Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the evidential basis for the Interim Clinical Commissioning Urgent Policy Statement in August 2026 regarding Pectus surgery for pectus excavatum deformities; and whether this new guidance has changed the eligibility criteria for surgery on the NHS.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is still waiting for results of the National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded RESTORE trial, which is evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of surgery for severe pectus excavatum. The results will inform future consideration of NHS England’s substantive commissioning policy.
The updates to the existing Interim clinical commissioning urgent policy statement clarified the criteria to reflect the evidential and clinical basis of the original approval. The update justified intervention for a very small cohort of patients with severe pectus excavatum and potentially life-threatening physiological complications of the greatest severity, pending further evidence.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to review the criteria for Pectus Excavatum corrective surgery on the NHS following the initial RESTORE trial results to ensure patients with substantial physiological impairment can access appropriate treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is still waiting for results of the National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded RESTORE trial, which is evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of surgery for severe pectus excavatum. The results will inform future consideration of NHS England’s substantive commissioning policy.
The updates to the existing Interim clinical commissioning urgent policy statement clarified the criteria to reflect the evidential and clinical basis of the original approval. The update justified intervention for a very small cohort of patients with severe pectus excavatum and potentially life-threatening physiological complications of the greatest severity, pending further evidence.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she will take to ensure that patient community engagement within membership of NHS Trusts will be sustained after the dissolution of Councils of Governors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the Hon. Member knows, the Health Bill proposes removing the statutory requirement for National Health Service foundation trusts to have both councils of governors and members. That is not a judgement on the performance of the individuals currently engaged in those roles, and nor is it intended to weaken patient community engagement. It is simply an attempt to free-up foundation trusts to engage with patients, carers and staff in ways that better reflect their own local circumstances and structure, rather than being obliged under all circumstances to follow the ‘one size fits all’ governor model.
The timing of the dissolution of NHS foundation trusts’ Councils of Governors will be dependent on the will of Parliament and an agreed commencement date.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she will provide the a) timeline and b) guidance on prospective replacement mechanisms for the scheduled dissolution of Councils of Governors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the Hon. Member knows, the Health Bill proposes removing the statutory requirement for National Health Service foundation trusts to have both councils of governors and members. That is not a judgement on the performance of the individuals currently engaged in those roles, and nor is it intended to weaken patient community engagement. It is simply an attempt to free-up foundation trusts to engage with patients, carers and staff in ways that better reflect their own local circumstances and structure, rather than being obliged under all circumstances to follow the ‘one size fits all’ governor model.
The timing of the dissolution of NHS foundation trusts’ Councils of Governors will be dependent on the will of Parliament and an agreed commencement date.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will ensure that any guidance relating to the dissolution of Councils of Governors will take into account staff and patient voice.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the Hon. Member knows, the Health Bill proposes removing the statutory requirement for National Health Service foundation trusts to have both councils of governors and members. That is not a judgement on the performance of the individuals currently engaged in those roles, and nor is it intended to weaken patient community engagement. It is simply an attempt to free-up foundation trusts to engage with patients, carers and staff in ways that better reflect their own local circumstances and structure, rather than being obliged under all circumstances to follow the ‘one size fits all’ governor model.
The timing of the dissolution of NHS foundation trusts’ Councils of Governors will be dependent on the will of Parliament and an agreed commencement date.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the National Screening Committee intends to review the breast screening programme to include women outside the national screening age.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 6 July to Question 13406.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what outcome measures NHS England uses to assess the quality of care provided to people living with schizophrenia; and whether her Department plans to strengthen the use of outcome-focused metrics through the forthcoming Modern Service Framework for Severe Mental Illness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England guidance supports the routine use of outcome measures within mental health services for people living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Early Intervention in Psychosis services provide timely access to specialist treatment and support for people experiencing a first episode of psychosis, including those who may go on to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia. NHS England guidance recommends the use of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery, and DIALOG to assess clinical outcomes, social functioning, personal recovery, and service user experience. These measures support monitoring of outcomes alongside the delivery of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended care.
More broadly, NHS England guidance for community mental health services recommends the routine use of patient-reported outcome measures, including DIALOG, Recovering Quality of Life-10, and Goals Based Outcomes, to help services understand quality of life, recovery, and progress towards personalised goals from the perspective of people receiving care.
The Modern Service Framework for Severe Mental Illness will set a long-term outcome goal for people with severe mental illness and define what high-quality, equitable, and evidence-based care should look like across the care pathway. It will be supported by quality commitments and measures of progress designed to assess improvement over time.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
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 reduce the gap between breast cancer outcomes in the most and least deprived areas.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes is a key priority for the Government. Through the National Cancer Plan for England, we are taking action to narrow the gap in breast cancer outcomes between the most and least deprived communities by improving earlier diagnosis, expanding access to diagnostic services, reducing unwarranted variation in care, and ensuring people receive personalised support throughout their cancer journey.
The plan includes targeted and risk-stratified approaches to screening and diagnosis, measures to improve uptake among underserved groups, and support for the use of artificial intelligence in breast screening to help detect cancers earlier. It also expands access to diagnostic services through investment in community diagnostic centres and diagnostic infrastructure.
To reduce unwarranted variation in care, NHS England has published guidance on implementing a timed breast cancer diagnostic pathway to support faster and more consistent diagnosis, improve patient experience, and support delivery of the faster diagnosis standard. NHS England has also commissioned national clinical audits for primary and metastatic breast cancer to improve the consistency and quality of care. In addition, the plan strengthens the use of data to identify and tackle inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes, helping to ensure that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
Together, these measures will help ensure that all patients have the best possible chance of timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and improved outcomes, regardless of where they live.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department monitors the different methods by which patients book appointments to see a GP in England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
NHS England publishes monthly data on submissions received via online consultation systems, including clinical and administrative requests, and the number of cloud-based telephony calls received by general practices (GPs). The annual General Practice Patient Survey and the monthly Office for National Statistics Health Insight Survey collect data on the methods patients use to contact their GP and the perceived ease of contact with each method.
As part of our ambition to end the 8:00am scramble, we want patients to contact their practice by phone, online, or by walking in, and for people to have an equitable experience across these access modes. To ensure that patients are not digitally excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP. Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his department ensures GPs retain telephone and reception facilities to book appointments at GP clinics.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
As part of our ambition to end the 8:00am scramble, we want patients to contact their practice by phone, online, or by walking in, and for people to have an equitable experience across these access modes. To ensure that patients are not digitally excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice (GP). Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.
To support patients who depend on telephone bookings, the 2025/26 GP Contract includes a requirement for all GPs to offer online booking throughout core hours, from 8:00am to 6:30pm. This is designed to ease pressure on phone lines by allowing those who prefer online booking to do so at any time, freeing up phone lines, reducing long phone queues, and improving the experience for those reliant on telephone bookings.