Department of Health and Social Care

The following table shows the number of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) appraisals that were terminated between 2019 and 2024, and between 2014 and 2019:

Source: NICE.

NICE data shows that terminated appraisals increased in 2019/20 and stabilised with no increasing trend thereafter. This followed NICE’s 2019 commitment to review all new active substances and significant indications. This required industry to submit topics which might otherwise not have been in NICE's work programme. NICE’s data shows that the proportion of terminations has been stable over the last five years, and that terminations reflect that not all products/indications will likely be clinically and cost effective. NICE will continue to monitor terminations with a view to best continuing to support access to clinically and cost-effective medicines for patients in England.

This information is not held in the format requested. NHS England publishes data on the cause of hospital admitted patient care activity. However, this does not distinguish between types of motorcycle vehicles. The following able shows the number of Finished Admission Episodes in each of the past three financial years specifically for injuries to motorcycle riders and pedestrians hit by motorcycles:

Source: Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity, available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity

Note: this may not cover all incidents in which a motorcycle rider or pedestrian is injured, as these could also be recorded under more general transport-related causes such as: “Motor- or nonmotor-vehicle accident, type of vehicle unspecified”. This also does not include any admissions due to injuries in other vehicles which were involved in a collision with a motorcycle.

The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026.  This plan will set out action to create a National Health Service workforce that is able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. It is important we do this in a robust and joined up way. We are therefore engaging extensively with partners to ensure this plan delivers for staff and patients.

That engagement began well before the call for evidence was closed. In early November, ministers hosted an event with nearly one hundred representatives of partner organisations to hear views from across the health system.

Engagement is now continuing while we analyse the submissions to our call for evidence, including a roundtable with medical royal colleges on 14 January that I chaired.

Decisions on the need for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in the case of hamstring avulsion injuries are clinically led. The Department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of the relevant guidance.

The hamstring injury page on the NHS.UK website was recently reviewed against the latest clinical evidence and updated in July 2025. The current page does alert users to the potential for a hamstring injury to be severe and require surgery, and where and when to get medical help. NHS England routinely updates the NHS.UK website in line with clinical evidence to ensure individuals with a potential hamstring injury are provided with the latest clinical evidence.

The Department is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for MRI. NHS England is taking steps to support MRI services to remain resilient, effective, and able to meet growing demand. Over the past five years, significant capital investment has been deployed to strengthen service resilience, increase capacity, and improve patient access. This has included funding for new MRI assets, upgrading existing machines with MRI acceleration software, and supporting trusts in replacing failing or outdated systems.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. This includes £600 million in capital funding for diagnostics in 2025/26, some of which will deliver new scanners in acute hospital settings, as well as replacement of the oldest MRI scanners and MRI acceleration software.

Decisions on the need for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in the case of hamstring avulsion injuries are clinically led. The Department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of the relevant guidance.

The hamstring injury page on the NHS.UK website was recently reviewed against the latest clinical evidence and updated in July 2025. The current page does alert users to the potential for a hamstring injury to be severe and require surgery, and where and when to get medical help. NHS England routinely updates the NHS.UK website in line with clinical evidence to ensure individuals with a potential hamstring injury are provided with the latest clinical evidence.

The Department is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for MRI. NHS England is taking steps to support MRI services to remain resilient, effective, and able to meet growing demand. Over the past five years, significant capital investment has been deployed to strengthen service resilience, increase capacity, and improve patient access. This has included funding for new MRI assets, upgrading existing machines with MRI acceleration software, and supporting trusts in replacing failing or outdated systems.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. This includes £600 million in capital funding for diagnostics in 2025/26, some of which will deliver new scanners in acute hospital settings, as well as replacement of the oldest MRI scanners and MRI acceleration software.

From February 2026, the percentage of histopathology cases reported within ten days will be published at national, regional, integrated care board, and National Health Service trust levels. These histopathology cases will include biopsies in the overall figures, but data is not collected by test type.

