Department of Health and Social Care

We support ministers in leading the nation’s health and social care to help people live more independent, healthier lives for longer.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Wes Streeting
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Helen Morgan (LD - North Shropshire)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health and Social Care)
Danny Chambers (LD - Winchester)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)
Lord Scriven (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Health)

Scottish National Party
Seamus Logan (SNP - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Health and Social Care)

Green Party
Adrian Ramsay (Green - Waveney Valley)
Green Spokesperson (Health)

Conservative
Stuart Andrew (Con - Daventry)
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Kamall (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Caroline Johnson (Con - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Luke Evans (Con - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Health and Social Care)
Ministers of State
Stephen Kinnock (Lab - Aberafan Maesteg)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Karin Smyth (Lab - Bristol South)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Merron (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ashley Dalton (Lab - West Lancashire)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Zubir Ahmed (Lab - Glasgow South West)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Thursday 16th October 2025
Select Committee Docs
Friday 17th October 2025
10:27
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 17th July 2025
Food and Weight Management

The Committee is holding an inquiry into food and weight management, including treatments for obesity.

 

In 2022, …

Written Answers
Friday 17th October 2025
NHS: Finance
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure …
Secondary Legislation
Wednesday 10th September 2025
Advertising (Less Healthy Food and Drink) (Brand Advertising Exemption) Regulations 2025
These Regulations provide an exemption to the restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink products imposed in …
Bills
Wednesday 6th November 2024
Mental Health Bill [HL] 2024-26
A Bill to make provision to amend the Mental Health Act 1983 in relation to mentally disordered persons; and for …
Dept. Publications
Thursday 16th October 2025
17:40

Department of Health and Social Care Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Jul. 22
Oral Questions
Oct. 15
Urgent Questions
Oct. 15
Westminster Hall
Oct. 16
Adjournment Debate
View All Department of Health and Social Care Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations provide an exemption to the restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink products imposed in standards set under section 321A or in sections 368FA and 368Z14 of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (“the 2003 Act”), as inserted by the Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31). The exemption is for brand advertisements, which are defined in these Regulations.
These Regulations require public bodies in England to undertake an assessment of the risk that modern slavery or human trafficking is taking place in relation to the supply of any good or service which is being procured for the health service in England (see regulations 4, 5 and 6), and which is not excluded from the scope of the Regulations by regulation 3(2).
View All Department of Health and Social Care Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

