theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include specialist assessments by dementia nurses as standard evidence in NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility decisions. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are no plans to update NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) guidance regarding mobility assessments or specialist assessments by dementia nurses. The CHC assessment process is supported by the Decision Support Tool. This provides practitioners with a way to bring together and record an individual’s needs in the twelve ‘care domains’, including mobility. The assessment should consider the ways in which an individual’s needs interact with one another, for example how cognition impacts on mobility.

Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or condition but is assessed on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of an individual’s needs, ensuring a person-centred approach. Someone with specialist knowledge of an individual’s condition, for example dementia, should be involved in the process. Assessments should take into account evidence from a comprehensive range of assessments relating to the individual. For individuals with dementia, this could include specialist assessments by dementia nurses.
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to support workers in the social care sector in Broxtowe constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government has an ongoing programme of work to ensure the care profession is recognised and rewarded and to improve domestic recruitment and retention. This includes supporting the professionalisation of the adult social care workforce through the recently expanded Care Workforce Pathway. The pathway provides a framework for progression and development opportunities so people can build their skills and careers in care.

In September 2024, we launched the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme, providing funding for eligible care staff to complete courses and qualifications. This includes the new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate. The scheme is backed by up to £12 million this financial year.

We are also introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are rewarded for the important work that they do. As we work towards a Fair Pay Agreement, the Government will engage all those who draw upon care, as well as those that work to provide care and support. We will also consult local authorities. unions, and others from across the sector.
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Sarah Green:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the need for community eating disorder services to deliver treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS England is currently producing new national guidance with sections on binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). NHS England has also developed training for primary care staff and others who come into contact with people with an eating disorder.

NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to treatment for all children and young people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with ARFID.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people with dementia in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England in the next five years. \p Stephen Kinnock: No specific estimate has been made for the number of people with dementia in the next five years.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Transport on support for care workers with the costs of travel. \p Stephen Kinnock: Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay and terms and conditions, independent of central Government.

The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth, and to improve the retention of the domestic workforce. We want it to be regarded as a profession, and for the people who work in care to be respected as professionals.

There are no current plans to introduce a social leasing scheme for electric vehicles for care workers. We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care, where an agreement for the adult social care sector can be negotiated and reached by employer representatives, worker representatives, and others in partnership. This negotiation will focus on pay, and terms and conditions, but wider employment matters could be considered, which could include support for care workers’ travel. As we work towards a Fair Pay Agreement, the Government will engage all those who draw upon care, as well as those that work to provide care and support. We will also consult local authorities, unions, and others from across the sector.

The Department is also supporting career development and progression by implementing the first ever career structure, investing up to £12 million in training and qualifications, and developing a digital skills record to provide a transferable record of skills.
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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the comparative cost to the NHS of (a) hospice inpatient beds and (b) acute hospital beds for palliative care patients. \p Stephen Kinnock: While the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including charitable hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and those important to them. As charitable hospices are independent, autonomous organisations, they are free to set their own wages and some associated costs, and the Department does not hold or collect this information.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) implement the Care Act 2014 provisions on protecting individuals from unaffordable care costs and (b) introduce a more generous means test for social care funding. \p Stephen Kinnock: In July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the planned adult social care charging reforms, which were inherited from the previous government, would not be taken forward in October 2025.

The means test thresholds for support with adult social care costs are reviewed annually. The rates for the next financial year will be published via a Local Authority Circular in due course.

The Government is committed to reforming the adult social care sector. 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.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question 66478 Innovation: Beer and Public Houses, for what reason it is his policy to prohibit sales of non-alcoholic products to people under the age of 18; and how non-alcoholic drinks would be differentiated from soft drinks. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to supporting further growth of the no- and low-alcohol market, which has grown significantly over the past 10 years.

