Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish revised guidance for Health Building Notes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have interpreted this question as asking when the Department plans to publish revised Health Building Notes (HBNs). HBNs are developed and published by the NHS England Estates division and are available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/estates/health-building-notes/
Planned updates to these HBNs are based on their prioritisation related to identified changes in policy, regulation, technology, and clinical practice, as well as available resources. We are systematically updating these and working closely with specialists in the devolved administrations to progress updates to the HBNs and other guidance.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 implications for his policies of the ruling over Paul versus Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has made on secondary victims of medical negligence.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked David Lock KC to look at the issue of secondary victims for maternity clinical negligence cases only. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.
There are no plans to extend the scope of the work wider than maternity clinical negligence cases.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 ensure that polycystic ovary syndrome is explicitly recognised within the scope of digitally delivered women’s health services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been failed for far too long, and we know that more needs to be done to support women with PCOS.
As announced in September 2025, we will establish an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. It will connect patients with clinicians across the country through secure, online appointments accessed through the NHS App.
In January 2026, we announced the conditions and specialities that NHS Online will initially focus on. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including PCOS, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027.
We’ve chosen some of the conditions with the longest waits and where online consultation works best.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will be included among the conditions eligible for referral and treatment under the menstrual health services provided by the new NHS Online Hospital announced by NHS England on 5 January 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Online will be a new, optional online service allowing patients to digitally connect with clinicians across England. In January 2026, we announced the specialities and conditions that NHS Online will initially focus on. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027. We’ve chosen some of the conditions with the longest waits and where online consultation works best.
NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times more than an average trust, while enhancing patient choice and control over their care.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 ensure that tirzepatide remains at an affordable rate for people not prescribed the medication through the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.
NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.
Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 potential impact of the price increase of mounjaro on people accessing weight loss medication.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.
NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.
Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 introducing a cap on the amount of self-funding for care payable by any person.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government inherited a commitment to implement charging reforms in October 2025, including a cap on personal care costs. Regrettably, funding for these reforms had not been guaranteed, preparations for full rollout were not on track, and thus it was impossible to deliver these reforms by October.
This Government remains committed to reforming the adult social care sector and we have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including considering the affordability of care costs if she sees fit.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 lists for (a) appointments and (b) assessments for hearing services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting elective care waiting times, including for hearing services, is a key priority for this government. We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra 2 million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 4.6 million additional appointments.
We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand, including for audiology services such as hearing tests. Our Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests.
NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards (ICBs) who are the commissioners of audiology services to improve performance and reduce waiting lists for appointments and assessments for hearing services. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in NHS Trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via Community Diagnostic Centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.