Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of a universal, paediatric Type 1 Diabetes screening programme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and which supports implementation.
A proposal for screening for neonatal diabetes mellitus was submitted to the UK NSC via its 2021 annual call process. An evidence-mapping exercise was conducted at that time which concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to recommend screening for this condition.
The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider screening for autoimmune type 1 diabetes through blood testing. The committee requested further information from the submitter, and this is now in the process of being reviewed. Further information on the annual call process is available at the following link:
The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study that is looking at screening children for type 1 diabetes and looks forward to receiving the results of this study in due course.
When the UK NSC makes a recommendation to introduce any screening programme they consider the cost effectiveness of the programme, and the Department estimates the cost of implementing the recommendation before ministers agree to the recommendation. Therefore, if the UK NSC makes a recommendation to screen for type 1 diabetes, a cost assessment will be made.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) patients and (b) terminally ill patients have been (i) prosecuted under the 1999 Health Act, (ii) fined and (iii) investigated for fraudulently claiming prescription charge exemptions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has made no assessment of the cost to the public purse of the requirement for patients, including terminally ill patients and patients with type 1 diabetes, to renew their medical exemption certificate every five years.
Between 1 June 2024 and 1 July 2025, 50,330 people received a Penalty Charge Notice after claiming a medical exemption certificate on a National Health Service prescription.
There has been one prosecution in relation to non-payment of NHS prescription charges, which was in 2019.
Data that specifically identifies patients with a terminal illness in relation to prosecutions, fines, or investigations under the 1999 Health Act for fraudulent prescription charge exemptions is not held. Data is recorded based on a qualifying medical condition which entitles someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 9 July 2025 to Question 64957 on Prescriptions: Terminal Illnesses, if he will make an assessment of the cost to the public purse of the requirement for patients to renew their medical exemption certificate every five years for (a) all patients, (b) terminally ill patients and (c) patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has made no assessment of the cost to the public purse of the requirement for patients, including terminally ill patients and patients with type 1 diabetes, to renew their medical exemption certificate every five years.
Between 1 June 2024 and 1 July 2025, 50,330 people received a Penalty Charge Notice after claiming a medical exemption certificate on a National Health Service prescription.
There has been one prosecution in relation to non-payment of NHS prescription charges, which was in 2019.
Data that specifically identifies patients with a terminal illness in relation to prosecutions, fines, or investigations under the 1999 Health Act for fraudulent prescription charge exemptions is not held. Data is recorded based on a qualifying medical condition which entitles someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment Department has made of the cost to the public purse of the requirement that (a) all and (b) terminally ill patients should renew their Medical Exemption Certificates every five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has made no assessment of the cost to the public purse of the requirement for patients to renew their medical exemption certificate every five years.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 adequacy of data protection laws in ensuring that legitimate complaints processes are dealt with effectively by health bodies.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The handling of patient complaints in the National Health Service is governed by the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009. These regulations set out in law the minimum standards NHS organisations must adhere to in respect of their complaint handling arrangements.
There are strong protections in law to ensure that health and care information is used in a safe, secure, and legal way, and these must be observed in any complaints process. These include: the UK General Data Protection Regulation; the Data Protection Act 2018, which establishes a legal framework for processing personal information and keeping it secure, and for only using it for the purposes for which it was collected; the Human Rights Act 1998, which requires public bodies to respect the private life of an individual, including protecting any information held about them; and the common law duty of confidentiality.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 include information on aplastic anaemia on the NHS website; and what criteria is used to determine which rare diseases are featured.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.
There are over 7,000 rare diseases, often needing highly specialised input, and so the National Health Service website is not always the most appropriate platform to disseminate such information. At this stage there are no plans to add aplastic anaemia to the website.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 effectiveness of the NHS England Genomics Education Programme in improving healthcare professional awareness and understanding of (a) aplastic anaemia and (b) other rare diseases.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.
NHS England’s flagship GeNotes resource, developed by NHS England's Genomics Education Programme, is aimed at healthcare professionals in order to continue their growth, and has more than 500 resources featured across nine specialties. Aplastic anaemia is not currently included in GeNotes. The Genomics Education Programme is also developing a range of training and educational resources on rare diseases, to include rare diseases in United Kingdom health professional education and training frameworks. Work continues to expand the programme’s coverage.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 (a) adequacy and (b) accessibility of transport services for (i) older and (ii) disabled patients attending NHS hospital appointments in rural areas.
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 older and 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 January 2025, committed to reviewing existing national health inequalities improvement initiatives to develop them and increase their uptake. 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.
This includes improving the accessibility, awareness, and efficiency of The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, with a focus on reducing health inequalities and improving the patient experience.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 patients do not (a) miss and (b) cancel hospital appointments due to a lack of (i) affordable and (ii) accessible transport options.
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 older and 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 January 2025, committed to reviewing existing national health inequalities improvement initiatives to develop them and increase their uptake. 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.
This includes improving the accessibility, awareness, and efficiency of The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, with a focus on reducing health inequalities and improving the patient experience.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 12 June 2025 to Question 56077 on Farmer: Mental Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the 8,500 new mental health support workers include specialists trained to address the unique mental health needs of farming and rural populations.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, we are recruiting 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to help ease pressure on busy services. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their employees are trained and have the appropriate skills for the roles into which they have been appointed.
We are working with NHS England on a refreshed workforce plan, which will revolve around the three shifts to deliver our 10-Year Health Plan: moving more care from hospitals to communities; making better use of technology in health and care; and focusing on preventing sickness, not just treating it.