A non-alcoholic product differs from a soft drink as it is a beverage intentionally crafted to mimic traditional alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, or spirits but with very little to no alcohol content. A full definition of an alcohol substitute drink can be found in regulation 9 to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy Regulations 2018, which are available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/41/made

This policy is being pursued as these alcohol substitute drinks are intended for consumption by adults and should not be sold or supplied to children.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce (a) additional funding and (b) policy changes to expand (i) therapeutic and (ii) foster care options for young people over 16. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and giving mental health the same importance as physical health.

The Department of Health and Social Care set out in the 10-Year Health Plan how we will work to better identify and meet children's and young people’s mental health needs. We will continue to roll out Mental Health Support Teams to schools and colleges in England, to reach full national coverage by 2029/30.

The Department for Education has announced £25 million in transformation funding to recruit hundreds more new foster families and strengthen support to retain existing carers to improve the life chances of thousands of children. This will ensure that children in foster care experience greater stability. This is additional to the £15 million announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, which aims to recruit more foster carers. This will include foster care recruitment for older children and those with more complex needs.

The 2025 Spending Review also included capital funding to provide more foster care placements, by renovating and extending foster care homes.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42740 on Smoking: Hospitality Industry, what his planned timetable is for the consultation on the vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places; and what role local authorities would be expected to play in enforcement. \p Ashley Dalton: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill sets a duty to consult on a range of powers before making regulations, including vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places. We plan to consult on these measures in due course, and we will provide stakeholders with notice of when consultation processes are due to happen.

We expect that enforcement of vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places in England to be undertaken by the same local authority teams that enforce existing smoke-free legislation; these would typically be the environmental health teams. The exact details will be explored via future consultation processes.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the consumption of high caffeine energy drinks on health services in Lancashire. \p Ashley Dalton: On 3 September 2025, the Government published its consultation on banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years in England, an important step towards fulfilling our Plan for Change commitment to create the healthiest generation of children ever.

We estimate the proposals could reduce childhood obesity rates by the equivalent of 40,000 children and deliver health benefits worth £7.7 billion through improved health outcomes. In addition, we estimate the proposals could provide NHS savings of £127 million, social care savings of £84 million, and reduced premature mortality is expected to deliver an additional £1.2 billion of economic output.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not assessed the potential impact of the consumption of high-caffeine energy drinks on health services in Lancashire.

The consultation and accompanying impact assessment are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-the-sale-of-high-caffeine-energy-drinks-to-children.
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Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) unprocessed and (b) minimally processed foods on public health. \p Ashley Dalton: Scientific risk assessment and United Kingdom dietary recommendations are based on robust independent risk assessments by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

SACN has considered the evidence on the impact of processing on health in a position statement in 2023 and rapid evidence update in April 2025 which considered evidence published since the 2023 position statement. SACN has concluded that the observed associations between higher consumption of ultra processed foods and adverse health outcomes are concerning.

SACN recommended that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt and free sugars and low in fibre. This is based on the nutrient content of many ultra processed foods and concerns raised in relation to health.

SACN’s recommendations align with existing policies for supporting healthier diets and advice to consumers. SACN will keep the topic of food processing and health under annual review and consider it again in 2026.

SACN has also previously advised on consumption of fruit and vegetables, supporting the WHO recommendations (2003), red and processed meat as part of its assessment on iron and health (2010), and on consumption of whole grain foods, as part of its recommendations on Carbohydrates and Health (2015). The UK’s national food model the Eatwell Guide, which is based on SACN’s recommendations, already advises that people should eat more fruit and vegetables and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recent review of the Disabled Facilities Grant upper limit, when his Department will publish (a) the results of the review and (b) a report on next steps; and what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the DFG system for people living with motor neurone disease. \p Stephen Kinnock: In England, the Government continues to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes. This includes people living with motor neurone disease.

