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 Health Innovation Network Impact Report 2024–25, published on 18 September 2025, in relation to the use of point-of-care diagnostic testing technologies for cardiovascular disease prevention in the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government welcomes the Health Innovation Network (HIN) Impact Report 2024/25, and the network's focus on cardiovascular disease as a strategic priority. We recognise the significant impact of the HINs in driving innovation into the National Health Service, benefitting 4.9 million patients and leveraging £3 billion of investment since 2018. This is why the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan make explicit commitments to continue funding and empowering them.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, to accelerate progress on the ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework later this year.
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 government actions requested by the Royal College of Midwives as part of the "Safe Staffing = Safe Care" campaign.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department, NHS England, and the Nursing Midwifery Council are urgently working to ensure that midwifery training consistently delivers modern maternity care that respects a woman’s choice and individual circumstances.
We will introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026 to deliver our ambition to make the National Health Service the best place to work. We are committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the NHS. As of November 2025, there were 25,530 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. This is an increase of 824, or 3.3%, compared to November 2024. We are also investing over £149 million through the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling better care for mothers and their newborns.
In addition, Baroness Amos is leading an independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care. This includes understanding the experience of staff and healthcare professionals delivering care at all stages of the maternity and neonatal care pathway and how they can best be supported in providing high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair a maternity and neonatal taskforce that will address the recommendations of the investigation by developing a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the final membership of the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce; and what is the date of the first meeting of that taskforce; whether that taskforce will publish further findings after spring 2026.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The membership of the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is currently being finalised. The first meeting of the taskforce will be held in early spring.
The taskforce will publish a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care in due course, following publication of Baroness Amos’ independent investigation’s final report and recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the national maternity and neonatal investigation team is taking to ensure full representation of staff views in its work, including through a call for evidence at NHS trust level.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government who was responsible for the decision to remove (1) Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, and (2) Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, from the scope of the national maternity and neonatal investigation.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how often the national maternity and neonatal investigation team is engaging with professional bodies and organisations representing maternity and neonatal staff.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
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 Office for Budgetary Responsibility’s approach to scoring the economic benefits of cardiovascular healthcare spending measures.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that cardiovascular disease (CVD) will impact on economic activity.
That is why this Government has an ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade. To accelerate progress, we will publish a new CVD Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this year, which will support consistent, high quality and equitable care whilst fostering innovation across the CVD pathway.
We have noted the Office for Budget Responsibility’s approach to scoring the economic benefits of cardiovascular healthcare spending measures and will consider this as part of our ongoing work to develop the CVD MSF.
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 impact of the estimated £560 million savings arising from the introduction of generic forms of SGLT2 inhibitor treatment in 2025–26 and 2026–27 on cardiovascular health.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has provided guidance and data to systems on how to maximise the savings opportunity associated with the introduction of generic forms of SGLT2 inhibitor treatment, as well as encouraging the assessment and monitoring of SGLT2 inhibitor uptake as a whole. Integrated care boards (ICBs) in their role as strategic commissioners are accountable for determining the extent to which these savings will be reinvested into further improving cardiovascular health.
The adoption of biosimilar and generic medicines is vital for expanding and speeding up access to effective treatments as well as for generating significant savings for the National Health Service, which can be reinvested into innovative treatments. Through NHS England’s Best Value Biologicals Framework, we are ensuring that patients start on the most cost-effective biologics where clinically appropriate, and that existing patients are switched swiftly and safely. The NHS has already achieved £1.2 billion savings over the past three years.
The Life Sciences Sector Plan includes targeted action to improve National Health Service uptake of cost-effective medicines, including off-patent products, with NHS England developing national programmes that promote rapid adoption of biosimilars and best value treatments. Furthermore, through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE’s) Whole Lifecycle Approach to guidance development, NICE will continually review what works best, establish where care can be improved, and highlight where treatments should evolve over time. NICE recently updated its guidance on heart failure to recommend that patients receive medicines earlier in the clinical pathway, which could prevent approximately 3,000 deaths and 5,500 hospital admissions in England caused by chronic heart failure each year.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the investment in vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are not aware of any investment from the National Institute for Health and Care Research into vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis.
The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care including vaccines for gingivitis or periodontitis. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the NHS of treating (1) gingivitis, and (2) periodontitis, in the past three financial years.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In primary care, dentists do not claim for specific items of treatment, therefore no estimate has been made of the total cost to the National Health Service of treating gingivitis and/or periodontitis, in the past three financial years. However, the tables below show the total secondary care cost to the NHS for gingivitis in England and the total secondary care cost to the NHS for periodontitis in England. The data is derived from the linked Patient-Level Cost Information and Hospital Episode Statistics dataset, submitted annually as part of the National Cost Collection.
The following table shows the total secondary care cost to the NHS for gingivitis in England:
Year | Activity | Total cost (£) | Unit cost (£) |
2022/23 | 1,501 | 865,322 | 576 |
2023/24 | 2,198 | 1,318,544 | 600 |
2024/25 | 1,973 | 1,317,176 | 668 |
The following table shows the total secondary care cost to the NHS for periodontitis:
Year | Activity | Total cost (£) | Unit cost (£) |
2022/23 | 11,431 | 11,993,458 | 1,049 |
2023/24 | 13,964 | 13,558,966 | 971 |
2024/25 | 15,148 | 14,510,932 | 958 |