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 support NHS staff with endometriosis.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and within the National Health Service workforce.

We are improving workplace support for women with endometriosis through a number of measures in the Employment Rights Bill. Strengthening statutory sick pay arrangements, making flexible working available to more people, and opening up conversations about women’s health through employer action plans will benefit all employees managing the condition.

In terms of supporting NHS staff with endometriosis, NHS trusts are expected to have local policies and procedures in place to support staff who have long-term health conditions and should be taking a proactive approach to supporting them. NHS England has made available tools and resources to support line managers to hold meaningful conversations with staff to discuss their emotional and psychological health and wellbeing.

Staff in need of additional support can also access their employer's occupational health service or employee support programme.

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 support people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in Gloucester.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

The England Rare Diseases Action Plan committed to developing a funding mechanism that incentivises centres to undertake whole body scans for individuals with rare conditions resulting in a predisposition to cancer. NHS England has now agreed to proceed with the process for identifying providers of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging scanning services for adults and children with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Anyone identified with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in Gloucestershire will receive counselling and support from the specialist clinical genetics service hosted at the University Hospitals Bristol and the Weston NHS Foundation Trust, with satellite clinics held in Gloucestershire. Testing and support for their families will also be offered by the Bristol service. Children identified with Li-Fraumeni are cared for by specialist paediatric teams at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Ongoing surveillance and screening for cancer, as well as opportunities to take part in research trials, are offered as appropriate.

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 ensure that the NHS 10-Year health plan (a) prioritises areas of economic deprivation and (b) effectively meets the needs of working people.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The focus of the 10-Year Health Plan is to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it. We cannot do this without tackling health inequalities, including for working class people and those living in areas of economic deprivation. Addressing healthcare inequalities is a fundamental part of the Health Mission and the 10-Year Health Plan.

Our reimagined NHS will be designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as giving everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.

Furthermore, patients will be able to leave feedback easily and confidently, which will amplify patient voices, particularly for those who face worse healthcare access, experiences, and outcomes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on establishing Young Futures Hubs in Gloucester.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Officials from across a range of departments are working jointly to make progress, using evidence of what works to start to shape the Young Futures Hubs model. As part of this we are engaging with local areas, communities, statutory partners, charities, and other key stakeholders to support the design of the Young Futures Hubs and explore options for their delivery, including considering how best to engage with those young people who would benefit most from support.

To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. These early adopters and work in local areas and will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located.

The government will set out more details in due course.

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 help ensure that people with (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) other long-term lung conditions have access to integrated (i) psychological and (ii) mental health support as part of their care pathway.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

People with long-term physical health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders can refer into NHS Talking Therapies for treatment if they have a common mental health disorder, for instance anxiety and/or depression. NHS Talking Therapies also offers integrated pathways of care for people with long-term conditions which are integrated with physical care services, usually through co-location. The NHS Talking Therapies Long Term Conditions (LTC) service does not treat the underlying physical health condition but treats the anxiety and/or depression that is either caused or exacerbated by having the LTC.

NHS England has put together a best practice directory for LTC pathways across NHS Talking Therapies services to provide a national picture of what pathways are in place and how they work. Information collected as part of the work to develop the national LTC directory will help to frame a review of the NHS Talking Therapies LTC Implementation Guidance.

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 help ensure that funding for the implementation of the recommendations in the National Cancer Plan is shared across (a) prevention, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, to ultimately drive up this country’s cancer survival rates. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer.

The Department settlement means that annual National Health Service day-to-day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms, a £53 billion cash increase, by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding has been allocated to support digital transformation as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In advance of the 10-Year Health Plan’s publication, the Government confirmed an allocation of up to £10 billion for National Health Service digital, data, and technology through the Spending Review. This is a nearly 50% uplift on current investment, with a 3% real terms uplift overall.

That investment will support delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan, while yielding substantial improvements in the public experience of using the NHS, and in the experience of staff working for it. It will also make a material contribution to achieving the 2% productivity target and wider efficiency targets.

Found: Q86 Alex McIntyre: Thank you for your answers so far, Secretary of State.

Found: Q86 Alex McIntyre: Thank you for your answers so far, Secretary of State.

Found: Ben Coleman; Dr Beccy Cooper; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Paulette Hamilton; Alex McIntyre

Submit Evidence (by 28 Aug 2025)

The Committee is holding an inquiry into food and weight management, including treatments for obesity.