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Petitions with most signatures
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88,483 Signatures
(111 in the last 7 days)
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18,630 Signatures
(258 in the last 7 days)
Department of Health and Social Care has not participated in any petition debates
View All Department of Health and Social Care Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Health and Social Care Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Health and Social Care Committee
Layla Moran Portrait
Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Gregory Stafford Portrait
Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Joe Robertson Portrait
Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Paulette Hamilton Portrait
Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Josh Fenton-Glynn Portrait
Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Jen Craft Portrait
Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Beccy Cooper Portrait
Beccy Cooper (Labour - Worthing West)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Ben Coleman Portrait
Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Danny Beales Portrait
Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Andrew George Portrait
Andrew George (Liberal Democrat - St Ives)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Alex McIntyre Portrait
Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 17th March 2025
Health and Social Care Committee: Upcoming Events
Health and Social Care Committee - Oral evidence
Sexual Health Services in England
22 Oct 2025, 9:15 a.m.
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Health and Social Care Committee: Previous Inquiries
Department's White Paper on health and social care Pre-appointment hearing for the role of Chair of NICE Supporting those with dementia and their carers Social care: funding and workforce General Practice Data for Planning and Research Omicron variant update Long term funding of adult social care inquiry Delivering Core NHS and Care Services during the Pandemic and Beyond Maternity services inquiry Planning for winter pressure in A&E departments inquiry NHS England current issues evidence session Suicide prevention inquiry Professional Standards Authority one off evidence session Department of Health and NHS finances Brexit and health and social care inquiry Impact of the Spending Review on health and social care Impact of membership of the EU on health policy in the UK Long-term Sustainability of the NHS - Report of the House of Lords Committee inquiry Pre-Appointment hearing for Chair of National Health Service Improvement Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services inquiry Work of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Integrated care: organisations, partnerships and systems inquiry Brexit – medicines, medical devices and substances of human origin inquiry Work of NHS England and NHS Improvement inquiry Nursing workforce inquiry Children and young people's mental health - role of education inquiry Care Quality Commission accountability inquiry Childhood obesity: follow-up Sustainability and Transformation Plans inquiry Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report 2018-19 inquiry National Audit Office's Report on Investigation into pre-school vaccination inquiry Childhood obesity follow-up 2019 inquiry NHS Capital inquiry Dentistry Services inquiry Government’s review of NHS overseas visitor charging inquiry Harding Review of health and social care workforce inquiry Kark Report inquiry Drugs policy inquiry Drugs policy: medicinal cannabis inquiry Suicide prevention: follow-up inquiry Availability of Orkambi on the NHS inquiry Budget and NHS long-term plan inquiry Impact of the Brexit withdrawal agreement on health and social care inquiry Impact of a no deal Brexit on health and social care inquiry Patient safety and gross negligence manslaughter in healthcare inquiry Care Quality Commission inquiry First 1000 days of life inquiry Sexual health inquiry NHS funding inquiry Pre-Appointment hearing for Chair of NHS England NMC and Furness General Hospital inquiry NHS Long-term Plan: legislative proposals inquiry Childhood obesity inquiry Antimicrobial resistance inquiry Prison healthcare inquiry Alcohol minimum unit pricing inquiry Memorandum of understanding on data-sharing inquiry Implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 Management of long-term conditions Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Emergency services and emergency care Post-legislative scrutiny of the Mental Health Act 2007 Nursing Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Care Quality Commission National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Public Expenditure Social Care Government's Alcohol Strategy Responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Health Commissioning Revalidation of Doctors Complaints and Litigation Follow-up inquiry into Commissioning Public Health Annual accountability hearing with the General Medical Council Annual accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Annual accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission Annual accountability hearing with Monitor Report of the NHS Future Forum Public Expenditure 2 Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the NHS Commissioning Board Education, training and workforce planning Professional responsibility of Healthcare practitioners PIP breast implants and regulation of cosmetic interventions Accountability hearing with Monitor (2012) Public expenditure on health and care services Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of NICE Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry Care Quality Commission 2013 accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Monitor 2013 accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission End of Life Care The impact of physical activity and diet on health 2015 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council 2015 accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council One-off session on the Ebola virus 2014 accountability hearing with Monitor 2014 accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission Public expenditure on health and social care 2015 accountability hearing with the General Dental Council Accident and emergency services Children's oral health Current issues in NHS England inquiry Primary care inquiry Work of the Secretary of State for Health inquiry Childhood obesity inquiry Public health post-2013 inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Care Quality Commission Establishment and work of NHS Improvement inquiry Children's and adolescent mental health and CAMHS Integrated Care Pioneers Complaints and raising concerns Handling of NHS patient data Urgent and Emergency Care Public expenditure on health and social care inquiry 2013 accountability hearing with Monitor Public Health England Health and Care Professions Council 2013 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council Work of NICE Work of NHS England Safety of maternity services in England Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care Work of the Department Digital transformation in the NHS Integrated Care Systems: autonomy and accountability IMDDS Review follow up one-off session Assisted dying/assisted suicide NHS dentistry Ambulance delays and strikes The situation in accident and emergency departments Prevention in health and social care Future cancer Pharmacy Men's health Management of the Coronavirus Outbreak Preparations for Coronavirus NHS leadership, performance and patient safety Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction The 10 Year Health Plan Community Mental Health Services The First 1000 Days: a renewed focus Healthy Ageing: physical activity in an ageing society Food and Weight Management Coronavirus: recent developments Availability of Orkambi on the NHS Childhood obesity follow-up 2019 Dentistry Services Drugs policy Drugs policy: medicinal cannabis First 1000 days of life Budget and NHS long-term plan Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report 2018-19 Harding Review of health and social care workforce National Audit Office's Report on Investigation into pre-school vaccination NHS Capital NHS Long-term Plan: legislative proposals Government’s review of NHS overseas visitor charging Sexual health Calls for cases of GP visa issues Long term funding of adult social care Memorandum of understanding on data-sharing Work of NHS England and NHS Improvement Work of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

15th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the absence of universal access to fracture liason services on the number of preventable deaths from hip fractures each year.

The Department has not made an assessment of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on preventable deaths from hip fractures.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis were diagnosed by a specialist; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that proportion.

Guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults published by the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that people with suspected Parkinson's disease are referred for an expert clinical diagnosis by a specialist without delay, and that the diagnosis should be reviewed regularly by a specialist.

While a formal diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease should always be undertaken by a specialist, NHS England does not hold information centrally to audit this.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve ambulance response times for (a) strokes and (b) other category 2 calls.

Strokes can be potentially life-threatening and require a Category 2 response to ensure patients have access to timely care. The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidence-based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service models set out that high quality stroke care should include fast emergency response and better-informed ambulance service 999 calls, to reduce mortality and disability.

The Government is determined to improve response times. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan for 2025/26 commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. We are also tackling unacceptable ambulance handover delays by introducing a maximum 45-minute standard, ensuring ambulances are released more quickly and get back on the road to treat patients.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle health tourism.