This specific assessment has not been made. Where National Health Service staff have taken partial retirement, they retain continuous service. As a result, some staff may be entitled to receive a statutory redundancy payment that exceeds their contractual redundancy entitlement, in which case, the statutory payment will apply. Entitlement to redundancy payments ultimately depends on what is set out in an employee’s employment contract and whether their contract refers to Section 16 of the Agenda for Change terms. Different rules may apply to NHS staff who are not employed on Agenda for Change terms in England.

Contractual redundancy provisions for staff covered by the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service handbook, also referred to as Agenda for Change, were agreed and ratified in partnership by the NHS Staff Council, the collective bargaining structure made up of trade union and employer representatives. Any future changes to the handbook, including this section, would require the Department to issue a mandate to allow negotiations to be undertaken by the NHS Staff Council.

The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure it remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes the new Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives to ensure there are enough positions for every newly qualified midwife in England.

As of October 2025, there were 25,281 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts. This is an increase of 878, or 3.6%, compared to October 2024.

We are also developing a new 10 Year Workforce Plan which will set out how the NHS workforce will align with the future direction of healthcare reform set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides detailed guidelines for maternity service staff in relation to body mass index (BMI) and managing weight during pregnancy.

This includes the Antenatal Care Guidance which specifies that women should be offered measurement of height and weight, including a calculation of BMI, at their antenatal booking appointment. This should also include an explanation of BMI’s relevance to pregnancy, as well as associated risks and available support. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201

In addition, the Overweight and Obesity Management Guidance specifies that for women with a BMI of 40 kilogram per meter squared of height or above, this discussion should include the option of referral to a specialist obesity service or specialist practitioner for tailored advice and support during pregnancy. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng247

We are investing over £131 million through the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling better care for mothers and their newborns. The funded works will deliver vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and support National Health Service productivity by reducing disruptions across NHS clinical services.

Improving the standard of maternity and neonatal departments is also a core component of the New Hospital Programme. 11 of the 16 hospitals that are expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030 will be rebuilding maternity and women and children’s services.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training.

Subject to the parliamentary passage of the bill, for 2026, international medical graduates with specific immigration statuses will be prioritised when making offers for specialty training. These statuses, such as Indefinite Leave to Remain, are being used as a proxy for NHS experience because individuals who hold them and are eligible for specialty training are likely to have already worked in the NHS for a substantial period.

From 2027 onwards, these immigration categories will no longer apply automatically. Instead, the Government will set out in future regulations additional persons who will be prioritised based on criteria indicating they are likely to have significant NHS experience, or based on their immigration status.

International medical graduates who are not prioritised will still be able to apply and will be offered places if vacancies remain after prioritised applicants have received offers. In particular, there are likely to be opportunities in specialties such as general practice, core psychiatry, and internal medicine. Historically, these attract fewer applicants from the groups we are prioritising for 2026.

International medical graduates will also continue to have opportunities in locally employed doctor roles, which could lead to NHS experience that might count towards future prioritisation.

Regulated healthcare professionals need to meet the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance set by the relevant professional regulator, which are independent of the Government. It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.

On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for National Health Service trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.

To address graduate employment issues, in August 2025 the Government introduced the Graduate Guarantee.

While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for healthcare professions, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability based on learner demand and provider capacity.

Partial retirement does not mean that National Health Service staff are ineligible for redundancy payments. However, taking partial retirement may change the way in which contractual redundancy payments are calculated.

The rules concerning the calculation of redundancy payments for National Health Service staff who have previously taken pension benefits are determined in accordance with their contracts of employment, and statutory redundancy entitlements.

Redundancy terms for NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract are set out under section 16 of the NHS Staff Terms and Conditions of Service handbook. This also applies to NHS staff whose redundancy terms refer to section 16. This section states that service used for the purposes of calculating previous pension benefits will not count for the calculation of a contractual redundancy payment. Statutory redundancy entitlements are unaffected.