We have provided an additional £172 million across the current and previous financial years to uplift the DFG, which could provide around 15,600 home adaptations to give older and disabled people more independence in their homes. This brings the total funding for the DFG to £711 million in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

We continue to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. Recently, we carried out a review of the upper limit for the DFG. This was an internal review and will not be published. We are currently considering the findings.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to improve access to NHS Continuing Healthcare for people with (a) Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and (b) Corticobasal Degeneration in Mid-Bedforshire constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: Our national statutory guidance, the National framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care, outlines that access to NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessment, care provision, and support should be fair, consistent, and free from discrimination. This national statutory guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care

Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or condition. Individuals can be identified and referred for CHC assessments by a variety of health or social care practitioners who have been trained and are known to the individual. Individuals and families can also request a CHC assessment from a health and care practitioner.

Integrated care boards should make the CHC Public Information Leaflet available to members of the public, for example through local National Health Service websites, hard copies on hospital wards, through primary care outlets, local care homes, and local voluntary sector organisations. This Public Information Leaflet containing further information on CHC is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care-public-information-leaflet/public-information-leaflet-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care--2

NHS England has also commissioned an information and advice service for CHC, supplied by Beacon, which individuals and their families might find helpful, and which is available at the following link:

https://beaconchc.co.uk/how-we-can-help/free-information-and-advice-on-nhs-continuing-healthcare/
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board on improving (a) dementia diagnosis and (b) care pathways in West Dorset constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care engages regularly with integrated care boards (ICBs) on a number of matters, including dementia.

Through such engagement, we are aware that GPs and frailty teams are being supported by the ICB and Memory Assessment Services (MAS) to start using the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate (DiADeM) diagnostic tool within the care home population. Patients and their carers are referred to the support offered by partner charity Help and Care’s wider community services on acceptance to the MAS, so they can be matched with appropriate support and information while they wait for an assessment and possible diagnosis.

The post-diagnosis Dementia Coordinator service is then made directly available when the person receives a dementia diagnosis for more long-term coordinated support response and information around living well with the condition. This is and will be a pan-Dorset service, providing equity across the county.

Under the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the efficiency (a) rural and (b) urban hospitals; and how many hospitals in each of those categories are within the top quarter most efficient hospitals. \p Karin Smyth: As part of the 2025/26 planning process, all National Health Service organisations were required to set efficiency and savings targets necessary to achieve a balanced financial position. These targets are publicly available in hospital board reports. The Department and NHS England do not assess hospital performance based solely on efficiency. Instead, the NHS Oversight Framework (NOF) measures NHS trust and foundation trust performance across a range of metrics. These reflect the delivery of NHS priorities, including performance against targets like reducing wait times for electives and accident and emergency, and improving ambulance response times.

The NOF assigns trusts to four equal-sized performance categories called ‘segments’. NHS England has also recently published newly developed league tables to bring greater transparency to NHS performance at a provider level.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with private sector health providers on the implementation of the NHS 10 Year Plan. \p Karin Smyth: The 10 Year Health Plan for England sets out a transformed vision for planned care by 2035, where the majority of interactions no longer take place in a hospital building, instead happening virtually, online or via neighbourhood services. Planned care will be more efficient, timely and effective and will put control in the hands of patients.

The plan builds on the Elective Reform Plan and Independent Sector Partnership Agreement, published in January, setting a clear commitment to using spare capacity in independent sector providers to treat National Health Service patients, driving choice and empowerment for more patients, and entering discussions to expand NHS provision in the most disadvantaged areas to tackle health inequalities. The Government is steadfast in its commitment to the guiding principle that the NHS will always be free at the point of use, however it would be a dereliction of duty not to use every available resource to get patients the care they need.

We have already started working with the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, the representative body for independent sector healthcare providers with over 100 members, to ensure independent healthcare providers can fully support the Government’s objectives to both bring down the electives waiting list, and to return the NHS to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) Coeliac UK and (b) other patient representative groups on access to gluten-free staple products in England. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not held any meetings with integrated care boards (ICBs) or patient groups on the provision of gluten free (GF) bread and flour mixes for patients diagnosed with coeliac disease.

