theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Stroke Association's report entitled Unlocking Potential: A Bold Vision for Stroke Care in England, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce disability and death from stroke, (b) improve access to stroke care in the community and (c) help tackle social inequalities in stroke outcomes. \p Ashley Dalton: The Stroke Association’s report, Unlocking Potential: A Bold Vision for Stroke Care in England, provides comprehensive plan to improve stroke care in England over the next decade highlighting several key areas for improvement, including prevention, digital innovation, and community support. These areas align with the Department's commitment to the 10-Year Health Plan’s three transformative shifts in healthcare: moving more care from hospitals into homes, prioritising prevention over treatment, and advancing from analogue to digital solutions. These strategic shifts are the building blocks to our health mission, namely reducing time spent in poor health, tackling health inequalities and reducing the lives lost from the biggest killers, which includes stroke.

NHS England is prioritising implementation of the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service (ICSS model) with delivery of specialist stroke rehabilitation at home and in care homes, as well as improving life after stroke support and six-month follow-up reviews by working closely with the voluntary sector. The ICSS model is vital to support physical, cognitive and psychological recovery, return to work and quality of life. More information on the model is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-service-model-for-an-integrated-community-stroke-service/

The ICSS model includes provision of tailored and patient centred reablement care, through joint working between the National Health Service and social care. Provision of peer support and reviews every six months, information, and longer-term support in the community is also achieved through integrated and collaborative working with the voluntary sector.

The National Stroke Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation (SQuIRe) programme is driving implementation of the integrated community stroke services model in England. NHS England funds SQuIRe posts in each NHS region to work with integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve provision of community-based stroke rehabilitation, promote recovery from stroke and improve patient outcomes. ICBs also receive a separate funding allocation to support prevention services which include stroke rehabilitation.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a (a) consistent and (b) sustainable funding framework for community equipment provision across local authorities and NHS bodies. \p Karin Smyth: At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 will be set through phase two of the Spending Review, which will conclude and be published in June 2025.

Local authorities and National Health Service procuring authorities are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment suppliers, which will take into account the resources available to them. Economic growth is the Government’s number one mission and the Government supports businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. To support the growth mission, the Government is driving forward work to implement a modern Industrial Strategy, to reset trade relations, to support small business and deliver a new deal for working people.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to repurpose spending on hospital care and emergency admissions for people at the end of life into improving community care services. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.

The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.

Funding provision for hospital care and community care services is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Food Standards Agency. \p Ashley Dalton: Work is currently underway within the Department to examine the whole health and social care system, which will result in further changes to the arm’s length body landscape to deliver better outcomes and better value for taxpayers. The Government will set out its plans for reform of the health care system in the 10-Year Health Plan.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the value is of his Department's £95 million investment in energy efficiency and resilience measures across the NHS estate made through the National Energy Efficiency Fund in financial year 2025-26. \p Karin Smyth: The NHS National Energy Efficiency Fund (NEEF) seeks to drive down trusts’ energy bills through targeted measures like LED lighting, Building Management Systems, and rooftop solar panels. These investments pay for themselves within a few years through reduced energy bills, whilst supporting the reduction of trusts’ carbon emissions. NEEF investment can also support efforts to increase building energy efficiency before low carbon, electrically powered heating technologies, like heat pumps, are installed. Since 2023/24, the Department has invested approximately £135 million in NEEF projects, with the latest £95 million investment round running from January to April 2025 and benefitted 114 trusts. Any further funding for energy measures will be confirmed through the Spending Review.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on plans for the UK Neuro Forum. \p Ashley Dalton: The new United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum will facilitate formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, and the devolved administrations, health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four nations of the UK.

The forum met for the first time on 10 March, bringing together key stakeholders to share learning across the system, discuss important neurology service transformation and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions that will add both to the existing programmes of work and to wider health plans. The forum will be an advisory rather than a decision-making body.

The next meeting due to take place in early autumn 2025.
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Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued on when the absence of senior leadership may necessitate intervention by a commissioner in an integrated care board. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care board (ICB) chairs are appointed by NHS England subject to the approval of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in line with NHS England’s guidance, where the ICB chair position has become vacant before a successor can be approved by the Secretary of State, the ICB board may be chaired by an acting chair, which is normally, but not always, the deputy chair. The ICB governance guidance, updated in July 2024, made it a requirement for all ICBs to have a deputy chair. Information on further related requirements is available in the guidance at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/guidance-on-integrated-care-board-constitutions-and-governance/

ICB chief executives are appointed by the ICB chair subject to the approval of NHS England. All ICBs are required to have an Accountable Officer; an Acting CEO can cover temporary periods of absence.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with digestive system disorders in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to putting patients first, by making sure that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care, including those with digestive system disorders. We have committed to getting back to the National Health Service constitutional standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, and we have already made progress, exceeding our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, with over three million more delivered between July 2024 and January 2025.

