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 he is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help tackle health inequalities affecting women in Surrey.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer. Our reimagined National Health Service will tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as give women, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.
This financial year the Department has invested approximately £53 million in direct awards on research to support the health of women. This includes conditions that are unique to women, such as endometriosis, and health topics that are relevant to women such as violence and abuse.
Significant progress has been made towards delivering the ambitions in the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, for example improving women and girls’ awareness and access to services as well as driving research to benefit women’s health, but we know there is more to do.
That is why we are renewing the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far and to continue progressing delivery.
The renewed strategy will update on the delivery of the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy 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 change on enduring challenges such as creating a system that listens to women and tackling health inequalities.
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 assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the level of NHS provision on families seeking private (a) assessments and (b) therapies for children with dyspraxia in Surrey.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population.
Children with developmental coordination disorder, commonly known as dyspraxia, access support through local National Health Service occupational therapy, paediatrics, physiotherapy, and educational services.
NHS guidance sets out a referral process which typically begins with a general practitioner, health visitor, or a Special Educational Needs Coordinator, who may refer the child to paediatric occupational therapy and physiotherapist for assessment and support. The NHS guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/
For the first time, we have set a target for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services. By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care.
Surrey Health provides occupational therapy support for children with dyspraxia of all ages. They provide speech and language therapy support for children under five years old who have verbal dyspraxia and a school aged speech and language therapy service for children over five years old.
Referrals for continence, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy can be made directly by parents/carers as well as the child’s health visitor, general practitioner, therapist, early years’ service, hospital paediatricians, audiology service, Mindworks Surrey, and other agencies.
This is for speech and language therapy support for those under five years old, and therefore not in a school setting, and for occupational therapy of all ages. If a child is in school and requires speech and language therapy, the referral is through the school as the service is a school-based service.
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 are being taken to ensure (a) early intervention and (b) continuity of care for children diagnosed with dyspraxia in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population.
Children with developmental coordination disorder, commonly known as dyspraxia, access support through local National Health Service occupational therapy, paediatrics, physiotherapy, and educational services.
NHS guidance sets out a referral process which typically begins with a general practitioner, health visitor, or a Special Educational Needs Coordinator, who may refer the child to paediatric occupational therapy and physiotherapist for assessment and support. The NHS guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/
For the first time, we have set a target for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services. By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care.
Surrey Health provides occupational therapy support for children with dyspraxia of all ages. They provide speech and language therapy support for children under five years old who have verbal dyspraxia and a school aged speech and language therapy service for children over five years old.
Referrals for continence, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy can be made directly by parents/carers as well as the child’s health visitor, general practitioner, therapist, early years’ service, hospital paediatricians, audiology service, Mindworks Surrey, and other agencies.
This is for speech and language therapy support for those under five years old, and therefore not in a school setting, and for occupational therapy of all ages. If a child is in school and requires speech and language therapy, the referral is through the school as the service is a school-based service.
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, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of regional variations in access to occupational therapy services for children with dyspraxia.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population.
Children with developmental coordination disorder, commonly known as dyspraxia, access support through local National Health Service occupational therapy, paediatrics, physiotherapy, and educational services.
NHS guidance sets out a referral process which typically begins with a general practitioner, health visitor, or a Special Educational Needs Coordinator, who may refer the child to paediatric occupational therapy and physiotherapist for assessment and support. The NHS guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/
For the first time, we have set a target for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services. By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care.
Surrey Health provides occupational therapy support for children with dyspraxia of all ages. They provide speech and language therapy support for children under five years old who have verbal dyspraxia and a school aged speech and language therapy service for children over five years old.
Referrals for continence, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy can be made directly by parents/carers as well as the child’s health visitor, general practitioner, therapist, early years’ service, hospital paediatricians, audiology service, Mindworks Surrey, and other agencies.
This is for speech and language therapy support for those under five years old, and therefore not in a school setting, and for occupational therapy of all ages. If a child is in school and requires speech and language therapy, the referral is through the school as the service is a school-based service.
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of corridor care on patient (a) safety and (b) dignity in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet so patients can be treated with dignity. We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and we are committed to eradicating it from our NHS.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care, which will be published shortly.
We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.
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 assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of corridor care within NHS services in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet so patients can be treated with dignity. We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and we are committed to eradicating it from our NHS.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care, which will be published shortly.
We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.
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 reduce corridor care within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet so patients can be treated with dignity. We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and we are committed to eradicating it from our NHS.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care, which will be published shortly.
We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.
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 recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of domestic wood burning in residential areas on public health.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Chief Medical Officer’s 2022 Annual Report highlighted that domestic wood burning is a significant source of harmful fine particulate matter, particularly in residential areas.
The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) systematic reviews of the association between outdoor and indoor exposure to solid fuel burning and respiratory diseases have shown that burning solid fuels can contribute to the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in adults. The UKHSA’s reviews are available at the following two links:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35149281/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33017761/
Our 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out how the Government will improve the public's health, including action to reduce the health harms of air pollution, and in particular on domestic burning.
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 consideration he has given to improving information for parents and carers on the early symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes in young children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service publishes information for patients and the public to support the understanding of the four key symptoms of type 1 diabetes. These are known as the four Ts: toilet, or frequent urination; thirsty, or constant thirst; tired, or low energy; and thinner, or unexplained weight loss. Further information on the symptoms is avaiable at the following link:
NHS England also hosts information provided by Diabetes UK about the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, which is avaiable at the following link:
NHS England is undertaking a review of options for improving information for parents and carers on the early symptoms of type 1 diabetes in young children and this will include engagement with relevant national organisations and partners.
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 assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to appropriate health and mental health support for families affected by violent behaviour from children in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst no such specific assessment has been made, we recognise that healthcare is often the first, and sometimes only, point of contact for victims of violence and abuse. Integrated care boards should commission services in response to locally identified need, which could include access to trauma-informed care for families affected by violence.
We have already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve access to National Health Service mental health services, but there is much more to do. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. As part of this we will accelerate the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to reach full national coverage by 2029 and will expand NHS Talking Therapies so that 915,000 people complete a course of treatment by March 2029, with improved effectiveness and quality of services.
All NHS staff must complete safeguarding training which includes a focus on violence and abuse. The training is being strengthened for launch in late 2026. This will reinforce to staff their safeguarding responsibilities and support them in identifying and responding to victims and perpetrators of violence and abuse.
In addition, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Statutory Guidance provides information for frontline professionals on the presentation of violent behaviour by a child towards parents and caregivers. In addition, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 provides guidance on the multi-agency response to support and safeguard children, including those who are violent.