Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 support all medical graduates to access employment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Last year, all eligible medical applicants were offered a place on the UK Foundation Programme, which provides medical graduates with employment as a doctor and which continues of their training.
The 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, set out that over the next three years we would create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need.
On 8 December 2025, the Government put an offer in writing to the British Medical Association (BMA) Resident Doctors Committee which was rejected. The offer would have increased the number of training posts over the next three years from the 1,000 announced in the 10-Year Health Plan to 4,000, bringing forward 1,000 of these training posts to start in 2026. The BMA have rejected the Government's offer, so that is not going ahead. The Government will consider its next steps.
The Government will introduce the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill in Parliament, which will prioritise United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland medical graduates for foundation training, and prioritise UK and Republic of Ireland medical graduates and doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period of time for specialty training. Subject to parliamentary passage, this will apply to current applicants for training posts starting in 2026, and every year after that. This will reduce competition ratios for UK medical graduates and other prioritised applicants.
This is in addition to the steps already taken by NHS England in September to tackle competition for speciality training places this year by changing General Medical Council’s registration requirements and limiting the number of applications that can be submitted by individuals.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 (a) waste and (b) bureaucracy in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking action to reduce National Health Service bureaucracy by abolishing NHS England and reducing staff numbers by up to 50% across the Department, NHS England, and the NHS integrated care boards. These reductions will be made by March 2028. These changes will release savings that can be invested in frontline services, with up to 18,000 posts abolished and more than £1 billion a year saved in bureaucracy costs by the end of the Parliament.
In 2025/26, the NHS has ambitious plans to deliver to improve productivity and efficiency by 4%, including a 1% cost reduction. The efficiency savings target set for 2025/26 is £11 billion.
The Government has set a 2% annual productivity growth target for the NHS, unlocking £17 billion in savings over the next three years to reinvest in patient care. NHS productivity grew by 2.7% in 2024/25 and by 2.5% in the first five months of this financial year, putting the NHS on course to meet the target.
To support NHS productivity growth, the Government is investing £2 billion in digital infrastructure for 2025/26 and an additional £300 million announced in the Autumn Budget 2025. This will accelerate electronic patient record rollout, strengthen cyber security, expand the NHS App, and drive automation. The NHS App, for instance, has now saved over 730,000 hours of clinical time, and 3.2 million hours of administrative time across primary and secondary care, and over 860,000 outpatient “Did Not Attends” have been avoided due to patient use of the app, equating to £103 million in appointment costs.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention of managers in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is implementing a range of initiatives designed to attract talented individuals into management roles and support existing managers.
NHS England is developing an NHS Leadership and Management Framework, which sets clear expectations for leadership standards, behaviours, and ongoing development.
We are strengthening national and regional talent management systems to identify high-potential leaders and provide structured development pathways. We will also establish a new College of Executive and Clinical Leadership to provide a recognised professional home for National Health Service leaders and deliver high-quality training and development.
The new pay framework for Very Senior Managers (VSMs) aims to provide greater consistency of approach to VSM pay and helps ensure the total reward offered for VSMs remains attractive and proportionate.
These combined efforts aim to create a strong, effective, and accountable management workforce that can deliver transformation in the NHS, and to build a positive and compassionate culture.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 improve the transition from analogue to digital across NHS services in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The analogue to digital shift across National Health Services in Hornsey and Friern Barnet involves national initiatives like upgrading IT systems, developing integrated care systems, and utilizing digital tools for patient care.
Our goal is to make NHS healthcare more convenient, personalized, and efficient, creating a seamless experience for patients that is inclusive and accessible for all, and that provides staff with better access to information.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 support those living with type 1 and 2 diabetes with the (a) cost of living and (b) the long term impact of those conditions in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To improve the provision of services for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes in the Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency, the North Central London Integrated Care System has commissioned a long-term conditions service. This supports the identification of individuals with diabetes and at high risk of a worsening condition, personalised care planning, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Community-based support includes diabetes specialist nurses, virtual clinics, and education for patients with diabetes who are starting GLP-1 medications or insulin therapy.
In north central London, the National Diabetes Prevention Programme is delivered by Living Well Taking Control. The programme offers a structured nine-month behavioural intervention designed to support individuals with diabetes in adopting healthier eating habits, increasing physical activity, achieving weight reduction, and sustaining long-term lifestyle changes. Those needing insulin and other medicines to manage diabetes are also entitled to free prescriptions.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 improve the provision of services for the treatment of type (a) 1 and (b) 2 diabetes in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To improve the provision of services for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes in the Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency, the North Central London Integrated Care System has commissioned a long-term conditions service. This supports the identification of individuals with diabetes and at high risk of a worsening condition, personalised care planning, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Community-based support includes diabetes specialist nurses, virtual clinics, and education for patients with diabetes who are starting GLP-1 medications or insulin therapy.
In north central London, the National Diabetes Prevention Programme is delivered by Living Well Taking Control. The programme offers a structured nine-month behavioural intervention designed to support individuals with diabetes in adopting healthier eating habits, increasing physical activity, achieving weight reduction, and sustaining long-term lifestyle changes. Those needing insulin and other medicines to manage diabetes are also entitled to free prescriptions.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 (a) improve care and treatment for people with eating disorders and (b) reduce the number of lives lost to eating disorders.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, there is a critical need to shift the treatment of eating disorders from hospital to the community. Improved care in the community will give young people early access to evidence-based treatment involving families and carers, improving outcomes and preventing relapse.
The Department is committed to learning from deaths in order to prevent future tragedies and improve the quality of care. The Department receives and responds to Prevention of Future Death reports relating to eating disorders and uses this work to inform practice. For example, the Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders guidance was created following a coroner’s report and has since been rolled out nationwide.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
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 improve children's access to orthodontic treatment in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service orthodontic treatment is free for people under the age of 18 years old with a clear health need for treatment. Adult patients, and patients under the age of 18 years old who do not qualify for NHS orthodontic treatment, may choose to pay for private orthodontic treatment. Further information can be found at the following link:
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency, this is the North Central London ICB.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with Janssen on the adequacy of supply of the ADHD medication Concerta XL.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, including Concerta XL tablets, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. This has involved asking that suppliers expedite deliveries to boost supplies of these important medicines, and addressing regulatory issues to ensure continuity of supply. As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. We expect the disruptions to the supply of Concerta XL tablets to be resolved in May 2024.
The Department held a roundtable with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablet suppliers, including Janssen, in April 2024, to discuss the challenges they are facing, what they are doing, and what needs to be done to address these issues.
We have worked closely with specialist clinicians during this time to develop management advice for the National Health Service. The guidance includes advice for ADHD service providers and specialists to offer rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice for the management of patients. This includes those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure patients have access to Concerta XL.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, including Concerta XL tablets, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. This has involved asking that suppliers expedite deliveries to boost supplies of these important medicines, and addressing regulatory issues to ensure continuity of supply. As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. We expect the disruptions to the supply of Concerta XL tablets to be resolved in May 2024.
The Department held a roundtable with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablet suppliers, including Janssen, in April 2024, to discuss the challenges they are facing, what they are doing, and what needs to be done to address these issues.
We have worked closely with specialist clinicians during this time to develop management advice for the National Health Service. The guidance includes advice for ADHD service providers and specialists to offer rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice for the management of patients. This includes those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.