In January, we published the Elective Reform Plan. This commits to pathway reform starting in five areas, with gastroenterology being one. The commitment is to develop an integrated pathway across primary, community, and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive the rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways, which reduces consultant-led outpatient appointments by over 50%.

The plan also commits to work with patients, carers, and their representatives to publish the standards patients should expect to experience while they wait for care, including for those waiting for gastroenterology services.
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Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NHS England has issued to hospital trusts to ensure appropriate monitoring of individuals entering and leaving hospital wards; and how many reported security incidents relating to unauthorised access to wards there have been in the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England provides no guidance to National Health Service trusts to ensure the appropriate monitoring of individuals entering and leaving hospital wards, and data is not collected on how many reported security incidents relating to unauthorised access to wards there have been in the last five years. NHS trusts formulate policy at a local level to determine the best security for their estate.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the domestic supply of (a) methylphenidate and (b) pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. \p Karin Smyth: The Department is working closely with life sciences stakeholders and other Government departments to assess the potential impact of United States tariffs on global medicine supply chains. We have a range of well-established processes to mitigate risks to patients where there are shortages. We will continue to review the need to utilise these procedures as more information becomes available on the impact of tariffs on any specific products or companies.
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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the safeguards in place to protect minors from purchasing medications online. \p Karin Smyth: In February 2025, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) published updated, strengthened, guidance in response to concerns identified relating to unsafe prescribing and supply of medicines online.

Prescribers, whether National Health Service or private, are accountable for their prescribing decisions, and are expected to take account of appropriate national guidance such as this.

Prescribers are expected to verify the information given to them by the patient to ensure any medicines prescribed are appropriate – for example, through a video consultation, using a patient’s clinical record, or contacting the patient’s general practitioner. This helps to safeguard vulnerable patients, including minors.

The GPhC, Care Quality Commission and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have the powers to investigate and act against rogue prescribers, products and suppliers and we are clear they have our full support to crack down on any online services putting people in danger.
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Sarah Owen:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will make public their decision on licensing the personalised immunotherapy developed to treat the malignant brain tumour glioblastoma, DCVax-L. \p Karin Smyth: Northwest Biotherapeutics has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for DCVax-L, an immunotherapy for glioblastoma. The MHRA is working with the applicant to reach a decision on this application, to ensure a thorough review that ensures quality, safety, and efficacy.
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Chris Coghlan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of resolving NHS employment disputes early. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has not made this specific assessment. National Health Service employment disputes arising at a local level are for employers to manage and resolve locally. At a national level, the Government has prioritised improving industrial relations following the General Election in July 2024. The deal we agreed with resident doctors in England, negotiated within four weeks of being in Government, brought an end to their prolonged strikes and we will continue to work with resident doctors to improve their working lives and keep them in the NHS.

Our ambition remains to reset the relationship between the Government and all NHS staff, and we want to work collaboratively with trade unions to address concerns and foster a productive and positive relationship with the NHS workforce.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38394 on Integrated Care Boards: Operating Costs, whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment on the decision to reduce ICB running costs. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure to achieve a 50% cost reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025, with ICBs being tasked to develop plans by the end of May setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities.

NHS England will be working closely with ICBs to support the development of these plans, ensuring that their implementation reduces duplication and supports patient care. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

In his letter to ICBs, Sir Jim Mackey committed to greater transparency and moving back to a fair shares allocation policy over time.

The Department has not conducted an impact assessment of the NHS decision to reduce ICB running costs.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38394 on Integrated Care Boards: Operating Costs, what proportion of running costs integrated care boards are being asked to reduce; and what guidance he has issued on which services should be reduced. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have been asked to make 50% cuts to running costs. Further detail on the future of ICBs was provided in a letter issued to all ICBs and National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/

The letter details that in order to meet the expectations, ICBs should look carefully at functions where there is duplication.
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Bob Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that community-based ear wax removal services are made available to patients in (a) Harrow East constituency and (b) England. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local populations. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal. When ICBs exercise their functions, including commissioning healthcare services such as ear wax removal, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.

Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so general practitioners (GPs) will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.

