Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent changes there have been in funding for hospice services in (a) England, (b) the South East region and (c) Sussex.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, we announced that we were providing £100 million of capital funding for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England. I am pleased to say that we can now confirm we are providing a further £25 million in capital funding for hospices to spend in 2025/26. From this additional £25 million of capital funding, hospices in the South East region will receive over £5 million. The Southern Hospice Group in Sussex, which is formed of St Barnabas House, Chestnut House, and Martlets, will receive £500,000. Sussex Beacon in Brighton will receive £88,920.
We also recently announced that we are providing approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in England over the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients. Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice in Sussex and a number of other children’s hospices in the wider South East region, including Demelza Children’s Hospice, Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, Naomi House and Jacksplace Hospice, Helen and Douglas House, and Ellenor Hospice will all benefit from this funding.
The Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is taking steps to support the long-term sustainability of hospices in its area. This includes 10-year grant agreements for adult hospices, providing financial certainty and strengthening their ability to maintain services during a period of rising demand.
The ICB is also funding a Sussex Hospice Alliance Programme Director to support collective planning, clinical integration, and workforce development. The ICB currently spends £13.3 million a year with hospices.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. As part of the MSF, we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to widen eligibility for hybrid closed loop (HCL) pump devices for people with diabetes; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the progress of the rollout of HCL pumps to eligible groups; and what estimate he has made of the cost of expansion.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The eligibility criteria for hybrid closed loop (HCL) devices for people with diabetes are set in guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta943
NICE is an independent body with their own processes for reviewing and updating their guidance, taking account of the best available evidence of both clinical and cost effectiveness.
As part of NHS England’s HCL implementation, HCL has been provided to over 600 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. Further details on NHS England’s five-year national implementation strategy are published online, at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/hybrid-closed-loop-technologies-5-year-implementation-strategy/
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practice (a) closures and (b) mergers there have been in (i) Brighton Pavilion constituency and (ii) the Brighton and Hove local authority area since 2016.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the number of general practice closures and mergers that there have been in the Brighton Pavilion constituency and the Brighton and Hove local authority area since 2016. This data is held by the NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 recommendations of the Kingdon review of children's hearing services; and if he will set out a timetable for the implementation of (a) actions and (b) additional funding and resources required.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are grateful to Dr Kingdon for the review into children’s hearing services published on 4 December 2025. No assessment has yet been made of the potential implications on policies. We are progressing an early analysis of implementation requirements for each of the 12 recommendations made by Dr. Kingdon. We will provide further updates once this initial assessment has been completed and a detailed timetable has been established.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what employment protections and transition arrangements are in place for long-serving NHS clinical staff being moved into civil service contracts through the NHS England restructuring process.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Employment protections and transition arrangements will form part of consultation under a legal transfer mechanism. Detail on this will be provided to recognised trade unions and staff when consultation commences.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 impact of the NHS England restructure on equalities, particularly on disabled, neurodiverse, female and non-British staff members.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is actively monitoring the impact of transition through multiple feedback channels, including the annual staff survey, engagement forums, its Health and Safety Committee, staff networks, and recognised trade union forums, as well as through sickness absence and direct feedback mechanisms. This approach is underpinned by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion framework, which proved effective in assessing the potential impact of restructuring on staff with protected characteristics.
NHS England has designed and implemented an enhanced support package for its staff during transition which has been shaped and informed with its staff networks who are representative of the diversity of its workforce, trade unions, and health and safety representatives to meet the diverse needs of colleagues in the organisation. The support includes:
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to monitor and mitigate the mental health impact of changes being made during the NHS England restructuring process on affected staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues while delivering the changes needed for the future of NHS England is a key priority for NHS England. NHS England has designed and implemented an equity-focused support package which has been shaped and informed jointly with staff networks, representative of the diversity of the organisation, trade unions, and health and safety representatives to meet the diverse needs of colleagues in the organisation. The support includes:
NHS England is actively monitoring the impact of change through multiple feedback channels, including the annual staff survey, engagement forums, Health and Safety Committee staff network, and recognised trade union forums.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will put in place (a) employment protections and (b) transition arrangements for long-serving NHS clinical staff being moved into civil service contracts as part of the NHS England restructure.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, or equivalent mechanisms such as the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice, are designed to safeguard employees’ rights during transfers between employers. Employment protections and transition arrangements for NHS England employees will be put in place based on these schemes.
The Department and NHS England are working closely together to identify differences in employment terms and conditions. Where changes are likely to affect staff transferring into the Department, these will be included in formal measures for consultation. This will be communicated once we are in a position to do so.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to (a) monitor and (b) mitigate the potential impact of the NHS England restructuring on the mental health of affected staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues while delivering the changes needed for the future of NHS England is a key priority for NHS England. NHS England has designed and implemented an equity-focused support package which has been shaped and informed jointly with staff networks, representative of the diversity of the organisation, trade unions, and health and safety representatives to meet the diverse needs of colleagues in the organisation. The support includes:
- dedicated mental health resources through the Employee Assistance Programme, with confidential counselling, and occupational health and wellbeing services available to all staff;
- inclusive guidance for line managers to help them identify and respond to wellbeing concerns in a way that is sensitive to individual circumstances, including those related to protected characteristics and personal responsibilities; and
- targeted support for staff networks and underrepresented groups, ensuring that voices from across NHS England’s organisation are heard and supported during this transition.
NHS England is actively monitoring the impact of change through multiple feedback channels, including the annual staff survey, engagement forums, Health and Safety Committee staff network, and recognised trade union forums, as well as through sickness absence, and direct feedback mechanisms.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 impact of the NHS England restructuring on (a) disabled, (b) neurodiverse, (c) female and (d) non-British staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has established processes and practices which will enable it to assess the impact of the proposed changes on disabled, neurodiverse, female, and non-British staff at a detailed level, at the appropriate stage of the transformation programme.