Oct. 28 2026
Source Page: Infection prevention and control (IPC) in adult social care (ASC)Oct. 28 2026
Source Page: Infection prevention and control (IPC) in adult social care (ASC)Asked by: Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what national data are collected on the time taken to inform patients in England of clinically significant diagnostic test results following verification of those results; whether NHS England has issued guidance on the maximum acceptable interval for communicating such results to patients; and what action is taken when delays in communication pose a risk to patient safety.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold this data centrally.
Prompt access to diagnostic test results is a Government priority. Digital imaging reports should be automatically available to patients four weeks after formal verification on the Radiology Information System or equivalent. NHS England’s March 2025 guidance on patient digital notification of diagnostic imaging reports is available on the NHS England website in an online-only format.
National Health Service trust patient safety leads, or integrated care boards where trusts have no dedicated team, are responsible for taking action when communication poses a risk to patient safety.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 17 July (HL2263), what guidance, if any, they plan to issue to safeguarding leads in local authorities about situations where a parent disagrees with a child or young person's desire to undergo social or medical transition.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 1 April, NHS England published an updated service specification for NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services, reflecting the findings and recommendations of the Cass Review. The specification makes clear that clinicians should consider safeguarding needs as part of the holistic assessment framework.
Additionally, on 1 September, the Department for Education published updated statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, which details how schools and colleges should support children and young people who are questioning their gender.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress the NHS England has made on implementing recommendation 31 of the Cass review to ensure that professional bodies come together to provide leadership and guidance on the clinical management of the population seeking support through gender clinics.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This recommendation has been actioned by NHS England by ensuring that there is senior representation on all the committees and working groups that have a role in delivery of the Cass Review recommendations. For example, NHS England has commissioned the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to design the new education and training framework for clinicians working in NHS Children and Young People's Gender Services, with an expert steering group that includes representatives from twelve royal colleges and other professional bodies.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical staff have been sacked for accessing patient records in a) 2025 and b) 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The requested information is not centrally held.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the department are taking to ensure that there is adequate long-term support for specialist youth suicide prevention.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of sustained, effective, long-term support for children and young people at risk of suicide.
The Government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy identifies children and young people as a priority group and sets out a range of actions across education, healthcare, and online safety to help identify risk earlier, provide timely support, and reduce the number of young lives lost to suicide.
We continue to monitor implementation of the strategy, as set out in the answer of 27 October in response to Question 30784.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will provide an update on the 2023 suicide prevention strategy.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of sustained, effective, long-term support for children and young people at risk of suicide.
The Government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy identifies children and young people as a priority group and sets out a range of actions across education, healthcare, and online safety to help identify risk earlier, provide timely support, and reduce the number of young lives lost to suicide.
We continue to monitor implementation of the strategy, as set out in the answer of 27 October in response to Question 30784.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 17 July (HL2263), whether they now intend to issue guidance to safeguarding leads in local authorities on how to respond when a parent disagrees with a child or young adult's wish to undergo social or medical transition; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 1 April, NHS England published an updated service specification for NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services, reflecting the findings and recommendations of the Cass Review. The specification makes clear that clinicians should consider safeguarding needs as part of the holistic assessment framework.
Additionally, on 1 September, the Department for Education published updated statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, which details how schools and colleges should support children and young people who are questioning their gender.