Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of registered doctors are unemployed.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Office for National Statistics published an analysis showing the number of unemployed people by last occupation at the time of the 2021 Census. This estimated that on the census day, there were 2,200 unemployed people whose last profession was either General Medical Practitioner or Specialist Medical Practitioner. This equates to approximately 0.7% of the registered doctors at the time. No more recent estimate is held by the Department. Further information on the 2021 Census is available at the following link:
Within weeks of coming into office, we committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. We have now recruited an extra 1,738 GPs into general practice to deliver more appointments.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 employment rates for doctors who have recently completed foundation training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service employers. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest.
To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to secure the future pipeline of GPs. Data on the number of recently qualified GPs for which primary care networks are claiming reimbursement via the ARRS was published by NHS England on 7 April, showing that since 1 October 2024, 1,503 GPs were recruited through the scheme.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 the number of NHS dentistry appointments in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency, this is the NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The North East and North Cumbria ICB is expected to deliver 57,599 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of collecting data centrally on average waiting times for access to NHS dentistry.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made. Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324
The data for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, which includes the Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency, shows that 46% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England, and that 59% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to improve the inclusivity of public services for autistic people.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
From 1 July 2022, service providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are required to ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role, as set out in the Health and Care Act 2022. To support this, we are rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. Over two million people have now completed the e-learning module, which is the first part of the training.
The Government has also committed to raising awareness of all forms of neurodiversity, including autism, in the workplace. An independent panel made of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity, including autism, has been launched to advise the Government on fostering more inclusive workplaces. This will build on the recommendations outlined in the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, which related solely to autism.
The Department of Health and Social Care is also working closely with the Department for Education on reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We are also supporting earlier intervention for children with SEND through the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme. PINS brings together integrated care boards, local authorities, and schools, working in partnership with parents and carers to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodivergent children and their families.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on (a) medical student finance and (b) the adequacy of total financial support during NHS Bursary funded years of study.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive academic year that this Government has increased support through the NHS Bursary. For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England (SFE), including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.
The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary scheme and SFE support.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of transitioning from Student Finance England support to the NHS bursary on the finances of medical students in their final years of study.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive academic year that this Government has increased support through the NHS Bursary. For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England (SFE), including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.
The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary scheme and SFE support.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the effectiveness of the NHS bursary scheme.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive academic year that this Government has increased support through the NHS Bursary. For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England (SFE), including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.
The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary scheme and SFE support.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 ensure all eligible recipients are registered for their NHS Healthy Start entitlement.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Those eligible for Healthy Start must apply to the NHSBSA to receive Healthy Start payments.
All applicants, where they meet the eligibility criteria, must accept the terms and conditions of the Healthy Start prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, the NHSBSA is not able to automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card.
We remain open to all viable routes to improve uptake to ensure that as many eligible people as possible are accessing the scheme, to support their children with a healthy start in life.
In March 2025 Healthy Start supported over 359,000 people.