Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 maternity safety in hospitals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced a rapid, national, independent Investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services, chaired by Baroness Amos, to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care.
The Investigation will look into maternity and neonatal services in 14 NHS trusts alongside reviewing the maternity and neonatal system, bringing together the findings of past reviews into one clear national set of actions.
The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce. The Taskforce will be chaired by the Secretary of State and will take forward the recommendations of the Investigation, forming them into a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
Alongside this, the Government is taking immediate action to boost accountability and safety as part of its mission to build an NHS fit for the future – including measures to hold the system to account, a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 access to (a) effective and (b) timely healthcare support for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 training for medical staff on postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 reduce incidences of the misdiagnosis of patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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) support research into and (b) improve healthcare for young people with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A primary goal of the Complex Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Service, which is commissioned by NHS England, is to educate clinicians about the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients with complex and atypical forms of EDS. While the service focuses on rare condition types and accepts referrals from secondary and tertiary care, its development of guidelines and educational initiatives also benefits general practitioners (GPs), who are on the front line of patient care. Additionally, other resources like the EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners and Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, is specifically designed to provide information and guidance to GPs.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with EDS. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.
EDS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs, specialist clinicians, and the national diagnostic service for rare types. GPs can diagnose common types like hypermobility EDS and may refer to a specialist if needed. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of EDS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including EDS and any related conditions. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 increase (a) awareness and (b) understanding of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome among (i) GPs and (ii) NHS staff.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A primary goal of the Complex Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Service, which is commissioned by NHS England, is to educate clinicians about the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients with complex and atypical forms of EDS. While the service focuses on rare condition types and accepts referrals from secondary and tertiary care, its development of guidelines and educational initiatives also benefits general practitioners (GPs), who are on the front line of patient care. Additionally, other resources like the EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners and Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, is specifically designed to provide information and guidance to GPs.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with EDS. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.
EDS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs, specialist clinicians, and the national diagnostic service for rare types. GPs can diagnose common types like hypermobility EDS and may refer to a specialist if needed. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of EDS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including EDS and any related conditions. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 waiting times for the diagnosis of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A primary goal of the Complex Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Service, which is commissioned by NHS England, is to educate clinicians about the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients with complex and atypical forms of EDS. While the service focuses on rare condition types and accepts referrals from secondary and tertiary care, its development of guidelines and educational initiatives also benefits general practitioners (GPs), who are on the front line of patient care. Additionally, other resources like the EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners and Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, is specifically designed to provide information and guidance to GPs.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with EDS. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.
EDS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs, specialist clinicians, and the national diagnostic service for rare types. GPs can diagnose common types like hypermobility EDS and may refer to a specialist if needed. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of EDS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including EDS and any related conditions. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 deaf people can receive appropriate care at home.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their populations, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people, including ensuring that deaf people receive appropriate care at home.
Additionally, the Government is taking steps to ensure that people, including deaf people, can receive high-quality, personalised care at home. This is part of the Government’s wider improvements to adult social care as we progress towards a National Care Service. These steps include:
- investing £12 million in workforce training through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, helping care workers to develop the skills needed to support people with sensory disabilities, including deaf individuals;
- rolling out the Care Workforce Pathway, which sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to deliver high-quality care across eight role categories, including personal assistants and enhanced care workers;
- supporting unpaid carers, who play a vital role in home-based care – from March 2026, millions of unpaid carers will be able to manage care plans, appointments and prescriptions via the NHS App;
- raising the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to £196 per week and reviewing the case for paid carer’s leave;
- expanding care options to support independent living, with an additional £172 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant over two years, enabling around 15,600 extra home adaptations; and
- introducing care technology standards to help people choose the right support at home.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 with (a) local authorities and (b) voluntary organisations to assist disabled people with transportation to medical appointments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people.
We know there is also geographical variation in waiting times. It is important that patients, including disabled patients, do not miss or cancel hospital appointments due to a lack of affordable and/or accessible transport options in their area. This is why the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, committed to reviewing, developing and increasing the uptake of existing national health inequalities improvement initiatives. Specifically, the plan committed to reviewing local patient transport services and improving the signposting to, and the accessibility of, them for patients, to make it easier for vulnerable groups to travel to and access appointments.
NHS England are funding and co-ordinating a range of patient transport projects to explore more effective approaches to supporting patients with their NHS travel needs.
NHS England work with individual NHS organisations, local authorities, transport providers and other stakeholders to continually pilot, review, refine and propagate approaches to improving the choice, affordability, and accessibility of transport options for NHS patients.
A non-emergency patient transport service (NEPTS) provides funded transport where a medical condition means a patient cannot safely travel to receive their treatment independently. Transport may be provided by the ambulance service, independent providers, the voluntary sector and volunteers.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 the quality of (a) care and (b) support for deaf people in care homes.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking steps to improve the quality of adult social care, which will include deaf people in care homes. This includes improvements to better support the vital care workforce through a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million, expanded career pathways, and £12 million invested in training and qualifications.
We have also launched an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Casey, to help shape the future of adult social care and ensure it meets the needs of older people and working-age disabled adults. The commission will explore how to improve accountability and drive up quality across the system.
Under section 18 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to meet the needs of adults in their area who meet the eligibility criteria, which would include deaf people that have eligible needs. In addition, under the Equality Act 2010, local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under part one of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for deaf people. Support for deaf people forms part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report on access and provision of care and support for deaf people when there is something important to highlight, such as something being done well, innovative practice or an area for improvement.
The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. For deaf individuals, this includes providing care that is responsive to their communication needs.