Following consultation, the legislation restricting the prescribing of GF foods to bread and mixes came into force in December 2018, and NHS England’s guidance on prescribing GF foods in primary care was subsequently issued to clinical commissioning groups, now ICBs. Following a review in 2019, the position in England remains that GF bread and mixes can be provided to all eligible coeliac patients on a National Health Service prescription, and a wide range of these items continue to be listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. NHS England currently has no plans to update the guidance.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the ratio of community hospital beds to acute hospital beds is in (a) England (b) Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and (c) the Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust area. \p Karin Smyth: Data on both general and acute beds and intermediate beds at a national and regional level is published monthly on the NHS England website.

Data on general and acute beds is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/bed-availability-and-occupancy/critical-care-and-general-acute-beds-urgent-and-emergency-care-daily-situation-reports/critical-care-and-general-acute-beds-urgent-and-emergency-care-daily-situation-reports-25-26/

Data on intermediate care beds is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/intermediate-care/

Trust-level data is not published for intermediate care beds.
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce workplace pressures on NHS dentists. \p Stephen Kinnock: We recently held a public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and the quality of NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August. The Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.

If implemented, these reforms will cement our commitment to delivering 700,000 more urgent dental care appointments every year, better supporting patients with complex treatment needs and incentivising the delivery of more preventative care. The interim reform changes will seek to make NHS dentistry a more attractive workplace.

We will also publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan and will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to review the (a) necessity and (b) frequency of annual reviews within NHS Continuing Health Care; and whether he plans to adjust those requirements. \p Stephen Kinnock: The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care outlines the necessity and frequency of NHS Continuing Healthcare reviews. A review should be undertaken within three months of the eligibility decision being made, and then on at least an annual basis. Reviews should primarily focus on whether the care plan or arrangements remain appropriate to meet the individual’s needs. It is expected that, in the majority of cases, there will be no need to reassess for eligibility. The frequency, format and attendance at reviews should be proportionate to the situation in question.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of RQF Level 3-5 dental professionals from the list of Skilled Worker Visa eligible sponsored roles on patient access to dental care. \p Stephen Kinnock: Dentists, dental surgeons and other dental practitioners, including orthodontists, meet the raised skills threshold of Regulation Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 or above and continue to remain eligible for the Skilled Worker visa.

Those individuals already in the Skilled Worker route in dental professional roles at RQF 3 to 5, who have a certificate of sponsorship issued before 22 July 2025, can continue to work and extend their visas as long as they meet occupation salary thresholds. However, as these roles do not meet the new skills threshold of RQF level 6 or above, new visa applicants after 22 July are not eligible.

The numbers recruited from overseas into the dental professions are relatively low when compared to other healthcare professions such as nurses or doctors. In the second quarter of 2025, 29 dental nurses and 38 medical and dental technicians (including, though not exclusively, dental therapists and hygienists) were granted Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visas.
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Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on ensuring that the new Health and Care Worker visa salary threshold does not undermine NHS workforce planning. \p Stephen Kinnock: My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a range of subjects, including immigration policy.

From 9 April 2025, the minimum salary for Health and Care Worker Visa holders increased to £25,000 per year. This applies to new Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after that date. No specific assessment has been made on the impact of this change on the delivery of National Health Service and social care services in Somerset and other rural areas.

Entry level NHS Agenda for Change band 3 roles do not meet the new minimum salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa. However, Agenda for Change NHS pay band 3 staff currently on the Health and Care Worker visa are not required to meet the new minimum salary threshold until the point at which they need to renew their visa. At this point, we expect the majority of staff to have accrued two or more years’ experience and therefore be at the top of pay band 3, which is above the new minimum salary threshold.

Information on the number of health and social care staff who are unable to renew their visas as a result of the new minimum salary threshold for the Health and Care worker visa is not collected centrally.