The Department commissions NHS Employers to provide guidance for employers on a range of topics, including NHS redundancy arrangements and retirement options for NHS staff. The NHS Employers guidance clearly sets out the position in relation to partial retirement and redundancy.

The health and care professional regulators are responsible for the regulation of health and care professionals across the United Kingdom.

Regulators require all registrants to work within their scope of practice by only practising in areas where they have appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience. This also applies to prescribing.

The General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Care Professions Council, and the General Pharmaceutical Council each publish guidance on prescribing for their registrants, which includes signposting to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency which monitors the safety of medicines.

Regulators can take action through fitness to practise processes where professionals on the register fail to uphold professional standards or practise outside of relevant guidance, posing a risk to patient safety.

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new build sites opening in the medium term.

The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through a mixture of public private partnerships (PPP) and public capital. 50 of these will be delivered through refurbishments and 70 will be new builds. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, and the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing. Further information on NHCs and funding will be published over the coming months.

To practise as a nurse in the United Kingdom, individuals must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which sets the standards for both domestic and internationally qualified nurses. All applicants must demonstrate they have sufficient competency in English to communicate safely in clinical settings to meet NMC registration standards.

UK-qualified nurses meet this requirement through an NMC-approved nursing programme. International applicants can show proficiency by providing a recent International English Language Testing System or Occupational English Test score at the required level, completing an English-taught nursing programme with significant patient interaction in English, or having one year of recent practice in a majority English-speaking country.

As an independent regulator, the NMC determines how English language competence is assessed for registration.

Care providers must ensure staff have adequate English skills to communicate effectively. Under Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, employers are required to only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. Failure to comply may lead to fixed penalties for providers and registered managers.

Employers and providers should use robust recruitment and monitoring procedures to ensure employees are qualified and competent. NHS Employers guidance requires proportionate English language standards for public-facing roles, and human resources policies should be regularly checked against the English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice.

In June 2026, Basildon Hospital will open a new Acute Kidney Care Ward, providing an additional 24 beds on the site and increasing capacity for people presenting to the emergency department with kidney problems, speeding up access to urgent care.

Following this, the current renal ward will be refurbished to support more medical care beds for winter and to provide space to move patients out of older wards so that improvements can be made as part of the trust’s prioritised capital programme.

In addition, two newly upgraded orthopaedic operating theatres opened at Basildon Hospital in November 2025 following essential maintenance works to improve the advanced air handling system. Since the start of November, staff working in theatres six or seven in the main theatre department have already completed hundreds of operations and procedures, including shoulder replacements, foot reconstructions, and knee replacements.

To help reduce its waiting lists, the trust is running additional capacity theatre slots, as well as outsourcing patients to other hospitals to receive their treatment and reduce waiting times. The trust is also insourcing within the hospital providers for extra outpatient capacity.

In June 2026, Basildon Hospital will open a new Acute Kidney Care Ward, providing an additional 24 beds on the site and increasing capacity for people presenting to the emergency department with kidney problems, speeding up access to urgent care.

Following this, the current renal ward will be refurbished to support more medical care beds for winter and to provide space to move patients out of older wards so that improvements can be made as part of the trust’s prioritised capital programme.

In addition, two newly upgraded orthopaedic operating theatres opened at Basildon Hospital in November 2025 following essential maintenance works to improve the advanced air handling system. Since the start of November, staff working in theatres six or seven in the main theatre department have already completed hundreds of operations and procedures, including shoulder replacements, foot reconstructions, and knee replacements.

To help reduce its waiting lists, the trust is running additional capacity theatre slots, as well as outsourcing patients to other hospitals to receive their treatment and reduce waiting times. The trust is also insourcing within the hospital providers for extra outpatient capacity.

In the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, we set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.

As integrated care boards (ICBs) develop their strategic commissioning role and skills, commissioning support functions will be rationalised. This will result in commissioning support units (CSUs) being closed.