In relation to United Kingdom nationals travelling abroad for treatment, the Department has recently updated guidance that advises anyone considering a procedure abroad to carefully research the treatment in question, the qualifications of their clinician, and the regulations that apply in any specific country.

We also recently launched a communications campaign, in collaboration with TikTok, to encourage people to review the Government’s travel advice alongside relevant guidance from the National Health Service and other relevant professional bodies. By taking such steps before treatment, patients make are able to make more informed decisions about treatments abroad, to help protect themselves and the NHS from any potential negative consequences of medical tourism.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that every cancer patient who needs it has access to modern and timely radiotherapy cancer treatment.

The Government is taking decisive action to get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster.

We have invested £70 million in replacing outdated radiotherapy machines across the NHS with cutting-edge technology that will speed up treatment for thousands of patients. These new machines are being rolled out across the country.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to take steps to promote the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of UK medical graduates over international applicants.

British doctors who obtained their medical degree abroad need to meet the requirements of the General Medical Council, the independent regulator of the medical profession, to practise medicine in the United Kingdom. These doctors are then able to apply for jobs in the National Health Service on the same basis as UK medical graduates.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, we will work across the Government to prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out further details in due course.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including British citizens who studied medicine abroad in NHS specialty training prioritisation policies in Surrey Heath constituency.

British doctors who obtained their medical degree abroad need to meet the requirements of the General Medical Council, the independent regulator of the medical profession, to practise medicine in the United Kingdom. These doctors are then able to apply for jobs in the National Health Service on the same basis as UK medical graduates.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, we will work across the Government to prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out further details in due course.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that NHS trusts move into financial surplus by 2030.

The National Health Service priorities and operational planning guidance 2025/26 made it clear that living within budget, reducing waste and increasing productivity is a priority. This year’s financial framework changes include making deficit support funding conditional on performance, implementing a financial override in the Oversight Framework, and introducing additional support for efficiency and productivity through the new Financial Performance and Improvement Programme. The 10-Year Health Plan also made several longer-term commitments to strengthen the NHS financial foundation, which are now being taken forward, including:

(a) A commitment to deliver 2% annual productivity growth, which will unlock £17 billion in savings over 3 years.

(b) A new approach to NHS financial management including multi-year settlements, and phasing out deficit support funding;

(c) Sharper financial incentives including the use of best practice tariffs, and changing the funding model to encourage urgent and emergency care to shift to the community;

(d) A fairer geographical distribution of funding, to target areas with disproportionate economic and health challenges; and

(e) Reform of the capital regime, giving more power to the frontline and speeding up the capital approvals process.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of ambulance response times in Eastleigh constituency.

The Government recognises that in recent years ambulance response times have not met the high standards that patients should expect.

We are determined to turn things around. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by almost £450 million of capital investment, commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. We are also tackling unacceptable ambulance handover delays by introducing a maximum 45-minute standard, supporting ambulances to be released more quickly and get back on the road to treat patients.

We have already seen improvements in ambulance response times for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS), which serves Eastleigh. The latest NHS performance figures for SCAS show that Category 2 incidents were responded to in 30 minutes 44 seconds on average, over eight minutes faster than the same period last year.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to ensure that there is nursing representation in national negotiations on primary care (a) funding and (b) workforce planning.

We have always valued input from a range of stakeholders on the future of general practice, including on funding and workforce planning, and we would be happy to continue to engage with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on this, as we have done in previous pre-consultation engagement exercises.

The Government is committed to ensuring the general practice nursing workforce is sustainable, supported and valued for the work they do. Good staff experience is crucial in ensuring the National Health Service is able to recruit and retain staff and its importance is recognised and illustrated in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.

We will publish a 10-Year Workforce Plan which will ensure that staff will be better treated and have better training, more fulfilling roles and hope for the future, so they can achieve more. A formal call for evidence has been launched, which will provide stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the Plan’s development.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce infant mortality rates at Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has taken a number of steps to improve their maternity services and help reduce infant mortality rates. This includes:

- implementing pre-term screening for pre-eclampsia;

- recruiting 164 more midwives since 2021, with seven more due to join soon, reducing the vacancy rate to 3.64% compared to 16% in January 2023;

- investing in additional clinical posts, including the recruitment of 12 additional obstetrics and gynaecology consultants since 2022, with two more joining soon, and increasing resident doctor numbers;

- introducing bilingual volunteers to support women throughout pregnancy, including attending appointments with them, and during labour;

- offering enhanced ‘continuity of carer’ in areas where health inequalities have been identified;

- increasing triage space and staffing to speed up initial assessment and creating a new discharge lounge to improve flow through the unit;

- increasing obstetric theatre capacity and staffing; and

- launching a new diabetes pre-conception clinic this year for women who are trying to conceive, and a new hybrid closed-loop insulin pump service for type 1 diabetics who are pregnant or trying to conceive.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of continuous positive airway pressure machines for NHS patients diagnosed with sleep apnoea.