However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) professional bodies and (b) the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors on the existing and future skills and capacity requirements of the neuroscience workforce in England. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has regular discussions with stakeholders, including professional bodies and the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors, on ensuring that the necessary skills and capacity are held across the health and care workforce.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of Estradot hormone replacement therapy patches; and what steps he is taking to ensure consistent supply for patients. \p Karin Smyth: There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, and the vast majority are in good supply. Previously there has been issues with the supply of a limited number of these products, primarily driven by very sharp increases in demand. Following the Department’s intensive engagement with industry, the supply position has improved considerably. As part of this we have previously met with suppliers on a very regular basis and have held nine HRT supply roundtables since April 2022, with the most recent in September 2024, with suppliers, wholesalers, and community pharmacists, to provide updates on the supply position and the actions being taken to address them, to share data, and to discuss relevant policy developments and potential impacts.

Currently, there are limited supplies of Estradot (estradiol) 37.5, 50, 75, and 100 microgram/24 hour patches, which may be available to local pharmacies to order. We are working with the sole supplier of Estradot to expedite further resupplies where possible. Further deliveries of all patches are expected in late April 2025, except for the 37.5 microgram/24 hour patches, which will be resupplied in July 2025.

We have issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service, including Serious Shortage Protocols for some, allowing community pharmacists to supply the equivalent strength patch of an alternative brand without the need for a new prescription.
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Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on whether the (a) Chair and (b) Chief Executive of Humber and North Yorkshire integrated care board remain in post. \p Karin Smyth: The Chair of the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) resigned from the post on 12 March 2025. The ICB is currently identifying a Non-Executive Member to act as Chair for a short period. The Chief Executive is currently taking a leave of absence, and acting CEO arrangements are currently in place.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43516: Maternity Services and with reference to the Final report of the Ockenden Review, published on 30 March 2022, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the three year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal care in implementing the findings of the Ockenden review. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England’s Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services, from 2023 to 2026, pulled together the majority of existing commitments, including the Ockenden recommendations, into a single package. The technical guidance outlines how progress towards the objectives of the plan is being tracked at a national level.

The vast majority of recommendations in the second Ockenden report were aimed at trusts. Following this, NHS England wrote to all National Health Service trusts asking them to consider and act upon the report’s findings, and asked trust boards to have oversight of the progress. Integrated care boards are responsible for overseeing local progress.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking through the 10 Year Health Plan to address (a) quality of care, (b) inadequate access and (c) rising demand in palliative and end of life care. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish regular updates on the progress of the implementation of NHS dental contract reforms. \p Stephen Kinnock: 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 National Health Service dentists.

There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.

We continue to meet the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to discuss how we can best deliver our shared ambition to improve access for NHS dental patients.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include measures to support palliative and end of life care in the 10 Year Health Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures to improve the quality of palliative and end of life care will be included in the 10 Year Health Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is planning to take in the 10-year NHS Plan to improve (a) palliative and (b) end of life care. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department will take steps to prioritise the reform of funding for (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care in the NHS 10-year plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with hospices on (a) their role in and (b) funding in relation to the forthcoming NHS 10 Year Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is planning to take to support community pharmacies in the forthcoming 10-Year NHS Plan in Wiltshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.
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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with palliative care providers on the adequacy of funding for (a) palliative and (b) other end-of-life care services. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones. In recognition of this, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices.

We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the number of people that will have palliative care needs in the next 10 years. \p Stephen Kinnock: Currently, approximately 600,000 people die per year in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that up to 90% of deaths could benefit from palliative and end of life care.

The Office for National Statistics has projected that, by 2040, approximately 800,000 people a year will die in the UK. Also, current trends point to a growing proportion of people dying from chronic disease, particularly cancer and dementia. Taking these considerations together, it has been estimated that the number of people needing palliative and end of life care could increase by 42% by 2040.

We have committed to develop a 10-Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, by driving three shifts in the way health care is delivered, from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full-time equivalent GPs were employed (a) in the latest period for which data is available and (b) five years ago in Wiltshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) in Wiltshire was:

GPs employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme are not included as they are employed by primary care networks (PCNs), rather than directly by practices. PCNs’ work may occur across county borders, so it is not possible to say how many PCN employed staff work in Wiltshire.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_241
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_241

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide additional funding to ensure the sustainability of social prescribing in (a) the UK and (b) Torbay. \p Stephen Kinnock: As part of our Mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, the Government has underlined its commitment to taking a preventive approach to addressing health inequalities.

We are determined to improve people’s physical and mental health, to support them to live longer and healthier lives, and we recognise the role that social prescribing can play in this.

In March 2025, the Department agreed a further year of grant funding for the National Academy for Social Prescribing, securing £1.5 million to advance and expand social prescribing across England.

The Department funds the workforce through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, including for social prescribing link workers in primary care.