Whilst we hugely value our international workforce and the skills and experience they bring, we are also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join our NHS. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

International recruitment has also played a valuable role in helping grow the adult social care (ASC) workforce and has given the health and care sectors the benefit of the skill and commitment of overseas workers who wish to work in the UK. However, it is the Government’s policy to reduce reliance on international recruitment in ASC and improve domestic recruitment and retention.

The Department monitors ASC workforce capacity, bringing together national data sets from Skills for Care’s monthly tracking data, the Capacity Tracker tool, and intelligence from key sector partners.

We will also use annual estimates of demographics within the ASC workforce from Skills for Care to monitor trends in the number of posts within the sector which are filled by British nationals, supplemented by additional intelligence.
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Lee Barron:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish monthly data from the Capacity Tracker on the number of returned care packages, by (a) NHS-funded and (b) Local Authority-funded recipients. \p Stephen Kinnock: Since January 2025, we have hosted a survey on the Capacity Tracker which has collected information on a voluntary basis from both care home and home care provider locations regarding their handing back of local authority or National Health Service funded packages of care. We are considering how this information might best be shared publicly in a way that provides insights that are as accurate and useful as possible for the sector. We do not yet have an intended publication date.
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John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which companies have expressed an interest in investing in Public Private Partnerships. \p Karin Smyth: The Government announced in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy document, published on 19 June, and its 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, that it will explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure.

A decision whether to use PPPs in these circumstances will be taken in the Autumn Budget 2025, based on co-development of a model and business case between the Department and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.

Any new model will be market-tested and informed by past lessons and recent Government reviews to ensure better outcomes and value for money.

To better understand market appetite and lessons learned from previous PPPs, the Department conducted a successful preliminary market engagement exercise over the course of the summer. We had in excess of 320 interested parties who registered an interest, including advisors, construction, equity, debt, facilities management, and managed service providers. This preliminary market engagement exercise was not inviting expression of interest to invest, instead, it was focused on testing market appetite for a new PPP model and discussing lessons learnt.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the availability of space in (a) surgeries and (b) community buildings on the implementation of the NHS 10 Year Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: Over the course of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to deliver a Neighbourhood Health Centre (NHC) in every community. The Department of Health and Social Care is currently determining how best to trial NHCs, including identifying potential site locations.

Wherever possible, we will maximise value for money by repurposing poorly used, existing NHS and public sector estate. To support this, we have requested initial information from systems on local assets they already have.

As strategic commissioners, integrated care boards will be key in identifying where NHCs are required, where more efficient and effective use could be made of existing assets, and defining their requirements for an NHC in the context of other supporting infrastructure in the local area.

The £102 million Primary Care Utilisation & Modernisation Fund will upgrade more than a thousand GP surgeries across England. Improving use of existing buildings and spaces will enable improved productivity and projects will focus on works that unlock additional clinical space and make better use of existing buildings. They will include much-needed conversion, refurbishment and reconfiguration schemes.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on what date he last met with Baroness Casey to discuss her Commission on adult social care. \p Stephen Kinnock: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, engages with Baroness Louise Casey regularly on a number of issues, including adult social care.

The commission is independent, and Baroness Casey has the autonomy to define her own engagement plans, including with ministers, based on what she believes is most appropriate for the commission’s work.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing guidance on the financial implications for GP partnerships of the NHS 10 Year Plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: We remain committed to the GP partnership model and have committed to working with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association (GPC England) to secure a new substantive GP contract within this Parliament.

The 10-Year Health Plan represents a significant opportunity for general practice. It signals our intention to build a neighbourhood health service, shifting resources from hospital to community, with general practice playing a central role. The excellent GP leaders we currently have across the system, and those we will nurture and develop for future generations, will be integral in shaping and delivering neighbourhood health.

We will engage with GPC England and other key stakeholders on changes to the GP contract, longer-term General Medical Services contract reform and neighbourhood health arrangements over the coming weeks and months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-12)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review capital funding allocation processes for new GP premises, in the context of the potential impact of the integrated care board framework on such expansions. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government recognises the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects, such as new general practice (GP) facilities, significant upgrades or other targeted capital investments. The Department is currently reviewing capital requirements in line with the Government’s priorities and as part of our preparations for future budget allocations and guidance to the National Health Service on multi-year planning.