No specific assessment has been made by the Department.

The provision of treatments for sleep apnoea is a commissioning matter and these decisions are the responsibility of integrated care boards, taking into account the needs of their local populations and national guidance such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome.

NICE has recommended continuous positive airway pressure machines (TA139) as a treatment option for adults with moderate or severe symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea or hypopnoea syndrome, where certain clinical criteria are met.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help support patients with mental health problems in exercising their right to refuse medication in NHS settings.

Any decision to prescribe a medicine should be made following a conversation between the prescriber and patient. This is known as shared decision making and should involve discussing with the patient the risks, benefits and possible consequences of different options, along with the prescriber’s clinical judgement.

NHS England has recently published decision support tools on depression and bipolar to help individuals to compare possible treatment options, and a leaflet on the safer use of valproate. Unless the information is on the pack, all dispensed medicines must include a patient information leaflet, which provides information on using the medicine safely. Specialist mental health pharmacists are available at the majority of mental health trusts to discuss medication options with patients, and the Medicines A-Z website and NHS App provide information about medicines and mental health.

The Mental Health Bill extends access to advocacy support, currently only available to patients detained under the Mental Health Act, to all patients in mental health inpatient settings. Advocates support patients to understand and exercise their rights. The bill also introduces measures to encourage people to create an Advance Choice Document while they are well. This is a written record of their wishes, including their preferences on medication, so that these can later inform decisions during a mental health crisis. The bill also raises the threshold on when compulsory medication can be administered to a patient, by requiring that there must be a compelling reason to override the patient’s refusal, whether made at the time or in advance. Urgent and compulsory medication and electroconvulsive therapy can also only be given under a more limited set of circumstances. These measures aim to better balance patient autonomy and the ability to administer treatment at a time of mental health crisis.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients experiencing mental health problems are provided with comprehensive information on (a) potential side effects, (b) interactions with other medications and (c) the long-term implications of any medication they are advised to take.

Any decision to prescribe a medicine should be made following a conversation between the prescriber and patient. This is known as shared decision making and should involve discussing with the patient the risks, benefits and possible consequences of different options, along with the prescriber’s clinical judgement.

NHS England has recently published decision support tools on depression and bipolar to help individuals to compare possible treatment options, and a leaflet on the safer use of valproate. Unless the information is on the pack, all dispensed medicines must include a patient information leaflet, which provides information on using the medicine safely. Specialist mental health pharmacists are available at the majority of mental health trusts to discuss medication options with patients, and the Medicines A-Z website and NHS App provide information about medicines and mental health.

The Mental Health Bill extends access to advocacy support, currently only available to patients detained under the Mental Health Act, to all patients in mental health inpatient settings. Advocates support patients to understand and exercise their rights. The bill also introduces measures to encourage people to create an Advance Choice Document while they are well. This is a written record of their wishes, including their preferences on medication, so that these can later inform decisions during a mental health crisis. The bill also raises the threshold on when compulsory medication can be administered to a patient, by requiring that there must be a compelling reason to override the patient’s refusal, whether made at the time or in advance. Urgent and compulsory medication and electroconvulsive therapy can also only be given under a more limited set of circumstances. These measures aim to better balance patient autonomy and the ability to administer treatment at a time of mental health crisis.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what engagement he has had with local authorities in Bedfordshire on plans for ICB re-organisation in the East of England.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) should engage with all other organisations within their integrated care partnership, including with local authorities, to ensure they are involved where there are boundary changes.

Clustering ICBs remain separate organisations and so must necessarily continue to duplicate some activities, which is unwieldy. Mergers allow those inefficiencies to be removed and brings stability for leaders, staff, and partners. It is not possible to estimate the difference in savings between clusters and mergers because these may vary in footprints, in starting points, and in transition arrangements.

When NHS England decides on ICB mergers, it must take into account its wider duties, including duties relating to value for money and equalities. These will be considered in decision making, but NHS England is not required to publish impact assessments.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish an impact assessment on the proposed creation of a Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Hertfordshire ICB.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) should engage with all other organisations within their integrated care partnership, including with local authorities, to ensure they are involved where there are boundary changes.

Clustering ICBs remain separate organisations and so must necessarily continue to duplicate some activities, which is unwieldy. Mergers allow those inefficiencies to be removed and brings stability for leaders, staff, and partners. It is not possible to estimate the difference in savings between clusters and mergers because these may vary in footprints, in starting points, and in transition arrangements.

