Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services in a) Lewisham North constituency, b) London and c) England.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need.
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we are providing local authorities with £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery.
The Department delivers a robust monitoring and assurance programme, and quality improvement interventions, for local authorities commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services. The number of adults in treatment is now the highest since reporting began, with the latest annual statistics showing that between April 2024 and March 2025 there were 329,646 adults aged 18 years old and over in contact with community drug and alcohol treatment services. Of this total, in London there were 45,873 adults in treatment, 9% higher than the previous year, and in Lewisham there were 1,910, 28% higher than the previous year.
Asked by: Steve Barclay (Conservative - North East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS sites offering diagnostics have seen at least one modality removed in the last 12 months.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold official data on how many National Health Service sites offering diagnostics have seen at least one modality removed in the 12 months.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trail riding on people's health and wellbeing through active recreation.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of trail riding on people's health and wellbeing through active recreation. The Department recognises that participation in outdoor activities using trails, such as cycling, walking, wheeling, and running, can have a range of physical and mental health benefits through movement, social engagement, and access to green and blue spaces.
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives. As committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will address physically inactivity and help build movement into everyday lives through investing in grassroots sports, developing a new Physical Education and school sports partnership network to support children reap the benefits of movement, and supporting cycling and walking infrastructure.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent by NHS England on (a) each Section 7A service, (b) immunisation programmes within Section 7A services, (c) childhood immunisations within Section 7A services and (d) school-age immunisations within Section 7A services under the National Health Service Act 2006 in each financial year since 2019-20.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding for public health functions delegated by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to NHS England, known as section 7A services, is allocated as part of NHS England’s mandate funding total. The following table shows the spend for section 7A services by NHS England for the financial years 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24:
Section 7A service area/programme | 2019/20 (£, million) | 2020/21 (£, million) | 2021/22 (£, million) | 2022/23 (£, million) | 2023/24 (£, million) |
Childhood immunisations | 125.4 | 94.4 | 62.9 | 84.2 | 95.6 |
School age immunisations | 41.1 | 41.1 | 36.5 | 42.6 | 55.4 |
Flu vaccination | 260.2 | 345.8 | 388.6 | 448.1 | 403.9 |
Other immunisations | 32.2 | 22.1 | 8.0 | 25.1 | 29.2 |
COVID-19 immunisation | 0.0 | 554.6 | 1,080.2 | 386.2 | 268.4 |
National immunisation programmes total | 458.9 | 1,058.0 | 1,576.2 | 986.2 | 852.5 |
National population screening programmes total | 644.6 | 668.5 | 675.8 | 647.4 | 701.2 |
Child health information services total | 46.5 | 31.4 | 25.2 | 52.2 | 53.4 |
Public health services in secure and detained settings total | 95.5 | 84.5 | 90.8 | 82.0 | 82.1 |
Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) total | 33.2 | 39.0 | 42.3 | 48.1 | 52.8 |
Grand total | 1,278.7 | 1,881.4 | 2,410.3 | 1,815.8 | 1,742.0 |
Source: NHS England.
Notes:
Expenditure for 2024/25 and 2025/26 is not yet published.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ring-fence funding to enable the mass procurement and delivery of NHS meningitis B vaccines to groups identified by clinical experts as being at increased risk.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on eligibility for routine vaccination programmes are taken by the department on the basis of independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
In 2015, following review of the epidemiology, disease burden, vaccine safety and efficacy, and cost-effectiveness analysis, the JCVI recommended that young infants should be routinely vaccinated against meningococcal B (MenB) with the aim of providing optimal protection as early as possible, as this age group had the highest disease incidence.
In response to the meningitis outbreak in Kent, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked the JCVI to review eligibility for MenB vaccination in older children and young adults. As ever, the Government will carefully consider JCVI advice.
Asked by: Connor Naismith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) what steps his Department is taking to deliver a national roll out of Fracture Liaison Services in England; (b) if he will publish a timetable for achieving full coverage; and (c) what assessment he has made of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. Integrated care boards (ICBs) remain well-placed to make decisions according to local need. The renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that ICBs prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality. There is a broad evidence base for the benefits of Fracture Liaison Services. For example, there is evidence that they can reduce the risk of refracture by up to 40%, depending on the fracture type and population considered, with further information available at the following link:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4767862/
Greater prevention would contribute to avoiding debilitating further consequences, including pain, loss of independence, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Where available, evidence on the potential impacts will be taken into consideration in future policy development.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on proposals to reduce reliance on resident doctors in response to industrial action.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to create a new model of care, fit for the future. In spring we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver that transformed service.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan has been developed and is informed by regular discussions with NHS England and 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. We are working through how the plan will articulate changes for different professional groups.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of the number of NHS appointments and procedures postponed due to the resident doctors’ strike beginning on 7 April 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England routinely publishes information on postponed inpatient and outpatient appointments during periods of industrial action, and this information will be published in due course. Further information will be available at the following link:
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help (a) reduce regional disparities in access in access to left atrial appendage closure and (b) the potential impact of such disparities on Yeovil constituents.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has not undertaken a formal national assessment of regional variation in access to left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO).
LAAO is a prescribed specialised service and is commissioned in accordance with NHS England’s published national clinical commissioning policy, with further information available at the following link:
NHS England’s regional specialised commissioners and integrated care boards are responsible for the monitoring of activity, the reviewing of equity of access for their populations, and for addressing variation through local oversight and clinical networks.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on improving the recognition of overseas qualifications and reducing barriers to employment in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The statutory regulation of healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom is designed to protect patients and the public by ensuring that registered practitioners are appropriately trained, competent, and fit to practise.
The UK’s healthcare professional regulators are independent bodies responsible for setting standards of education, training, and professional conduct. They are also responsible for setting registration routes, including for overseas‑qualified applicants, to ensure UK standards of safe and effective practice are met. Only those who meet these requirements can legally practise in regulated healthcare professions.
National Health Service employers are responsible for ensuring that individuals appointed to specific roles meet the requirements of those posts in line with service needs, patient safety requirements, and relevant NHS frameworks.
The Government is committed to maintaining robust regulatory frameworks that support public safety, professional standards, and confidence in the healthcare system. Through its programme of regulatory reform, the Government will bring forward legislation to modernise the legislative frameworks of the regulators to ensure that they have the powers they require to protect the public while supporting an effective and flexible workforce. In the meantime, we continue to engage with regulators to support the effective use of their existing powers and frameworks to facilitate efficient registration pathways for both UK and overseas‑qualified applicants, consistent with public protection.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how the Government will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.