Department of Health and Social Care

General practitioners (GPs) and nurses are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on endometriosis and women’s health issues in general, remains up to date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development, within their scope of practice.

All United Kingdom registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and has to meet the standards set by the GMC.

The GMC has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK. The content map for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health including menstrual problems, endometriosis, menopause, and urinary incontinence. This will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK. Endometriosis is also included in the core curriculum for trainee GPs, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The British Medical Journal and RCGP offer online courses on endometriosis designed for healthcare professionals, including practice nurses.

In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guideline on endometriosis which makes firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected diagnosis, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG73

GPs and primary care networks have access to a regional Primary Care Training Hub, which brings together education and training resources from National Health Service organisations, community providers, as well as local authorities. Training hubs are usually run by a clinical leader and a manager supported by a network of primary care staff with education and training professionals based in the community. They work closely with primary care networks and integrated care systems to support workforce priorities and tackle health inequalities to help meet patient and population demand. Training hubs support all clinical staff, including nurses, to maintain their continuing professional development when new guidance, such as that from NICE, becomes available.

The Department delivers research into hearing loss via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

This includes, for example, £2.4 million of NIHR funding for a study that will compare giving adults with severe hearing loss implants in both ears versus just one ear to inform future guidance.

As well as funding research itself, the Department invests significantly in centres of excellence and collaborations, services, and facilities to enable development and delivery of research in England. This includes the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs), which drive innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of ill-health through early phase translational research. Several of the NIHR BRCs have hearing health themes, supporting a broad range of research into hearing loss treatment, including drug discovery, gene and cell therapies, and regenerative approaches targeting inner ear damage.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including hearing loss.

National Health Service organisations must ensure all patients have equitable access to care, and that decisions or policies do not unfairly disadvantage people or lead to an increase in inequalities. All NHS organisations are legally obliged to not discriminate against patients or staff.

This means that although we promote digital first services to those who choose to use them, a non-digital solution should be available for patients who cannot or do not wish to engage digitally to ensure continued, equitable access to care.

These non-digital routes must be available for all services provided by NHS organisations.

NHS England’s guidance makes clear that services must continue to provide updates through non‑digital routes, including phone, letters, and face‑to‑face contact. The Accessible Information Standard also requires NHS bodies to give information in formats that meet individual needs. These arrangements ensure patients who cannot use digital tools still receive timely updates about their referrals and care.

We are aware that hyoscine hydrobromide 1.5 milligram patches are currently out of stock and we are in dialogue with the manufacturer. We do not hold information on stock availability locally, however, this product is currently unavailable across the United Kingdom.

The resupply date has yet to be confirmed by the supplier, however, to minimise the impact on patients, we have issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service, including all general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists, on alternative products, including unlicensed hyoscine hydrobromide. The decision on whether to prescribe an unlicensed medicine rests with the prescriber.

Patients/patient representatives should speak to their GP or specialist on the most appropriate treatment option, taking into account the licensed and unlicensed alternatives available.

We continue to work with the supplier and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, as appropriate, to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The vast majority of the UK’s licensed medicines are in good supply and to make sure this remains the case, we are investing more in the domestic medicine manufacturing industry.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care including alopecia. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. There are currently several studies supported by Be Part of Research focusing on alopecia, with further information available at the following link:

https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence‑based guidance for the National Health Service on best practice in the care and treatment of patients with specific conditions.

NICE does not ordinarily define specific clinical conditions. NICE has no current plans to develop guidance on chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) at this time, and the topic has not been considered by its prioritisation board. However, NICE has produced a clinical guideline on antimicrobial prescribing for recurrent UTIs which provides recommendations on treatments and self-care for the prevention of recurrent UTIs. This guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng112

No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues affecting NHS patients informally and, in some areas, formally through the NHS complaints process. It is for NHS trusts to determine the provision of PALS within their hospitals.

The 10-Year Health Plan committed the Department and NHS England to improving the handling of patient complaints, including to update of complaint regulations. It is intended that this will also consider related matters, such as the introduction of new forms of feedback and the role of PALS. This will be within the portfolio of the new National Director for Patient Experience, for which recruitment will soon be underway.

No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues affecting NHS patients informally and, in some areas, formally through the NHS complaints process. It is for NHS trusts to determine the provision of PALS within their hospitals.

The 10-Year Health Plan committed the Department and NHS England to improving the handling of patient complaints, including to update of complaint regulations. It is intended that this will also consider related matters, such as the introduction of new forms of feedback and the role of PALS. This will be within the portfolio of the new National Director for Patient Experience, for which recruitment will soon be underway.