When NHS England decides on ICB mergers, it must take into account its wider duties, including duties relating to value for money and equalities. These will be considered in decision making, but NHS England is not required to publish impact assessments.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the difference in saving between (a) a clustered ICB and (b) an ICB merger, in the context of ICB re-organisation in the East of England.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) should engage with all other organisations within their integrated care partnership, including with local authorities, to ensure they are involved where there are boundary changes.

Clustering ICBs remain separate organisations and so must necessarily continue to duplicate some activities, which is unwieldy. Mergers allow those inefficiencies to be removed and brings stability for leaders, staff, and partners. It is not possible to estimate the difference in savings between clusters and mergers because these may vary in footprints, in starting points, and in transition arrangements.

When NHS England decides on ICB mergers, it must take into account its wider duties, including duties relating to value for money and equalities. These will be considered in decision making, but NHS England is not required to publish impact assessments.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he last met with the Patient Safety Commissioner.

There has been no formal meeting between my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the Patient Safety Commissioner. However, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Baroness Merron), in her previous role as the minister with responsibility for patient safety and patient voice, met with the Patient Safety Commissioner in January 2025.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted detailed (a) costings and (b) delivery timetables for the commitments outlined in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The Government has been clear that the previous administration’s 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan was unsustainable and based on outdated models of care. We have committed instead to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will replace the 2023 plan and create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the potential impact of the restructuring of integrated care boards in Devon on the health of (a) vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by health inequalities and (b) people living in (i) Teignmouth, (ii) Dawlish and (iii) coastal towns.

To deliver the required reduction in running costs in 2025/26, a number of integrated care boards (ICBs) will cluster together to share leadership and functions so resources can be directed to frontline services. ICBs have a crucial role as strategic commissioners of local healthcare services and remain responsible for ensuring the provision of services to meet the needs of the populations they serve, including those from small and coastal towns.

While clustering ICBs will work together through shared leadership and combined teams, they will remain separate legal entities. NHS England shared a ‘Model ICB blueprint’ with ICBs in May 2025 to help them form their plans. This makes clear that ICBs are expected to maintain clear, accountable leadership with effective governance during the transition and beyond.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) transparency and (b) public accountability during the implementation of the new integrated care board cluster for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

To deliver the required reduction in running costs in 2025/26, a number of integrated care boards (ICBs) will cluster together to share leadership and functions so resources can be directed to frontline services. ICBs have a crucial role as strategic commissioners of local healthcare services and remain responsible for ensuring the provision of services to meet the needs of the populations they serve, including those from small and coastal towns.

While clustering ICBs will work together through shared leadership and combined teams, they will remain separate legal entities. NHS England shared a ‘Model ICB blueprint’ with ICBs in May 2025 to help them form their plans. This makes clear that ICBs are expected to maintain clear, accountable leadership with effective governance during the transition and beyond.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25328 on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn, whether he has received a copy of the report; and, with reference to his Department policy paper entitled New Hospital Programme; plan for implementation, published on 20 January 2025, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the site-by-site report of the RAAC hospitals.

The safety of staff and patients at the seven predominantly reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) hospitals remains our utmost priority.

The completion date for the report has been extended to ensure a detailed understanding of the complex data and issues considered, including the RAAC condition, planned and current mitigations, and the remaining expected life of the hospital sites. By building a better understanding, we can support each scheme to move forward more effectively. We expect the report will be complete this year. A decision has not yet been taken regarding the publication of the report.

In the interim, the seven predominantly RAAC hospitals continue their programme of RAAC mitigation works and the plans for the replacement hospitals continue at pace.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of financial cuts to Integrated Care Boards on patients in South Suffolk.

As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, integrated care boards (ICBs) will become strategic commissioners with responsibility for using multi-year budgets to enhance local population health while achieving efficiencies. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and will work with NHS England to ensure this is done effectively within the running costs allowance with savings reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of financial cuts to Integrated Care Boards on NHS service delivery in South Suffolk.

As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, integrated care boards (ICBs) will become strategic commissioners with responsibility for using multi-year budgets to enhance local population health while achieving efficiencies. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and will work with NHS England to ensure this is done effectively within the running costs allowance with savings reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Integrated Care Boards on patient care in South Suffolk.

As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, integrated care boards (ICBs) will become strategic commissioners with responsibility for using multi-year budgets to enhance local population health while achieving efficiencies. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and will work with NHS England to ensure this is done effectively within the running costs allowance with savings reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of planned Integrated Care Board cuts on the delivery of the NHS 10-year plan in South Suffolk.

