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, whether he plans to require Integrated Care Boards to provide sustainable funding to enable (a) the continuation of successful pilot projects on Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders and (b) those projects to become regional centres of excellence.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has provided up to £1.5 million a year for the five current Type 1 Disordered Eating pilots for three years. This funding is transferred to integrated care boards on an annual basis and in 2025/26 has been ringfenced.
Decisions on funding for future years have yet to be taken.
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 recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) clinical oncology workforce shortages and (b) staffing levels on the adoption of innovative cancer treatments by NHS Trusts.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are building our cancer workforce. As of June 2025, there are over 1,800 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England. This is almost 440, or 31.5%, more than 2020.
Following additional investment through recent spending review settlements, trainees across 16 cancer-related specialties, including clinical and medical oncology, increased from 623 to 773 per year, a 24% increase.
To grow the workforce, NHS England has been expanding specialty training places in key cancer professions. Targeted national campaigns and outreach activities, for example in clinical oncology, also promote cancer career pathways, with a focus on increasing applications to under-supplied professions.
Training Academies in Imaging, Endoscopy, and Genomics are being delivered across regions to provide intensive skills development and support new models of care, including for cancer patients. Ongoing investment in practice education enhances clinical supervision, education and training across cancer and diagnostic workforces, increases placement capacity, supports staff retention, and contributes to high-quality patient care.
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, whether he has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of providing NHS standard eye tests to children in primary school in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee recommends vision screening in school for children aged between four and five years old to look for reduced vision in one or both eyes.
Free National Health Service sight tests are also widely available for children under 16 years old and under 19 years old in full time education from high street optical practices. To address challenges with access to high street NHS sight testing services faced by children with learning disabilities and/or autism, integrated care boards are now able to commission NHS sight tests in special educational settings across England.
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, whether he has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of providing NHS standard hearing tests to children in primary schools in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee advising Ministers and the National Health Service about all aspects of population and targeted screening. It reviewed screening children for hearing problems in 2019 and did not recommend school age screening unless already implemented in an area. A summary of the recommendations conclusions is available at the following link:
https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/hearing-child/
We would encourage anyone with concerns about their child’s hearing to speak with their general practitioner.
The NHS does, however, run a national newborn hearing screening programme offering screening to all babies in England ideally within the first four to five weeks after they are born. The test can be done for babies up to the age of three months old. Newborn hearing screening aims to identify permanent moderate, severe and profound deafness and hearing impairment in newborn babies.
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 address geographic variations in (a) access and (b) efficacy of treatment for multiple sclerosis in (i) the South West and (ii) England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for their local population, including for multiple sclerosis (MS), across England, including in the South West. The Government expects ICBs to assess the demand for service provision in designing their local services.
At a national level, to reduce variation in access and treatment for patients with MS, there are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions such as MS across England. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aims to improve MS care by supporting the National Health Service to address variations in care and promoting best practice.
The Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, published by NHS England’s RightCare Programme, supports healthcare systems in improving the care of individuals living with progressive neurological conditions, including MS. It aims to enhance local services and reduce hospital admissions by focusing on preventative care and optimising the delivery of services.
NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP) is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The NTP has collaborated with clinicians and patient groups to create specific pathways for MS, aiming to improve the quality and coordination of care.
Last month, NHS England published its updated Specialised Neurology Service Specification for Adults, which includes MS. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
The three shifts outlined in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with MS, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.
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 need to improve screening for hypermobility in neurodivergent individuals.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including support for neurodivergent people. We expect ICBs to have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning services, and for healthcare professionals to take these guidelines into account for the care and treatment of patients. NICE guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with stakeholders. The NICE guidelines on autism and those on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder highlight that, as part of the diagnostic process, clinicians should include an assessment of the person’s needs, co-existing conditions, and physical health, including fine and gross motor skills.
In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance
This guidance intends to help the NHS improve autism assessment services and the experience for those referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance highlights that physical health, and needs and difficulties, should feature as themes for discussion during the assessment process.
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, if he will take steps to increase (a) awareness and (b) understanding of the association between (i) hypermobility and (ii) neurodivergence in the NHS.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including support for neurodivergent people. We expect ICBs to have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning services, and for healthcare professionals to take these guidelines into account for the care and treatment of patients. NICE guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with stakeholders. The NICE guidelines on autism and those on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder highlight that, as part of the diagnostic process, clinicians should include an assessment of the person’s needs, co-existing conditions, and physical health, including fine and gross motor skills.
In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance
This guidance intends to help the NHS improve autism assessment services and the experience for those referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance highlights that physical health, and needs and difficulties, should feature as themes for discussion during the assessment process.
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 links between hypermobility and neurodivergence.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including support for neurodivergent people. We expect ICBs to have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning services, and for healthcare professionals to take these guidelines into account for the care and treatment of patients. NICE guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with stakeholders. The NICE guidelines on autism and those on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder highlight that, as part of the diagnostic process, clinicians should include an assessment of the person’s needs, co-existing conditions, and physical health, including fine and gross motor skills.
In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance
This guidance intends to help the NHS improve autism assessment services and the experience for those referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance highlights that physical health, and needs and difficulties, should feature as themes for discussion during the assessment process.
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 (a) adequacy of the availability and (b) trends in the level of use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an assessment of the availability or trends in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines in the NHS.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health. This includes advice on use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines.
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 health impact of air pollution in Yeovil constituency on young residents.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is well established that children can be more vulnerable to air pollution, which may affect their lungs and worsen conditions like asthma.
In March, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants reviewed the latest evidence and advised that children with asthma should continue to be considered in the Daily Air Quality Index. A full list of its recommendations is available at the following link:
Local authorities have a duty to monitor and review air quality in their areas. Annual reports with details of the monitoring carried out, as well as actions that are being taken to improve air quality in the Somerset area, including Yeovil, are available at the following link:
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-food-safety/air-quality-and-health/
The Environment Agency manages the United Kingdom's national monitoring sites on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.