The Government recognises how important it is that patients with motor neurone disease (MND) are able to benefit from access to new clinically and cost-effective treatments. There are currently no new treatments routinely available to National Health Service patients for MND. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently evaluating tofersen, a new licensed treatment for SOD-1 MND, and the company is expected to make an evidence submission to support the appraisal in early June 2026.

Relatedly, the Government is investing significantly in MND research, for example via the £8 million EXPERTS ALS trial, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, being an alternative name for MND, which screens for drugs that have the potential to be successful in clinical trials for people with MND.

A revised Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was published on 1 July 2025 and can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/

The revised standard requires those staff in relevant communication and information roles to be adequately trained. The AIS conformance criteria, published in 2016 and updated in June 2025, set out how organisations should comply with the AIS.

NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS to ensure that staff and organisations in the National Health Service are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.

The Government will develop a new autism strategy. I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Manchester Rusholme on 26 February 2026 to Question 114228.

The Schools White Paper and consultation document on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms set out proposals on strengthening roles and responsibilities. We are working closely with the Department for Education, and with local area partnerships, for instance integrated care boards and local authorities, to explore further opportunities to strengthen accountability for families and children and young people with SEND.

These reforms are intended to build a system with clearer roles and responsibilities for all partners, and more collective responsibility for the outcomes of children and young people with SEND in a local area. As part of this, we will update the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) Area SEND Inspection framework, so that it aligns with the clarified statutory roles of local authorities and integrated care boards. There will be a full consultation on the proposed changes to the framework. Ofsted and the CQC will continue to inspect the role of education, health and social care partners responsible for the planning, commissioning, and delivery of arrangements for children and young people with SEND in the local area, setting clear standards and holding them accountable. In addition, the Children’s Commissioner for England will take on a new role to monitor the progress and effectiveness of SEND reforms for all children with SEND, focusing on the most vulnerable groups.

For the first time, the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework included a clear expectation that integrated care boards and providers fulfil their statutory SEND duties and support the Government’s SEND reform plans. Within their local area partnerships, ICBs are being asked to contribute to Local SEND Reform Plans. This will set out how they will move towards stronger inclusive practices and early intervention, including for children and young people with complex needs. These plans will also be used to assess ongoing performance and delivery of the reforms.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last ten years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. That work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

The Government has already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve National Health Service mental health services but there is much more to do. Transforming the system will take time, but we are committed to delivering a new approach to mental health.

Six community based Mental Health Centres are now operating across England, in Birmingham, York, Copeland, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, and Sheffield, providing open access to treatment and support for adults with severe mental health needs. The centres intend to improve continuity of care, drive down waits, and reduce inpatient admissions.

We are also making £473 million of capital funding available over the next four years, which we encourage systems to invest in new care models such as Mental Health Centres and also new Mental Health Emergency Departments, reducing pressure on busy accident and emergency services and ensuring people have the right support they need in calm and compassionate environments.

Information on the proportion of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinicians who have received training in therapies for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not collected centrally. Providers, such as National Health Service trusts and other organisations delivering CAMHS, remain responsible for ensuring that their clinicians have the appropriate skills and training to meet the needs of children and young people, including where PTSD therapies are required.

The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. Patients’ right to choose is set out in legislation and integrated care boards remain responsible for ensuring their own processes comply with the Right to Choose, including clinical appropriateness, eligibility criteria, and qualifying contract requirements. NHS England has issued national Patient Choice Guidance, available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/

This sets out an overview of the choices available to patients and the rules that underpin those rights. The guidance explains how commissioners can meet their statutory duties in relation to patient choice, supports greater consistency in the application of those rights across the National Health Service, and describes how NHS England manages enquiries and complaints relating to patient choice. NHS England has also published, as part of its Enforcement Guidance, further material explaining how it exercises its enforcement powers in relation to patient choice. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

We can confirm that a response to the coroner’s Prevention of Future Death report was issued on 6 March 2026.

NHS England commissions regular workforce censuses of the children and young people’s mental health workforce. The most recent census, covering April 2023 to March 2024, includes information on how long staff have been in post across community and inpatient services, alongside a summary of the skills and training reported by providers. This provides insight into the experience and capability within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) workforce.

The Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of staff turnover on the quality of CAMHS provision.

National Health Service audiology services are locally commissioned, and the responsibility for meeting the needs of non-hearing people lies with local NHS commissioners.