Given wider changes in the system, including the larger geographical area of ICBs and the move to a more simplified operating model, for the National Health Service a whole, it is logical to integrate the work undertaken by CSUs into the other organisations that will make up the more streamlined, efficient NHS in future. The closure of CSUs will simplify the landscape and create efficiencies, and will strengthen the strategic commissioning skills in ICBs by giving them the freedom to develop these.

A plan has been developed to ensure all services provided by CSUs and all CSU staff are mapped and destinations clarified, where function will continue, and workshops have been held with NHS England Regions to understand ICB intentions and timelines for the transfer of functions and staff and with the Department and NHS England on functions that may form part of the new Department. Governance arrangements are in place across NHS England and the CSUs to oversee the transition of functions and the safe closure of CSUs.

Staff are being supported through this transition. The CSU Leadership Team hold regular all staff briefings where information on the abolition is cascaded. The CSUs are actively involving the trade unions. A voluntary redundancy scheme has been launched within the CSUs that mirrors that within NHS England. Staff are being actively informed about the scheme through the all-staff briefings.

No recent specific assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the points-based immigration system in the recruitment and retention of United Kingdom-trained newly qualified doctors.

However, the number of applications to foundation and speciality training has increased over recent years, both from people graduating from UK medical schools, UK medical graduates, and from graduates of international medical schools, international medical graduates.

For specialty training, the number of international medical graduates applying for places has significantly increased since 2020. Data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the number of non-UK trained doctors applying for Core Training Year One and Specialty Training Year One places has increased from 5,326 in 2019 to 18,857 in 2024, a 254% increase. Over the same period, the number of UK trained applicants increased from 8,836 to 11,319, a 28% increase.

Internationally trained doctors may also be seeking employment outside of medical specialty training posts and GMC data shows that the proportion of doctors taking up or returning to a GMC licence to practice who were trained outside of the UK was 57% in 2019, which has increased to 66% in 2024.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training.

Subject to the parliamentary passage of the bill, British citizens who have graduated from medical schools outside of the UK will not be prioritised for foundation training places, and a graduate from a medical school in the UK or Ireland will not be prioritised if they spent the majority of their time studying outside the British Islands.

For specialty training places starting in 2026, NHS experience is being represented by immigration status as people with a settled immigration status are more likely to have worked in the NHS for longer. The effect of this is that British citizens and those with certain other immigration status will be prioritised. For specialty training posts starting from 2027 onwards, this provision will not apply automatically. Instead, it will be possible to make regulations to specify additional groups who will be prioritised, where they are likely to have significant experience working as a doctor either in the NHS in England, Scotland or Wales, or in health and social care in Northern Ireland, or by reference to their immigration status.

Regulated healthcare professionals need to meet the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance set by the relevant professional regulator, which are independent of the Government. It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training

Under the bill, British citizens who have graduated from medical schools outside of the UK will not be prioritised for foundation training places, and a graduate from a medical school in the UK or Ireland will not be prioritised if they spent the majority of their time studying outside the British Islands.

For specialty training places starting in 2026, NHS experience is being represented by immigration status, as people with a settled immigration status are more likely to have worked in the NHS for longer. The effect of this is that British citizens and those with certain other immigration status will be prioritised. For specialty training posts starting from 2027 onwards, this provision will not apply automatically. Instead, it will be possible to make regulations to specify additional groups who will be prioritised, where they are likely to have significant experience working as a doctor either in the NHS in England, Scotland, or Wales or in health and social care in Northern Ireland, or by reference to their immigration status.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) operates a separate Highly Specialised Technologies (HST) programme to evaluate a very small number of medicines and treatments developed for ultra‑rare, severe and life‑limiting conditions. It uses specific methods and a much higher cost‑effectiveness threshold than standard technology appraisals, enabling NICE to recommend treatments at prices that reflect the complexities of ultra‑rare diseases. The HST programme has secured access for National Health Service patients with very rare diseases to effective treatments that NICE would not have been able to recommend through its standard technology appraisal process, with 33 out of the 35 medicines that it has evaluated through the HST programme recommended for NHS use.