As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, integrated care boards (ICBs) will become strategic commissioners with responsibility for using multi-year budgets to enhance local population health while achieving efficiencies. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and will work with NHS England to ensure this is done effectively within the running costs allowance with savings reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of brand-specific prescribing on the availability of medication at pharmacies.

The Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of brand-specific prescribing on the availability of medication at pharmacies.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care. Prescribers must always satisfy themselves that the medicines that they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that they take account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards.

Prescribers can normally prescribe a medicine by brand or by the generic name, and in primary care, where a prescription specifies a branded medicine, that product must be dispensed, whereas for a generic prescription, any manufacturer’s product can be dispensed. For some medicines or some conditions, switching between manufacturers’ products carries additional clinical risks and guidance regarding the appropriateness of brand or generic prescribing for specific medicines or conditions might be issued.

To assist with the management of supply issues with certain medicines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, clinical experts with input from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Department developed guidance on prescribing methylphenidate generically. This guidance was issued to provide prescribers with information on how to switch between methylphenidate products. This is a guidance document and as such there is no requirement for prescribers to follow it unless they deem it necessary and suitable for their patients.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) prescribers and (b) pharmacy contractors adhere to guidance on the prescribing of ADHD medication by generic name.

The Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of brand-specific prescribing on the availability of medication at pharmacies.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care. Prescribers must always satisfy themselves that the medicines that they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that they take account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards.

Prescribers can normally prescribe a medicine by brand or by the generic name, and in primary care, where a prescription specifies a branded medicine, that product must be dispensed, whereas for a generic prescription, any manufacturer’s product can be dispensed. For some medicines or some conditions, switching between manufacturers’ products carries additional clinical risks and guidance regarding the appropriateness of brand or generic prescribing for specific medicines or conditions might be issued.

To assist with the management of supply issues with certain medicines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, clinical experts with input from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Department developed guidance on prescribing methylphenidate generically. This guidance was issued to provide prescribers with information on how to switch between methylphenidate products. This is a guidance document and as such there is no requirement for prescribers to follow it unless they deem it necessary and suitable for their patients.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS England’s processes for (a) identifying and (b) responding to concerns about the (i) quality and (ii) accuracy of children’s hearing test services; and what steps his Department is taking to improve the (A) consistency and (B) reliability of children’s hearing tests.

In December 2021, a report was published into service issues in children’s hearing services in NHS Lothian. The report focused on whether children’s hearing tests were being conducted properly and were effectively followed up. Further problems with the diagnosis of hearing issues in newborns and children were identified in other Scottish NHS trusts in 2023.

Subsequent assessment of NHS hearing services in children’s departments across England in 2023 and 2024 identified similar problems. In 2023, NHS England established the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme to address the issues and oversee remedial action.

In April 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, appointed Dr Camilla Kingdon to chair an independent review into children’s hearing services. The review has considered:

  • NHS England’s response to the service failures in children’s hearing services;
  • how the relevant governance arrangements between the Department and NHS England could be improved, and identify lessons learned; and
  • how NHS England’s handling of any future service failures in similar services could be improved, and identify lessons learned.

The Department is currently considering next steps and how to ensure lessons learned can be acted upon promptly, including whether steps need to be taken to improve both the consistency and reliability of children’s hearing tests.

NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards who are the commissioners of audiology services to improve performance and reduce waiting lists for appointments and assessments for hearing services. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in NHS trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via community diagnostic centres, and directing support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to support the creation of neighbourhood-level respiratory diagnostic hubs.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) ICBs and (b) NHS Trusts provide a (i) Locally Enhanced Service or (ii) similar arrangement to support the establishment of respiratory diagnostic hubs.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to take direct (a) ICBs and (b) NHS Trusts to (i) collect and (ii) publish data on their respiratory diagnostics provision.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of creating neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) integrated care boards and (b) trusts provide a (i) locally enhanced service and (ii) similar arrangement to support the establishment of respiratory diagnostic hubs.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) integrated care boards and (b) trusts (i) collect and (ii) publish data on the provision of respiratory diagnostics.

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to expand the Further Faster 20 programme.

The Further Faster 20 (FF20) initiative was announced in September 2024, run by the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) team in NHS England to deploy expert advice to National Health Service trusts in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity to get patients treated faster.

Data from October 2024 to August 2025 shows waiting lists across these areas have been reduced by over 66,000.

Whilst there are currently no formal plans to expand the FF20 programme, key learnings have been taken from the FF20 work to date which are available to all trusts. This includes vital work on clinic template standardisation. An operational guide developed by GIRFT from FF20 trust engagement demonstrates to trusts across the country how they can unlock additional outpatient capacity and activity across relevant specialities. Work is ongoing to support trusts to adopt approaches outlined in this guidance.