We expect local commissioning to be informed by the best available evidence, relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, and guidance issued by NHS England. In 2015, NHS England published The Action Plan on Hearing Loss which sets out key objectives on hearing loss including, prevention, early diagnosis, maximising independence, and enabling people to take part in every-day activities. In 2018, NICE issued the guidance, Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management, which aims to improve hearing loss services. The NHS also provides information on hearing loss online, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hearing-loss/

This includes a link to a free online hearing test from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, signposting to services and, for those having hearing loss, things to help communicate with others and to avoid more damage to hearing.

The 2024 disruption was caused by the required closures of a number of reactors used to supply the United Kingdom and Europe. In response to this shortage, the Department worked closely with suppliers, the National Health Service, the British Nuclear Medicine Society, the UK Radiopharmacy Group, and the devolved administrations to ensure that the limited available supplies were shared equitably and that patients with the most critical needs were prioritised. A National Patient Safety Alert was issued providing guidance to radiopharmacy units on how to manage affected patients.

Costs of the United States and United Kingdom pharmaceuticals trade deal will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more medicines. Total costs over the spending review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. However, the final costs will depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake.

We have no plans to publish an impact assessment for the deal. Innovative medicines are critical to the future success and sustainability of the National Health Service. It is only by harnessing the power of new technologies that we can transform the lives of patients with currently untreatable conditions. Medicines are more than just a cost, bringing major societal and economic benefits, helping people stay in work, reducing pressure on public services, or giving patients a second chance at life.

The deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where record funding for the NHS was secured. Future funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.

Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are routinely published quarterly on the GOV.UK website in arrears. Officials from the Department have engaged extensively with patient groups, pharmaceutical companies and trade bodies. The Government has committed to working with industry in the coming months on the future of medicines pricing and will also engage patient groups in this process.

Costs of the United States and United Kingdom pharmaceuticals trade deal will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more medicines. Total costs over the spending review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. However, the final costs will depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake.

We have no plans to publish an impact assessment for the deal. Innovative medicines are critical to the future success and sustainability of the National Health Service. It is only by harnessing the power of new technologies that we can transform the lives of patients with currently untreatable conditions. Medicines are more than just a cost, bringing major societal and economic benefits, helping people stay in work, reducing pressure on public services, or giving patients a second chance at life.

The deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where record funding for the NHS was secured. Future funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.

Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are routinely published quarterly on the GOV.UK website in arrears. Officials from the Department have engaged extensively with patient groups, pharmaceutical companies and trade bodies. The Government has committed to working with industry in the coming months on the future of medicines pricing and will also engage patient groups in this process.

The Government is committed to improving access to high‑quality mental health support, including clinical psychology services. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are expanding NHS Talking Therapies so more people can receive effective, evidence‑based treatment for common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. By March 2029, we have committed to providing 915,000 courses of NHS Talking Therapies treatment.

For people with more complex needs, we are transforming adult community mental health services by establishing community‑based mental health centres, which bring together community, crisis, and inpatient care to provide open‑access, local support before people reach crisis.

We are also expanding Individual Placement and Support (IPS), which provides tailored employment support for people with severe mental illness. By March 2029, 73,500 people will be able to access this programme, helping more people to recover and stay well.

To increase capacity across mental health services, we are recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of this Parliament. Almost 8,000 of these workers have already been recruited, strengthening the workforce that supports clinical psychology and other specialist services.

National Health Service organisations must ensure that all patients have equitable access to care, and that decisions or policies do not unfairly disadvantage people or lead to an increase in inequalities. All NHS organisations are legally obliged to not discriminate against patients or staff.

This means that a non-digital solution should be available for those patients who cannot or do not wish to engage digitally, including those with mental health conditions or language barriers. These non-digital routes must be available for all services provided by NHS organisations.

For the 2025/26 financial year, total mental health spend is forecast to be £15.6 billion, the equivalent to 8.71% of the recurrent National Health Service baseline of £179.4 billion. However, there are important elements of mental health spend not included in these figures. This includes capital spending, where we committed £75 million of investment in 2025/26 to reduce out-of-area placements, prescribing mental health medication, continuing healthcare, and NHS England’s investment in training the mental health workforce. This was set out in the Written Statement HCWS562 of 27 March 2025, by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Funding is central to delivering the ambitious goals set out in the Medium-Term Planning Framework for integrated care boards (ICBs) and providers over the next three years to drive improvements across mental health services. These include 100% coverage of Mental Health Support Teams by 2029, expanding NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement Support, and reducing the number of inappropriate out-of-area placements by the end of March 2027. To support this, the Government is requiring all integrated care boards to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over the next three years, which sets a minimum rate of growth in annual spend on mental health services.