In Torbay, two primary care networks employ a combined 8.6 whole time equivalent social prescribing link workers at a value of £364,958 per annum.

The Torbay Better Care Fund invests a further £221,000 within the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector to fund three whole time equivalent social prescribers, known as well-being co-ordinators, and a full-time manager.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_242
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_242

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to announce further steps to help reduce waiting times for mental health treatment. \p Stephen Kinnock: Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. We will also introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and roll out Young Futures hubs in every community.

Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise the funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement & Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

In addition, people of all ages who are in crisis or who are concerned about a family or loved one can now call NHS111, select the mental health option, and speak to a trained mental health professional. National Health Service staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternative services, like crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or a hospital admission.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_243

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices have closed in Wiltshire in each of the last five years. \p Stephen Kinnock: The following table shows the number of general practices in Wiltshire which have closed in each of the last five years:

Year

Number of practice closures

2020

2

2021

0

2022

0

2023

0

2024

0

Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, and so this does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the quality of care. When a practice does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice within their area.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_244

Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the increase in the number of people that will need palliative care over the next 10 years. \p Stephen Kinnock: Currently, approximately 600,000 people die per year in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that up to 90% of deaths could benefit from palliative and end of life care.

The Office for National Statistics has projected that, by 2040, approximately 800,000 people a year will die in the UK. Also, current trends point to a growing proportion of people dying from chronic diseases, particularly cancer and dementia. Taking these considerations together, it has been estimated that the number of people needing palliative and end of life care could increase by 42% by 2040.

We have committed to developing a 10-Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, by driving three shifts in the way health care is delivered, from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_245
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_245

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is planning to take to support community pharmacies in the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift.

As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_246

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to support community pharmacy through the 10-year plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: This Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift.

As part of the work to develop a 10 Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_247
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_247

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 27 March 2025 on Mental Health: Expected Spend for 2025-26, HCWS562, if he will publish the modelling he used to assess how the £75 million funding will affect the number of out-of-area placements. \p Stephen Kinnock: We recognise how important it is that individuals who require mental health inpatient care are treated as close to home as possible.

Integrated care boards have published plans to localise inpatient care by 2026-27 under the national commissioning framework for mental health inpatient services, improving both care quality and value for money. To support this, £75 million has been allocated in 2025-26 to assist systems and National Health Service-led Provider Collaboratives in reducing one or more of the following:out of area placements in acute care or psychiatric intensive care units; Mental Health Learning Disability and Autism inpatient rehabilitation placements far from home; and placements outside natural clinical flow in adult forensic medium and low secure services and children and young people’s inpatient services.

This investment is expected to lead to a reduction of at least 580 placements which are out of area, far from home, or outside natural clinical flow for adult forensic and children and young people’s mental health inpatient services over the next two years. The funding is expected to result in 15 providers being able to end the practice altogether.

Systems have been asked to model the local impact of capital investment on out of area placements activity and spending as part of their submissions to receive capital funding. The figures quoted above are based on the bids recommended for approval and were therefore modelled by the submitting integrated care boards or NHS-led provider collaboratives.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_248

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 27 March 2025, HCWS562, on Mental Health: Expected Spend for 2025-26, what data his Department holds on how much funding has been spent on (a) prescribing for mental health, (b) continuing healthcare and (c) routine spend by NHS England on training new mental health staff in the latest period for which data is available. \p Stephen Kinnock: The following table shows the actual expenditure for 2023/24 and expected expenditure for 2024/25 for prescribing for mental health, mental health within NHS Continuing Healthcare and national mental health capital programmes:

2023/24 actual expenditure (£ million)

2024/25 expected expenditure (£ million)

Prescribing for mental health

449

472

NHS Continuing Healthcare

396

438

Eradication of mental health dormitories (capital)

160

70

Mental health urgent and emergency care (capital)

46

Not yet available

Source: NHS England and Department of Health and Social Care

Note: Spend on training new mental health staff, capital spend on mental health facilities under the Hospital Upgrades Programme and any local capital schemes is not separately identifiable.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_249
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_249

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025, HCWS586, how many full-time equivalent GPs have been recruited since 1 October 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: Between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025, 851 fully qualified, full-time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Between 30 September 2024 and 28 February 2025, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs employed directly by practices has increased by 282. In total, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs has increased by 1,134 over this period.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_250
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_250

Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 19000 on Social Services, when the report on the adult social care relative needs formula will be made available on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care is still considering this research as part of its ongoing policy work. We are working closely the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the role of a specific adult social care funding formula was considered within the consultation Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles, published on 18 December 2024 and closed on 12 February 2025. We will update further in due course.