GIRFT is a national programme designed to improve the treatment and care of patients across more than 40 surgical and medical specialties, including diagnostics, day case surgery, outpatient services and clinical coding. GIRFT has already expanded its on-the-ground support to NHS trusts through the GIRFT Further Faster Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) programme to support 20 acute providers in England strengthen UEC pathways ahead of the winter period.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has considered introducing a (a) support and (b) compensation scheme for people with lifelong disabilities as a result of exposure to Debendox during pregnancy.

Debendox was originally available as a triple combination of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, a form of vitamin B6, and dicyclomine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic. The product was later reformulated to remove dicyclomine hydrochloride following a review which concluded that dicyclomine did not contribute to the effectiveness of the other two ingredients. In the early 1980s, the medicine was available as a dual combination product, as doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Since July 2018, the dual combination of doxylamine succinate 10 milligram and pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 milligram has been authorised as Xonvea, a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, like changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments. As described in the product information for Xonvea, a large amount of data on pregnant women, including two meta-analyses with over 168,000 patients and 18,000 exposures to the doxylamine/pyridoxine combination during first trimester, indicates no malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity due to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will keep this issue under review and will carefully evaluate any new evidence which becomes available linking use of Debendox or Xonvea with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

The Department has not made any recent assessments of the number of people exposed to Debendox and is not considering support or compensation.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of people affected by Debendox on redress or compensation schemes.

Debendox was originally available as a triple combination of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, a form of vitamin B6, and dicyclomine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic. The product was later reformulated to remove dicyclomine hydrochloride following a review which concluded that dicyclomine did not contribute to the effectiveness of the other two ingredients. In the early 1980s, the medicine was available as a dual combination product, as doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Since July 2018, the dual combination of doxylamine succinate 10 milligram and pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 milligram has been authorised as Xonvea, a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, like changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments. As described in the product information for Xonvea, a large amount of data on pregnant women, including two meta-analyses with over 168,000 patients and 18,000 exposures to the doxylamine/pyridoxine combination during first trimester, indicates no malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity due to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will keep this issue under review and will carefully evaluate any new evidence which becomes available linking use of Debendox or Xonvea with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

The Department has not made any recent assessments of the number of people exposed to Debendox and is not considering support or compensation.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing compensation to people impacted by in utero exposure to Debendox.

Debendox was originally available as a triple combination of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, a form of vitamin B6, and dicyclomine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic. The product was later reformulated to remove dicyclomine hydrochloride following a review which concluded that dicyclomine did not contribute to the effectiveness of the other two ingredients. In the early 1980s, the medicine was available as a dual combination product, as doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Since July 2018, the dual combination of doxylamine succinate 10 milligram and pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 milligram has been authorised as Xonvea, a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, like changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments. As described in the product information for Xonvea, a large amount of data on pregnant women, including two meta-analyses with over 168,000 patients and 18,000 exposures to the doxylamine/pyridoxine combination during first trimester, indicates no malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity due to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will keep this issue under review and will carefully evaluate any new evidence which becomes available linking use of Debendox or Xonvea with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

The Department has not made any recent assessments of the number of people exposed to Debendox and is not considering support or compensation.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to assess the long-term health and social care requirements of people impacted by in utero exposure to Debendox.

Debendox was originally available as a triple combination of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, a form of vitamin B6, and dicyclomine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic. The product was later reformulated to remove dicyclomine hydrochloride following a review which concluded that dicyclomine did not contribute to the effectiveness of the other two ingredients. In the early 1980s, the medicine was available as a dual combination product, as doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Since July 2018, the dual combination of doxylamine succinate 10 milligram and pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 milligram has been authorised as Xonvea, a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, like changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments. As described in the product information for Xonvea, a large amount of data on pregnant women, including two meta-analyses with over 168,000 patients and 18,000 exposures to the doxylamine/pyridoxine combination during first trimester, indicates no malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity due to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will keep this issue under review and will carefully evaluate any new evidence which becomes available linking use of Debendox or Xonvea with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

The Department has not made any recent assessments of the number of people exposed to Debendox and is not considering support or compensation.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people impacted in utero by their mother's use of Debendox during pregnancy.