There will unfortunately always be occasions when NICE is unable to recommend a treatment through the HST programme despite the use of a much higher cost-effectiveness threshold. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is right that they are taken independently and on the basis of a thorough assessment of the available evidence.

The severity modifier was introduced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in January 2022 as part of a number of changes intended to make its methods fairer, faster, and more consistent. The severity modifier was designed on the principle of opportunity cost neutrality to ensure that introducing additional weighting for severe conditions did not increase overall National Health Service spending or displace more care than the previous end-of-life modifier.

NICE has been monitoring how the severity modifier is being applied and found that it has resulted in a greater proportion of medicines recommended than under NICE’s previous methods. The latest figures indicate 87.0% of decisions taken since the severity modifier was implemented have recommended use of the treatment, compared with 82.5% when the end-of-life modifier was being used. For advanced cancer treatments specifically, 84.8% of decisions have been positive since the introduction of the severity modifier, compared to 69.1% under NICE’s previous methods.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England. In the last financial year, NHSBT delivered over 700 donor recruitment events, resulting in 17,000 new registrations and more than 8,000 blood donation appointments booked. Current activity to raise awareness of donation opportunities across England includes:

- high-profile campaigns aligned with events such as National Blood Week, World Blood Donor Day, Black History Month, Pride, and University Freshers’ Fairs. These are supported by radio, social media, billboards and bus stops, as well as through partnerships with commercial organisations, charities, and the public sector. NHSBT is also piloting advertising on TikTok to reach younger audiences who are under-represented in the donor base;

- targeted activities, including local donor recruitment events, community television, and radio advertising, and the Community Grants Programme which funds trusted local organisations to engage with communities where specific blood types are most needed. Further information on the Community Grants Programme is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/get-involved/community-grants-programme/;

- direct marketing to previous donors, including phone calls, emails, and text messages, to raise awareness of local sessions and to encourage them to book appointments and return to donate; and

- a recent partnership between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and NHSBT to encourage learner drivers, especially much needed younger people, and motorists renewing their driving licences to sign up and become regular donors.

The 2023 National Institute for Health and Care guideline NG236, on recommendations on stroke rehabilitation, reviewed the evidence and concluded that whilst there was some evidence on the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the short term, the research does not yet support adoption other than for depression. Thie guideline NG236 is avaiable at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG236

The Government is committed to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases through the UK Rare Diseases Framework. One of the priorities of the framework is improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs.

We have continued to review the effectiveness of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway, and the Innovative Medicines Fund. These access pathways across the regulatory and access system are designed to support innovative treatments being made available earlier to patients who need them, including people living with rare diseases. The last meeting was held in July 2025, and included representatives from the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, as well as patient advocacy groups, industry, and clinical researchers. Further detail will be reported in the England 2026 Rare Diseases Action Plan, to be published in spring 2026.

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 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (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 National Health Service use.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/

These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.

NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.

The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npca

Information regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/

These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.

NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.

The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npca

Information regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/

These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.

NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.

The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npca

Information regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/

These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.

NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.

The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npca

Information regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

202 patients have received brexucabtagene autoleucel, a form of CAR-T therapy, for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma via the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF). This data is taken from NHS England’s prior approval system. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently re-evaluating the evidence on clinical outcomes collected through its use in the CDF in its ongoing re-evaluation of brexucabtagene autoleucel.

NICE published final draft guidance on 24 December 2025 in which it was not able to recommend brexucabtagene autoleucel for the treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma in adults who have had two or more lines of systemic treatment that included a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This is because the extent of brexucabtagene autoleucel’s clinical benefit is uncertain. There are also uncertainties in the economic model because there is not enough evidence to tell if the cancer can be ‘cured’ in people having brexucabtagene autoleucel and it is not known how long people live after having brexucabtagene autoleucel. The cost-effectiveness estimates are also substantially above the range that NICE considers an acceptable use of National Health Service resources. NICE has not yet published final guidance and stakeholders have recently had an opportunity to appeal NICE’s recommendations.

