia associate, which we recommend should now be known as physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams.

NHS England has written to National Health Service trusts, integrated care boards and primary care networks reiterating their responsibilities to their staff as employers, including providing pastoral support where required. Importantly, it has also written directly to staff most affected by the recommendations setting out where they can find support if required.

Whilst decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual NHS employers at a local level, physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia can play a vital role in the delivery of the shifts set out in the 10-Year Health Plan for England. Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.