As required under Section 3 of the Health and Care Act 2022, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will lay a Written Ministerial Statement before Parliament setting out the expected mental health spend for 2026/27, including the total forecast spend and the proportion of the NHS recurrent baseline allocated to mental health services. This will be before the start of the next financial year.

The Government recognises that the experience of losing a baby or pregnancy loss can be very difficult for parents and families.

Maternal Mental Health Services are available in all integrated care board areas in England and provide care for women with moderate, severe, or complex mental health difficulties arising from baby loss.

Additionally, all NHS England trusts have signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway, which acts as a set of standards and guidance aimed at ensuring all families, including fathers and partners, receive consistent, individualised, and sensitive care.

Fathers and partners can receive evidence-based assessment and support through Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services. Where partners may have a need for mental health support but is not a moderate or severe mental health condition, it is important they can be signposted to other forms of support through their general practice and NHS Talking Therapies.

Bryony House Care Home was last inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May 2025 and was rated as Inadequate and placed into special measures.

The CQC has advised that it continues to monitor the service closely and will carry out a further assessment, based on assessment priorities and the level of risk across the region. As this assessment will be unannounced, the CQC is unable to provide a timeframe for completion.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines provide recommendations on best practice in terms of both the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions and services. Guidelines describe best practice and National Health Service organisations are expected to take them fully into account in designing services that meet the needs of their local populations.

NICE guidance is not mandatory because it is designed as evidence-based advice to inform, rather than replace, clinical judgment, allowing for tailored care for individual patients. Guidelines cannot cover every unique patient scenario, and clinicians must maintain responsibility for treatment decisions.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published an overview of the completion of the work by the expert working group (EWG) and subsequent advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) in December 2025 on the MHRA website.

The MHRA has been working with healthcare partner organisations to take forward the recommendations of the EWG and the advice of the CHM. This includes seeking the views of patients with a range of mental health conditions on the proposed updates to the regulatory position for the 28 antidepressants involved in the review in relation to the warnings on suicidal behaviour. The MHRA is ensuring that those who take part receive appropriate safeguarding and signposting, which is required to support their involvement in this work. It is estimated that this user testing will be completed within three months.

It is not possible to confirm the timetable for the publication of the public assessment report until the regulatory position is finalised.

Low-dose dispersible aspirin is normally widely available at a relatively low price, without a prescription, from pharmacies. For example, a packet of 100 75milligram tablets can be purchased for approximately £2.10. Where aspirin is prescribed, there are extensive arrangements in place in England to ensure prescriptions are affordable for everyone, including for those with heart conditions. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with chronic illnesses may be eligible.

The Department is aware that a recent disruption in the supply of aspirin tablets occurred due to manufacturing problems and knock-on increased demand. These issues have now been addressed, and we are collaborating with suppliers to restore normal supply as soon as possible. Pharmacies are regularly able to order new stock as it becomes available.

We continue to work with manufacturers and United Kingdom distributors to maximise supply to pharmacies and hospitals across the country. The Department is closely monitoring the situation and expects supplies to return to normal in the coming weeks.

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.

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.

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.

The Department has not made a specific assessment. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines, such as those for the diagnosis and management of urinary tract infections, are subject to equality impact assessments as part of NICE’s governance processes, which mean that protected characteristics, including sex, are considered as part of the guideline's development.

The review into the operation and delivery of NHS Adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics (GDCs), led by Dr Levy, was published on 18 December 2025 and forms the basis for improving adult gender services.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, laid a Written Ministerial Statement following the review’s publication. This set out that in response to the findings of this review, the Department and NHS England are taking forward a set of immediate priorities that includes:

- creating a new single, national waiting list for adult gender services to be implemented in April 2026;

- raising the referral threshold to 18 years old to align with the age of discharge from the NHS Children and Young People’s Service;

- bringing an end to self-referrals into the service and, in parallel, providing advice and guidance for those finding it difficult to secure a referral; and

- establishing challenging but achievable productivity goals for every service which can then guide and inform the commissioning of additional services, underpinned by a clear understanding of the regional demand through the national waiting list.

In addition to this, NHS England has established a National Portfolio Board, in line with Dr Levy’s recommendation, to build and develop a full implementation plan for the Adult Gender Services review.

We are making progress beyond this review, as NHS England has increased the number of adult GDCs in England from seven to 12 since 2020, and has established a national Quality Improvement Network for Adult Gender Services. In order to support the well-being of patients awaiting their first appointment with a GDC, we are rolling out a ‘waiting well’ pilot for patients on the waiting list for the GDC in the South West.

