Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether additional funding has been allocated to NHS haemophilia centres to respond to requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will give dedicated funding to increase administrative capacity for NHS haemophilia centres to respond to requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will give dedicated funding to increase administrative capacity for NHS haemophilia centres to respond to requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has assessed the potential impact of requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority on clinical services and compensation processing times.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has assessed the potential impact of requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority on clinical services and compensation processing times.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding has been allocated to NHS haemophilia centres to respond to requests for medical records from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that medical evidence is provided quickly to enable compensation claims to be taken forward, and the Department has worked closely with NHS England and trusts to develop and share guidance on supporting compensation claims. We will continue to work with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority and NHS England to ensure that these requirements are managed efficiently and sustainably. I will be in a position to update the Hon Member soon.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to publish the specifications for Haemophinia Care.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
NHS England has completed development of the revised service specification for specialist haemophilia and related bleeding disorder services and has undertaken a public consultation on the proposed changes. The final specification has been revised to reflect feedback received through that process. NHS England intends to publish the updated specification on 8 September 2026.
The specification was developed through NHS England's Specialised Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group, which provides clinical and stakeholder expertise to support the development of specialised commissioning policy and service standards. The work was informed by a dedicated specification working group and included representation from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation (UKHCDO), the professional body representing specialist haemophilia clinicians. The specification is applicable to services recognised by the UKHCDO as Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Centres and Haemophilia Treatment Centres.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with Haemophilia Centre Doctors regarding the specification for Haemophilia care services.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has completed development of the revised service specification for specialist haemophilia and related bleeding disorder services and has undertaken a public consultation on the proposed changes. The final specification has been revised to reflect feedback received through that process. NHS England intends to publish the updated specification on 8 September 2026.
The specification was developed through NHS England's Specialised Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group, which provides clinical and stakeholder expertise to support the development of specialised commissioning policy and service standards. The work was informed by a dedicated specification working group and included representation from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation (UKHCDO), the professional body representing specialist haemophilia clinicians. The specification is applicable to services recognised by the UKHCDO as Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Centres and Haemophilia Treatment Centres.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to improve awareness of violence against women and girls in schools.
Answered by Bridget Phillipson - Minister for Women and Equalities
Tackling violence against women and girls is a moral mission for all of society, and education is an integral part. We are focussing on prevention; instilling the values and skills to disrupt dangerous attitudes and stop harmful behaviours from escalating.
We are supporting schools to challenge misogyny, launching major campaigns to raise awareness and change behaviour, and we are investing £16m to test the best ways to deliver the new RSHE curriculum, provide healthy relationships training and to help tackle harmful behaviours. This money will support teachers and schools in tackling this vital issue.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made in replacing plasma-derived products with recombinant coagulation factor products, where clinically appropriate, in accordance with Recommendation 9 of the Infected Blood Inquiry Report.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
It is crucial we protect the safety of haemophilia care, and the Government is committed to implementing recommendation 9 of the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry report.
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as haemophilia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community: these include getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities.
In relation to recommendation 9, a to c, of the Infected Blood Inquiry, peer review of United Kingdom comprehensive care centres has been an essential part of haemophilia services for many years. The triennial audit was replaced in 2019 with a more formal peer review process on a five-year cycle.
The final peer review report is expected to be published imminently and once published, it will be shared with the NHS England Specialised Commissioning Quality Oversight Group for consideration and action. This will be supported by a letter to integrated care boards and trust boards, emphasising the valuable role of peer review and asking for confirmation of their commitment to review and implement the peer review findings.
The Haemophilia Service Specification has been updated by the Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group and is making its way through final approvals, having undergone public consultation. The new specification includes a contractual requirement for providers to participate in and act upon peer review findings.
Regarding 9d, the Clinical Community and the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Blood Disorders supports the need to develop and strengthen multi-disciplinary networks. NHS England has drafted a proposed National Clinical Network Specification specifically for these networks, which is dependent on additional funding, and which would embed key new requirements for providers to participate in a networked model of care.
In response to 9e, all diseases or conditions where a non-plasma treatment exists to replace a plasma/blood-derived treatment are now addressed by commissioning policies or funding agreements. There are some specific regimens which are subject to ongoing clinical policy development but in each case there are alternative regimens or treatment approaches which negate the use of plasma-derived medicines.
Of particular interest to the clinical and patient community is the development of a clinical commissioning policy for recombinant Von Willebrand factor, which is currently licensed for prophylaxis in adults, as regular treatment for those with the severest bleeding, but which is not currently commissioned for this indication. Funding will be required to implement this clinical policy for all ages, and this has not yet been identified.
Finally, for 9f, NHS England currently provides ‘central’ funding of approximately 40% of the total annual cost for running the National Haemophilia Database. A task and finish group relating to the database has been established, reporting into the overarching recommendation 9 expert group.
As of February 2026, stakeholders involved in the recommendation 9f working group are in agreement that the registry has been and remains immensely valuable in supporting the provision of clinical care. NHS England continues to work with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation to understand the requirement for increased funding.
Further progress on implementing recommendation 9 is subject to additional funding, and this has not yet been identified. NHS England and the Department will continue to work together to provide progress updates on the Government Reporting Integration Platform.