Debendox was originally available as a triple combination of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, a form of vitamin B6, and dicyclomine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic. The product was later reformulated to remove dicyclomine hydrochloride following a review which concluded that dicyclomine did not contribute to the effectiveness of the other two ingredients. In the early 1980s, the medicine was available as a dual combination product, as doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Since July 2018, the dual combination of doxylamine succinate 10 milligram and pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 milligram has been authorised as Xonvea, a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, like changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments. As described in the product information for Xonvea, a large amount of data on pregnant women, including two meta-analyses with over 168,000 patients and 18,000 exposures to the doxylamine/pyridoxine combination during first trimester, indicates no malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity due to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

As with all medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will keep this issue under review and will carefully evaluate any new evidence which becomes available linking use of Debendox or Xonvea with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

The Department has not made any recent assessments of the number of people exposed to Debendox and is not considering support or compensation.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the new NHS workforce plan will provide the number of specialists required for Parkinson’s care.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10-Year Workforce Plan which will create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including specialists across the full scope of National Health Service care.

We have set up a UK-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, devolved governments, and health services and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions. The Forum has identified areas for initial focus, including workforce which featured as a key item on the agenda at the second meeting of the forum in September.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the reasons for the difficulties in the recruitment of health staff in rural areas, in the context of his plans for a Neighbourhood Health Service.

We have found that people tend to settle and practice in areas where they train, as identified on page 209 of the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2021 – Health in Coastal Communities, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f98750e90e0703bbd94a41/cmo-annual_report-2021-health-in-coastal-communities-accessible.pdf

A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan is our workforce and how we ensure that we train and provide the staff, technology and infrastructure the National Health Service needs to care for patients across our communities, including rural and coastal areas.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the provision of emergency co-responders in (a) rural and (b) coastal areas.

The Government recognises the important contribution of co-responders in improving response times, particularly in hard-to-reach rural and coastal communities.

The Department supports the provision of emergency co-responders in rural and coastal areas through the Community First Responders (CFR) programme, where volunteers are trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work.

Ambulance trusts are responsible, on an individual basis, for taking decisions on the capacity and support needed to deliver their services in their local areas.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out how the role of multi-neighbourhood providers will differ from that of ICBs, in the context of the 10 Year Health Plan.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) will act primarily as strategic commissioners of services to their local populations and will not be providing services directly to the public. They will be working to ensure the best possible care is delivered through commissioned providers with a focus on long-term strategic planning.

The multi-neighbourhood providers will be a voluntary provider arrangement for the delivery of coordinated services across a place or multiple neighbourhoods (populations of around 250,000), acting as a link between local general practice services and ICBs and trusts.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to ensure that historic (a) NHS and (b) GP records can be reviewed to identify women who were prescribed Diethylstilbestrol between the 1940s and 1970s.

The issue of diethylstilbesterol (DES) and vaginal carcinoma in the daughters of women who took DES during pregnancy was reviewed by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the early 1970s. In 1973, the CSM wrote to all doctors to inform them of the results of a study into the topic from the United States, and the absence of identified cases in the United Kingdom.

The work of the committee predates the existence of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), when medicines vigilance was only in its infancy and there were no electronic records and no systematic monitoring of prescriptions.

There has been a step change in reporting and record keeping since this time, and today's regulatory frameworks are significantly different, with much stricter post-authorisation monitoring allowing for earlier identification and action on emerging safety issues. The MHRA regulates medicines supplied in the UK. Its activity spans the whole of a medicine’s lifecycle. The MHRA keeps the safety of all medicines under continual review.

Government advice currently is that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believe they were exposed to DES in utero. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

Participation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the historic prescribing of DES.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to establish an independent inquiry into the historic prescribing of Diethylstilbestrol.

The issue of diethylstilbesterol (DES) and vaginal carcinoma in the daughters of women who took DES during pregnancy was reviewed by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the early 1970s. In 1973, the CSM wrote to all doctors to inform them of the results of a study into the topic from the United States, and the absence of identified cases in the United Kingdom.

The work of the committee predates the existence of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), when medicines vigilance was only in its infancy and there were no electronic records and no systematic monitoring of prescriptions.

There has been a step change in reporting and record keeping since this time, and today's regulatory frameworks are significantly different, with much stricter post-authorisation monitoring allowing for earlier identification and action on emerging safety issues. The MHRA regulates medicines supplied in the UK. Its activity spans the whole of a medicine’s lifecycle. The MHRA keeps the safety of all medicines under continual review.

Government advice currently is that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believe they were exposed to DES in utero. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

Participation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the historic prescribing of DES.

Zubir Ahmed
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether modelling of the number of clinicians needed to meet patient needs will help inform the proposed 10-year Workforce Plan.

We will publish a 10-Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. The 10-Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. It will draw on a range of modelling and evidence to set out the best estimate of the workforce that is needed to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had on the future role of Nursing Associates within the NHS.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions on the future role of Nursing Associates specifically. The Government is committed to publishing a 10-Year Workforce Plan which will create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. We are working through how the Plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)