The maintenance and expansion of water fluoridation schemes are set out in the Water Industry Act 1991 and associated regulations. These provide the requirements that apply to water companies where my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, proposes to enter, vary, or terminate arrangements for fluoridation of water.

There are no current plans to change these requirements through new regulations. However, the White Paper A New Vision for Water published in January 2026 confirms that, as long term reforms to the water industry are delivered, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will work in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care to support delivery of 10-Year Health Plan, which includes assessing further expansion of water fluoridation where oral health outcomes are poorest.

The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form, which does not hold this information.

The prescription of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions is controlled by the Abortion Act 1967 and Human Medicines Regulations 2012. During the consultation, women are informed that their abortion medication has been prescribed for their use only and that it cannot be given to anyone else. In line with the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, all providers must ensure women are given information about how to dispose of, or return, the abortion pills if they are not used.

The Department has not undertaken any further research or analysis on the impact of using data from Hospital Episode Statistics compared with the Abortion Notification System since the report into the comparison of complication rates using these data sources was published in 2023.

The Department has not committed to updating or repeating this analysis and the publication will remain as a one‑off report until further notice.

The Department of Health and Social Care, the National Health Service, and the Ministry of Defence continue to ensure health services, including prosthetic and orthotic services, can respond effectively to meet the demands of conflict situations through regularly reviewing system-wide capacity.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s commitment to longer term workforce planning through the 10 Year Workforce Plan will also ensure that the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

The Department of Health and Social Care, the National Health Service, and the Ministry of Defence continue to ensure health services, including prosthetic and orthotic services, can respond effectively to meet the demands of conflict situations through regularly reviewing system-wide capacity.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s commitment to longer term workforce planning through the 10 Year Workforce Plan will also ensure that the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Research estimates that 15.3% of recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage, a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks completed gestation, which is the equivalent to approximately 100,000 miscarriages in England each year. However, due to lack of data on the earliest losses, the true figure could be higher.

Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) perinatal mortality surveillance reports the number of stillbirths, babies delivered at or after 24 completed weeks’ gestational age showing no signs of life, irrespective of when the death occurred, and excluding terminations of pregnancy. The following table shows stillbirth numbers in England from 2014 to 2023 inclusive:

The Home Office does not collect information centrally on police investigations into miscarriages or stillbirths. However, the Home Office does collect and publish figures on the number of criminal offences of ‘procuring illegal abortion’ and ‘intentional destruction of a viable unborn child’ recorded by police in England and Wales. However, it is neither possible to identify what prompted an investigation that led to a crime being recorded, nor the number of investigations that resulted in a decision not to record a crime.

The review into the operation and delivery of NHS Adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics (GDCs), led by Dr Levy, was published on 18 December 2025 and undertook a comprehensive examination of all nine National Health Service-commissioned adult GDCs in England. The review specifically considered issues of access to clinics, reviewing both the volume of referrals and the length of waiting times for initial assessment and treatment. Dr Levy identified that waiting times for first appointments remain lengthy, with a significant increase in the number of people awaiting assessment, as annual referrals have doubled since 2022/23. The review attributed these extended waits to several factors, including improved reporting as more clinics have joined the national system, as well as a backlog from referrals deferred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The review also set out that surgery waiting times also contribute to the problem, as some masculinising procedures have waits of approximately eight to nine years. As a result, many patients require extra GDC appointments because the current service specification mandates follow-up reviews every six months for those waiting for surgery.

NHS England has established a National Portfolio Board, in line with Dr Levy’s recommendation, to build and develop a full implementation plan. This will address each of the review’s recommendations in turn and be aligned with the ambitions of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England.

Baroness Cass’s Independent Cass Review of Gender Identity Services for children and young people published in 2024 and observed social factors, including social media and links with children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria.

The new, regional children and young people (CYP) services provide holistic care, centred on psychosocial support. This will include thorough mental health support that takes account of the child and young person's individual circumstances, including social factors.

More widely, the Independent Cass Review published in 2024, of which the new National Health Service CYP Gender Services are based, sets out the role social factors, including the role of social media and family mental health problems have in CYP experiencing gender dysphoria.

The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form, which does not hold this information.

The prescription of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions is controlled by the Abortion Act 1967 and Human Medicines Regulations 2012. During the consultation, women are informed that their abortion medication has been prescribed for their use only and that it cannot be given to anyone else. In line with the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, all providers must ensure women are given information about how to dispose of, or return, the abortion pills if they are not used.

Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the medical practitioner would ask the woman to attend an in-person appointment to enable them to form an opinion that the pregnancy will not have exceeded ten weeks at the time the first abortion pill is taken.