Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 implications for his policies of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits distributed by the Dignity Care Network.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made of the potential implications of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits.
One of the 20 recommendations taken forward by the Government in response to the Pregnancy Loss Review of 2023 recommended that the NHS, in partnership with the Pregnancy Loss Review leads, should develop and deliver an appropriate and sensitive receptacle to collect baby loss remains when a person miscarries.
We recognise that an appropriate receptacle for baby loss remains is a basic requirement. The Department of Health and Social Care chaired a working group which created a draft product specification for a bespoke receptacle to ensure foetal remains can be collected and stored with dignity. The Department is currently exploring next steps for implementing this recommendation with NHS England.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who has been commissioned to develop the business case for the proposed public private partnerships for neighbourhood health centres in the NHS 10 year plan; which (a) companies and (b) other organisations expressed an interest; and whether (i) patients, (ii) other members of the public and (iii) NHS staff will be part of the decision-making process.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The business case is being co-developed with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority and the Department. A preliminary market engagement notice was issued on 1 July 2025, which is available at the following link:
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036389-2025
Responses from companies who are interested in this opportunity are commercially sensitive and so cannot be shared.
The business case will set out the potential for a public private partnerships model and an assessment of value for money so that a final decision on the approach can be taken by the time of the 2025 Budget in the autumn. If a decision is taken to proceed then further market engagement will take place on the model and approach. The location of, and services provided through, Neighbourhood Health Centres will be decided at a local level by the National Health Service and other stakeholders, based on the local needs of patients.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to (a) increase dental student training places (i) at Peninsula Dental School and (ii) in the South West and (b) ensure that dental workforce planning includes recruitment and retention in (A) rural and (B) coastal areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Peninsula Dental School would be considered for any possible future allocated dental training places, as would other dental schools in the same position, including in the South West.
For the allocation of additional training places to begin, a guidance letter confirming the maximum fundable limit for training places must be sent to the Office for Students. A guidance letter has not yet been sent for 2026/27.
Later this year, we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. Our workforce plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. Integrated care boards are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when dental contracts will be uplifted in England; and what that uplift will be in percentage terms.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department accepted the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) recommendation of a 4% increase in the pay element of the dental contract. The Department will be engaging with the British Dental Association on the implementation of this uplift in due course.
The Department published its response to 2025/26 pay recommendations earlier than it has for several years. This paves the way for staff getting their pay rises earlier, including general dental practitioners, via uplifts to NHS dental contracts.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 increase intake numbers at dental schools (a) for dental (i) hygienists and (ii) therapists and (b) in general.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.
According to the Higher Education Students Early Statistics survey, the number of student starters in dental hygiene courses increased to 150 in the 2024/25 academic year, compared to 140 in 2023/24. Similarly, the number of student starters in dental therapy courses increased to 335 in 2024/25, up from 315 in the previous year.
We want to remove the barriers to training in clinical roles, which is why eligible dental hygiene and dental therapy students can access the NHS Learning Support Fund. This includes a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per academic year, and further support is available for childcare, dual accommodation costs, and travel. The funding arrangements are reviewed annually at the start of each academic year.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to amend the eligibility requirements for free NHS prescriptions, in the context of increases to the State Pension age.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department currently has no plans to align the upper age prescription charge exemption with the State Pension age.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 impact of the New Hospital Programme Review on NHS staffing levels in Wave 2 and Wave 3 hospitals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
An equality impact assessment was carried out for the review of the New Hospital Programme which included assessing the extent to which service users, including staff, might be impacted by these delivery proposals, with specific reference to the impact that these might have on relevant protected characteristics. This was laid in the House Library and published on 20 January, and is available at the following link:
Appropriate National Health Service staffing levels are determined locally. We will publish a new workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 effectiveness of the Estates Safety Fund.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund is an essential first step towards addressing the poorest quality estates across the National Health Service and to ensuring hospitals are safe and sustainable. It will deliver vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and support NHS productivity at approximately 400 hospitals, mental health units, and ambulance sites.
As my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced at the Spending Review, health capital budgets will increase to £14.6 billion by the end of the Spending Review period. Across this multi-year settlement, over £5 billion will be invested to address the most critical building repairs, and the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund is the first step in delivering this targeted investment.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 55942 on Drugs, what steps his Department is taking to source medications from other manufacturers; and for what reason there has been a shortage of Trandolapril since 2024.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Trandolapril is supplied by two suppliers in the United Kingdom who are both currently experiencing manufacturing issues. The Department issued comprehensive management plans, including advice on alternative medicines, on 17 September 2024 to the National Health Service, general practitioners, and community pharmacies. This included advice on alternatives, and how to manage affected patients. Resupply of this medicine is expected on 3 October 2025.
The Department and NHS England work closely with all relevant manufacturers to resolve supply issues when they arise through a range of actions. This includes expediting future deliveries, diverting stock from other countries, and requesting that suppliers increase manufacturing capacity in the short and longer term to prevent and mitigate the impact on patients as much as possible.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 impact of immigration controls on staffing levels in (a) primary and (b) secondary care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We hugely value our health and social care workers from overseas, who work tirelessly to provide the best possible care and enhance our health and care workforce with their valuable skills, experience, and expertise. At the same time, we are also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the National Health Service. Following publication of our 10-Year Health Plan, we will produce a refreshed workforce plan, setting out how we will train and provide the staff that the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities and treat them on time again.
The immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, will reshape our immigration system towards those who contribute the most to economic growth, with higher skills standards for graduates and workers. Every area of the immigration system, including work, family, and study, will be tightened up, to reduce record-high levels of net migration and restore control and order to the immigration system. The White Paper is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper
Health and Social Care Worker visa data is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables