Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult on the future of the NHS Health Check programme following the pilot of NHS Health Check Online.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Health Check Online is in the private Beta testing phase and is being piloted in local authorities across England. Insights from the testing phase will inform decisions on next steps such as whether further development is needed.
Department officials are considering opportunities to improve the NHS Health Check programme as part of ongoing policy work for the programme. We continue to engage with the programme’s dedicated Advisory Group and its Scientific and Clinical subgroup, ensuring expert advice is at the centre of any future proposals.
Alongside this, as announced in the recently published Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, we have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research to conduct an evidence review on the scope of the NHS Health Check to inform future policy decisions.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming Refreshed Workforce Plan will contain specific commitments to increase the number of neuro-oncologists in England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will provide an update on the 10 Year Workforce Plan in due course.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that adult social care in England is provided free at the point of use on the same principle as the National Health Service.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.
In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:
In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.
Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.
Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.
To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a green paper or white paper on adult social care reform, and by when.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.
In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:
In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.
Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.
Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.
To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of providing adult social care free at the point of use, including the impact on the statutory responsibilities and funding of local authorities.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.
In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:
In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.
Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.
Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.
To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring forward legislation to establish a National Care Service; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 29 July, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s plans to fix the social care system, so that it gives people dignity, security and support when they need it most. This includes integrating the social care workforce with the NHS workforce, creating routes for progression, better pay, training and job security. The Prime Minister confirmed that he would bring forward the date for Baroness Casey’s Commission to report back with a plan on how to deliver the National Care Service, accelerating this from 2028 to next summer.
In his statement announcing these plans, the Prime Minister set out the four core principles behind the National Care Service that the Government will build:
In an effort to begin a new discussion on this issue and drive cooperation across party lines, the Prime Minister immediately invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties to meet with him to discuss the plans and mark the start of a new approach.
Also on 29 July, Baroness Casey launched the Big Conversation on Care, designed to ensure that the public for whom the social care system exists can have their full say in its future. This will ensure that, when the final report of Baroness Casey’s Commission is submitted to the Government next year, it will be able to set out a deliverable and realistic plan to implement solutions with the public’s backing, designed in the interests of those that the social care system are there to serve.
Alongside the Big Conversation, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will chair a new ministerial group to accelerate the government’s response on social care, including workforce, system reform and delivery of the first recommendations from Baroness Casey’s Commission. This will include work towards appointing a Dementia Tsar later this summer to help drive forward much-needed improvements.
To ensure momentum continues on this work, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet regularly with Baroness Casey and her team, to track progress on delivering against the core principles of the proposed reforms, as the national conversation and cross-party talks continue.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what data they collect on the number of patients with dental issues who present at (1) accident and emergency departments, and (2) GP surgeries.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The specific data requested is not centrally collated, although the Noble Lord can find general information on A&E attendances disaggregated by primary diagnosis in NHS England’s annual publications on Hospital Accident & Emergency Activity.
The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access urgent National Health Service dental care when they need it. We have introduced a package of reforms from April this year to address some of the pressing issues that dentists and dental teams have been experiencing. This includes introducing a requirement for NHS dental practices to deliver a set proportion of their contract as urgent care, supported by increased payments for delivering this care.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the number of specialist training posts and consultant posts in clinical immunology, in light of the Royal College of Pathologists' Clinical Immunology Workforce Report 2025, published in September 2025.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 29 June 2026, the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee announced that their membership had voted to accept an offer from the Government to resolve their dispute on pay and jobs. The deal for resident doctors includes the introduction of up to 4,500 specialty training places over the next three years, including 1,000 next year, 250 of which will be starting in February 2027. Further information on which specialties will receive these places and when will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 4 June 2026 (HL683), what plans they have to increase the number of services subject to patients' right to choose, particularly non-consultant led community services.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to strengthening patient choice, through the mechanisms set out to the Noble Lord in the answer to which his question refers.
In terms of the current statutory rights to choice set out in the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups Regulations 2012, any future expansion of those legal rights would require a thorough evidence-based assessment to ensure that it would be deliverable within the current system, support safe and high-quality care, and provide meaningful benefits for patients.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 5 June (HL108), what steps they are taking to ensure that delivery of NHS Health Checks is better incentivised across primary care and local systems.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Health Check (NHS HC) programme is commissioned by local authorities who are responsible for offering 100% of their eligible resident population a check every five years.
The Government's Public Health Grant to local authorities is used to enable the programme's provision and allows local authorities to ensure that delivery of the NHS HC is aligned with local public health services and fits their local population.
The programme's Best Practice Guidance provides commissioners and their providers with information on how to deliver the programme effectively, and how to adopt a proportionate universalist approach to ensure that checks are delivered in a way that prioritises resources and effort towards engaging people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Department officials are considering options to improve the NHS HC programme.