Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with (a) the Chief Executive of NICE and (b) other NICE officials on them meeting United States Ambassador to the UK.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The former National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Chief Executive, Dr Sam Roberts, met with the United States’ ambassador in October 2025. NICE’s current Chief Executive is due to meet with the US ambassador soon. The Department was notified of these meetings.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) Chief Executive of NICE and (b) any other NICE official has had recent discussions with the United States Ambassador.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The former National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Chief Executive, Dr Sam Roberts, met with the United States’ ambassador in October 2025. NICE’s current Chief Executive is due to meet with the US ambassador soon. The Department was notified of these meetings.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of total public outgoings on additional medicine spending over the Spending Review period.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to the recently announced plans to increase the standard cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and life-saving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. The final costs will depend on which medicines NICE recommends and the actual uptake of these.
We have no plans to publish an impact assessment or details of the modelling which led to this estimated figure. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences without taking essential funding from our frontline NHS services.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the total outgoings by the health service on additional medicine spending over the Spending Review period.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to the recently announced plans to increase the standard cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and life-saving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. The final costs will depend on which medicines NICE recommends and the actual uptake of these.
We have no plans to publish an impact assessment or details of the modelling which led to this estimated figure. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences without taking essential funding from our frontline NHS services.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 improve (a) diagnosis and (b) care of Placenta Accreta Spectrum.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum is primarily done in the antenatal period using ultrasound imaging. To ensure effective diagnosis and management of placenta accreta spectrum, national guidance is provided within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Placenta Praevia and Placenta Accreta: Diagnosis and Management Guideline. The NICE guidance and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ guidelines are available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng192/documents/draft-guideline-2
In 2020, NHS England commissioned placenta accreta networks in the United Kingdom to support local and regional screening, shared protocols, and co-ordinated referral pathways to specialist pregnancy accreta centres. These centres consist of highly experienced multidisciplinary teams with the expertise to manage this condition and improve the safety outcomes for women and babies.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data he holds on the number of (a) accessible and (b) Changing Places toilet facilities in hospitals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data is not held centrally on the number of accessible and Changing Places toilets in hospitals. The Changing Places Toilets website holds a register of all accredited ‘Changing Places’ toilets, including ones on National Health Service sites, which can be searched. Further information is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.changing-places.org/find
Hospitals need to satisfy the requirements of Building Regulations, Part M to provide suitable sanitary accommodation. The provision of hoists in hospitals is a decision taken locally by NHS organisations consistent with their patient acuity and clinical case-mix.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 increase the availability of (a) hoists and (b) accessible toilets in hospitals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data is not held centrally on the number of accessible and Changing Places toilets in hospitals. The Changing Places Toilets website holds a register of all accredited ‘Changing Places’ toilets, including ones on National Health Service sites, which can be searched. Further information is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.changing-places.org/find
Hospitals need to satisfy the requirements of Building Regulations, Part M to provide suitable sanitary accommodation. The provision of hoists in hospitals is a decision taken locally by NHS organisations consistent with their patient acuity and clinical case-mix.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the potential impact of the UK-USA pharmaceutical deal on frontline NHS services.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences sector.
Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will clearly depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these. This is not something that we can pre-empt at this time as it depends on which drugs come to market, and which are assessed as approved for use on the NHS accordingly.
At the Spending Review we delivered record real terms increase for day-to-day spending for the NHS in England up to April 2029. This deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where front line services will remain protected through the record funding secured. Future year funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessments his department has made of the predicted total cost of UK-US pharmaceutical deal on the NHS budget.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences sector.
Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will clearly depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these. This is not something that we can pre-empt at this time as it depends on which drugs come to market, and which are assessed as approved for use on the NHS accordingly.
At the Spending Review we delivered record real terms increase for day-to-day spending for the NHS in England up to April 2029. This deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where front line services will remain protected through the record funding secured. Future year funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he plans to fund the UK-US pharmaceutical deal.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every patient deserves access to the best possible treatment. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences sector.
Costs will start smaller but will increase over time as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves more life improving and lifesaving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. But the final costs will clearly depend on which medicines NICE decides to approve and the actual uptake of these. This is not something that we can pre-empt at this time as it depends on which drugs come to market, and which are assessed as approved for use on the NHS accordingly.
At the Spending Review we delivered record real terms increase for day-to-day spending for the NHS in England up to April 2029. This deal will be funded by allocations made at the Spending Review, where front line services will remain protected through the record funding secured. Future year funding will be settled at the next Spending Review.