Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, c) the UK Health Security Agency, d) the Care Quality Commission, e) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, f) NHS England, g) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, h) NHS Blood and Transplant, i) NHS Business Services Authority, and j) NHS Resolution have sponsored since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 adequacy of care for patients with endometriosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and the workforce.
In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guideline on endometriosis to makes firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis and will help the estimated one in ten women with endometriosis to receive a diagnosis faster. Over the next year, NICE will be working with National Health Service systems to ensure adoption of this best practice endometriosis care, including access to approved medicines.
Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), we have commissioned a number of studies focused on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and patient experience. At present, the NIHR is funding six research awards totalling an investment of approximately £5.8 million.
Alongside the updated guidelines and research investment, two new treatments have been approved, and we are taking action to cut gynaecology waiting lists through our Elective Reform Plan.
But we know there is more to do. That is why we are renewing the Women’s Health Strategy, to update on delivery and set out how the Government is taking further steps to improve women’s health as we deliver the 10-Year Health Plan. It will also address gaps from the 2022 strategy and drive further changes on enduring challenges such as creating a system that listens to women, and tackling health inequalities.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria was used to determine which conditions should receive a modern service framework under the NHS 10-year health plan; and whether respiratory health meets these criteria.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board is overseeing the development of a new series of service frameworks to accelerate progress in conditions where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.
Early priorities include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. The Government will consider other long-term conditions with significant health and economic impacts for future waves of modern service frameworks.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with NHS trusts on the provision of (a) anti-racism and (b) unconscious bias training for NHS staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and NHS England have been working together to announce a series of measures to tackle antisemitism and racism across the National Health Service, which includes the introduction of mandatory antisemitism and anti-racism training for all NHS staff.
In terms of unconscious bias training, there is no national NHS-wide policy on this training in the NHS. Individual NHS organisations have responsibility for training their own staff and provide relevant training where appropriate.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many officials are working on the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are 31 officials currently working on the Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal care. The full time equivalent (FTE) for the investigation team is approximately 28 FTE, taking into account individuals working part-time and in job-shares. This excludes the independent chair and expert advisors.
In addition to officials, there are eight expert advisers supporting the chair, Baroness Amos.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
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 socioeconomic inequality on (a) stillbirth and (b) neonatal mortality rates; and what cross-government action is being taken to address this.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity. Stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates remain higher for mothers in more deprived areas.
A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are underway. These include the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme, delivery of an inequalities dashboard, and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity. Additionally, all local areas have published Equity and Equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.
We are putting in place immediate actions to improve safety across maternity and neonatal care, which includes the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle. This bundle is a package of evidence-based interventions to support staff to reduce stillbirth, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and pre-term births. It includes guidance on managing multiple pregnancies to ensure optimal care for the woman and baby.
NHS England is also introducing a Maternal Mortality Care Bundle to set clear standards across all services and address the leading causes of maternal mortality. Women from black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle will target these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.
To further target disparities in maternal care, Baroness Amos is chairing the National Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from black and Asian backgrounds, those from deprived groups, and those from other marginalised groups when receiving maternity and neonatal care.
The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to address inequalities in maternal and neonatal care and to promote health equity in the delivery of those services.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce disparities in maternal mortality rates between women from different ethnic backgrounds.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity. Stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates remain higher for mothers in more deprived areas.
A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are underway. These include the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme, delivery of an inequalities dashboard, and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity. Additionally, all local areas have published Equity and Equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.
We are putting in place immediate actions to improve safety across maternity and neonatal care, which includes the implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle. This bundle is a package of evidence-based interventions to support staff to reduce stillbirth, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and pre-term births. It includes guidance on managing multiple pregnancies to ensure optimal care for the woman and baby.
NHS England is also introducing a Maternal Mortality Care Bundle to set clear standards across all services and address the leading causes of maternal mortality. Women from black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle will target these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.
To further target disparities in maternal care, Baroness Amos is chairing the National Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from black and Asian backgrounds, those from deprived groups, and those from other marginalised groups when receiving maternity and neonatal care.
The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to address inequalities in maternal and neonatal care and to promote health equity in the delivery of those services.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to review how information on potentially hazardous medicinal products is shared across the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring the safety of medicines and medical devices, and it continually reviews product safety.
When a safety issue is identified, the MHRA communicates with healthcare professionals and stakeholders through various channels, such as the GOV.UK website, direct emails, and safety alerts, and may use different methods depending on the urgency and impact of the issue.
The MHRA’s three-year Strategy for Improving Communications aims to deliver more coordinated, targeted, and effective safety communications to healthcare professionals and patients using the best available channels.
NHS England has stipulated that all large providers of National Health Services must designate a Medication Safety Officer. They are mandated to implement medication safety within their organisations and are updated regularly on current issues and learning.
NHS England is also reducing risk to staff by increasing the availability of ready to administer products through its Transforming Aseptic Services Programme, with further information available at the following link:
The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) Medicines Optimisation Quality Statement, a copy of which is attached, is focused on ensuring that patients are able to access their medicines safely. The CQC would therefore expect providers to be following their organisations processes and national guidance, where relevant, to ensure that this happens. Organisations providing care need to ensure that staff have the relevant information available to them to keep patients safe through appropriate medicines use, as well as supporting them to undertake their roles safely.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of winter capacity in (a) all Greater Manchester hospitals and (b) Royal Oldham Hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We continue to monitor the impact of winter pressures on the National Health Service over the winter months.
The Department is continuing to take key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on accident and emergency departments, increasing vaccination rates, and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing integrated care boards and trust winter plans to ensure they include a focus on reducing bed occupancy ahead of Christmas, creating additional capacity and improving patient flow.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answered of 22 October 2025 to question 81944 on Perinatal Mortality, which four trusts have not fully implemented version three of the Saving Babies Lives Care bundle.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The four trusts that are not fully compliant with version three of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle are the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, and the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Implementation is overseen through NHS Resolution’s Maternity Incentive Scheme, a financial incentive to encourage trusts to implement safety actions to improve maternity safety. Trusts are required to demonstrate that they are on track to comply with all elements of the care bundle.