In May, we announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund to deliver upgrades this financial year to GP surgeries across England. These schemes will create additional clinical space to enable practices to see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care.

Integrated care systems’ estates infrastructure strategies have been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies help take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services including the development of a Neighbourhood Service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-12)

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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in (a) England, (b) Warwickshire and (c) the Stratford-on-Avon District Council area sold their homes to pay for care costs in the most recent year for which data is available. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold data on the number of individuals who have sold their homes to pay for care costs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-12)

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Fred Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing standardised charges for (a) non-core GP services and (b) the D4 medical check for drivers. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are some medical evidence letters, certificates, or reports that general practices (GPs) may charge for, and other certificates that they must not charge patients for. The legislation that sets this out is the General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services Regulations, which forms the basis of the GP Contract with the National Health Service. The D4 medical checks are considered private work.

The Professional Fees Committee of the British Medical Association suggests guideline fees for such services to help doctors set their own fees, and in some instances, have agreed standardised fees directly with organisations for some public services. For GPs setting their own fees, we would expect practices to charge a reasonable sum for any workload involved, and to forewarn patients at the earliest opportunity.

The Government is intent on reducing the burden of administrative tasks and unnecessary bureaucracy. This includes encouraging the use of alternative evidence where medical evidence is not part of the GP Contract, and this may include hospital discharge letters, previous reports, or prescriptions, as in many cases these will be accepted as evidence.

The Government and NHS England have launched a Red Tape Challenge to cut down on bureaucracy, to free up time to spend with patients. The 10-Year Health Plan set outs our commitment to deliver the recommendations of the Red Tape Challenge, which includes ensuring that GPs can spend less time filling in forms and more time caring for patients.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-12)

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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the wholesale price increase of Mounjaro on patients managing (a) obesity and (b) type 2 diabetes. \p Karin Smyth: 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.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's proposal for pharmacists to be granted additional powers to make minor substitutions to prescribed medications, such as substituting it for a different quantity, if there is a shortage of the medication in question and it is out-of-stock. \p Stephen Kinnock: We will consult on proposals enabling pharmacists working in a community pharmacy to be granted the flexibility to supply an alternative strength or formulation, and hence also quantity, against a prescription written by another prescriber, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. This will improve patient access to medicines and improve patient experience.

Alongside this, we have serious shortage protocols (SSPs), which are a tool to manage and mitigate medicine and medical device shortages. An SSP enables community pharmacists to supply a specified alternative in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-12)

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David Burton-Sampson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce stigma associated with migraine in workplaces and wider society. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government recognises that migraine is a serious neurological condition and that poor access to care and services can be exacerbated by stigma among healthcare professionals around the condition, while some employers may also not fully understand the condition and its impact on employees too. We are committed to ensuring that people suffering from migraines are supported effectively.

Comprehensive information on migraine, including symptoms and treatment options, is available on the National Health Service website. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published clinical guidance, Headaches: Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults, which sets out evidence based best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment and support of people who suffer from migraines.

We expect integrated care boards to have regard to NHS England’s RightCare Headache and Migraines Toolkit, which aims to improve the diagnosis and management of headache disorders in primary and community care settings.

The three shifts outlined in the recently published 10 Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with migraines, to better manage their conditions and access services closer to home. Shifting care to community-based Neighbourhood Centres, expanding the role of pharmacy, the expansion of care plans, and the use of digital tools to help patients manage their condition and understand their attack patterns, will all provide for earlier, more consistent, and more accessible care for people with migraine.

The Government offers tailored guidance to employers on supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in the workplace, through its Support with Employee Health and Disability Service. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disabilities, plus guidance on legal obligations and making reasonable adjustments.