The Government recognises that the potential withdrawal of brexucabtagene autoleucel as a treatment for future patients will be concerning for patients and their families, but it is right that these decisions are taken independently and on the basis of the available evidence. In line with an arrangement between NHS England and the company, if NICE’s final guidance does not recommend use, patients who started treatment during the managed access period can continue their treatment.

202 patients have received brexucabtagene autoleucel, a form of CAR-T therapy, for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma via the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF). This data is taken from NHS England’s prior approval system. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently re-evaluating the evidence on clinical outcomes collected through its use in the CDF in its ongoing re-evaluation of brexucabtagene autoleucel.

NICE published final draft guidance on 24 December 2025 in which it was not able to recommend brexucabtagene autoleucel for the treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma in adults who have had two or more lines of systemic treatment that included a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This is because the extent of brexucabtagene autoleucel’s clinical benefit is uncertain. There are also uncertainties in the economic model because there is not enough evidence to tell if the cancer can be ‘cured’ in people having brexucabtagene autoleucel and it is not known how long people live after having brexucabtagene autoleucel. The cost-effectiveness estimates are also substantially above the range that NICE considers an acceptable use of National Health Service resources. NICE has not yet published final guidance and stakeholders have recently had an opportunity to appeal NICE’s recommendations.

The Government recognises that the potential withdrawal of brexucabtagene autoleucel as a treatment for future patients will be concerning for patients and their families, but it is right that these decisions are taken independently and on the basis of the available evidence. In line with an arrangement between NHS England and the company, if NICE’s final guidance does not recommend use, patients who started treatment during the managed access period can continue their treatment.

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 errors in the updated 2023 Learning from lives and deaths – people with a learning disability and autistic people report, which was produced by King’s College London, were found to be caused by an automated data-processing issue. This meant that some data on the causes of death was missing at the time of analysis. This affected the conclusions originally published. NHS England worked closely with King’s College London, to review the report, and a revised version has now been published on 27 January 2026.

NHS England has also worked with its data processor to correct the automated processing error so that it cannot recur. King’s College London has strengthened its data checking protocols to prevent similar issues in the future. The Department is assured that this issue has now been resolved and these improvements have been applied to the revised report.

Parliament decided in 2022 to amend the Abortion Act 1967 to make home use of medical abortion pills a permanent option in England and Wales where the pregnancy has not exceeded 10 weeks gestation. Before pills are prescribed for an early medical abortion at home, the woman requesting the abortion will have had a consultation with a clinician either in person, by telephone, or by electronic means. If the clinician has any concerns about the gestation of the pregnancy during a telephone or electronic consultation, the woman will be asked to attend a clinic.

In June 2025, the House of Commons voted to add a clause to the Crime and Policing Bill which would decriminalise abortion for a woman acting in relation to her own pregnancy. The bill will now progress through Parliament in the usual way and is currently being debated in the House of Lords. Should abortion be decriminalised for a woman acting in relation to her own pregnancy these offences would still apply to medical professionals and third parties who do not abide by the rules set out in the Abortion Act 1967.

As part of the Government’s external engagement for Exercise PEGASUS, views from organisations advocating for immunosuppressed individuals were gathered through a series of focus groups. These groups also included a range of organisations representing disabled people, clinically vulnerable groups, and wider equality focused bodies. Given participants’ contributions directly inform the assessment of the exercise, the Government has agreed to keep the identities of these organisations anonymous.

The Department has made no assessment of public understanding of clinical mental health terminology, nor whether misunderstandings in language contribute to increased demand for clinical services.

The independent review into mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism will look to understand and provide clarity on the similarities and differences between mental health conditions. It will examine the quality of evidence on what is driving demand, to determine which trends reflect real increase in disorder, which reflect changes in awareness or access, and which are artefacts of measurement or definition. The review will produce a short report setting out conclusions and recommendations for responding to rising need, both within government and across the health system and wider public services.