theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Amanda Hack:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the potential impact on carers is taken into account in NICE’s health technology appraisal decisions. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process allows its independent committees to take societal benefits, such as health-related quality-of-life for carers and impacts on personal social services, into account. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health technology evaluations manual, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg36

Evaluations should consider all health effects for patients, and, when relevant, carers. When presenting health effects for carers, evidence should show when the condition is associated with a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life and how the technology affects carers. This applies for all therapies, including therapies for rare diseases. NICE appraisals specifically consider health-related quality of life, for both patients and carers, rather than quality of life as a whole.
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Lizzi Collinge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expedite decisions on access to new treatments for secondary breast cancer. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS is legally required to fund NICE recommended medicines, normally within three months of final guidance, and cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the point of a positive draft NICE recommendation.

NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing to ensure that patients are able to benefit from rapid access to clinically and cost effective new medicines. The Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out the measures we are taking that will mean that patients are able to access medicines three to six months faster, including improved alignment between the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s decisions and NICE’s guidance publication. The Life Sciences Sector Plan is published and available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/688c90a8e8ba9507fc1b090c/Life_Sciences_Sector_Plan.pdf
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with devolved Administrations to help reduce waiting times from GP referral to first routine dermatology appointments. \p Karin Smyth: It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment. Although health is a devolved matter, bringing down the elective waiting lists, including for dermatology, is a top priority across the four nations of the UK. We are working collaboratively with the devolved administrations to drive forward our objective of supporting people to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.

This includes special cross-border arrangements for patients who live on the English and Welsh border to make sure they receive healthcare without confusion or delay, and that patient data can be accessed by relevant professionals. We will continue to ensure these arrangements support high-quality care for patients in both England and Wales.

We continue to work with colleagues across all the devolved administrations to share knowledge and insights into National Health Service data and performance across all specialities, including dermatology.
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Amanda Hack:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that NICE appraisal decisions for (a) progressive and (b) degenerative diseases are taken in a timely manner. . \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. To enable rapid access for NHS patients to effective new treatments, NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

In line with commitments set out in the Regulation Action Plan, NICE is continuing to transform its technology appraisal process and is aiming for 60% of technology appraisals to be completed in 240 working days after the start of the appraisal. NICE is also working to align its processes with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, supported by information sharing and joint scientific advice, to speed up decision making and reduce the administrative burden for the system and industry, allowing new and innovative technologies to get to patients faster.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled Managing healthcare easy as online banking with revamped NHS App, published on 3 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people who are digitally-excluded can access health services available through the NHS App. \p Karin Smyth: We are working to improve access to digital services, outcomes, and experiences for the widest range of people, based on their preferences. Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support, with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services.

Centrally built services, such as the NHS App and the NHS.UK website, are designed to meet international accessibility standards. We are modernising the mobile patient experience within the NHS App, ensuring information is clearly structured and easy to find and understand.

NHS England has successfully run several programmes to support patients, carers, and health service staff with their digital skills. These include:

- the Digital Health Champions programme, a proof of concept to support citizens who have no or low digital skills with understanding how to access health services online;

- the Widening Digital Participation programme, aimed to ensure more people have the digital skills, motivation, and means to access health information and services online; and

- the NHS App ‘Spoken Word’ Pilot project, designed to test the efficacy of promoting National Health Service digital health products and services in languages other than English.

We have also recruited over 2,000 NHS App ambassadors and 1,400 libraries to help people to learn how to use it.

NHS England has published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding is available to upgrade hospital helipads to enable night-time operation. \p Karin Smyth: Hospital helipads can be funded via several routes, including by National Health Service trusts, charities, and donors. NHS trusts, working with integrated care systems, can use their local capital budgets to support investment in helipads where these are a local priority, either directly or as part of larger infrastructure projects. Decisions on upgrading hospital helipads are taken at a local level.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in digitising patient records in NHS trusts in Teesside. \p Karin Smyth: University Hospitals Tees (UHT), comprising of the North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, continues to progress its ambitions in digitising patient records across Teesside, North Yorkshire, and County Durham.

A recent digital patient record success for UHT was the achievement of the BSI0008:2020 accreditation. This means that the scanning bureau at the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust now holds the accreditation equivalent to that of major national and international organisations for storing patient information electronically.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase access to Givinostat for patients in North Shropshire constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Department understands the impact that Duchenne muscular dystrophy has on those living with it and their families, and the urgent need for new treatment options.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is currently evaluating givinostat for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and its independent Appraisal Committee met to consider the evidence in July 2025.

The committee identified specific areas where additional evidence is required to support a fully informed decision prior to draft guidance for consultation being published. As a result, NICE has launched a four-week targeted call for evidence from stakeholders, ahead of a further committee meeting in October.
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Fred Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the support available for people diagnosed with osteoporosis. \p Ashley Dalton: In July, we published the 10 Year Health Plan, which committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. We have invested in 13 new bone density, or DEXA, scanners, which are expected to provide up to 29,000 extra scans per year to ensure people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

We are also working to deliver the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. GIRFT teams are working with integrated care board leaders to further reduce musculoskeletal community waiting times and improve data and metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services.

In the last three years, two new drugs have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for the treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, Abaloparatide and Romosozumab. These medications help to strengthen the bones and prevent bone loss, thereby reducing the risk of fractures.
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce concerns amongst NHS dental professionals about the cost of clinical negligence claims. \p Ashley Dalton: The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. The causes of the overall cost rise are complex and there is no single fix. In the 10 Year Health Plan we announced David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. This review is focussed on clinical negligence claims in the NHS generally, not specifically on dentistry.

In terms of NHS dentistry reform, we recently held a public consultation on a package of changes, not only to improve access and quality, but also to make NHS dentistry a more professionally fulfilling and rewarding place in which to work. The consultation closed on 19 August, and the Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to conduct a review of blood donation rules for people over the age of 70. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England, and blood donor selection guidelines are prepared by the Joint United Kingdom Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC), with further information available at the following link:

https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/

JPAC is due to conduct a review of the upper age limit for new and returning donors in 2026, following analysis of adverse events over the preceding 12 months since NHSBT, and other UK blood services, adopted its updated guidelines for returning donors in 2024. A copy of the guidelines is attached.

The current maximum age of first-time donors was extended from 60 to 65 years old in line with Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 limits on the safe age range for new donors, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/50/contents

There is no age limit for regular donors, who may continue to give blood over the age of 72 years old if they remain in good health and have made at least one full donation in the last two years.

Returning donors, those who have given blood anywhere in the world without an adverse reaction, can return to donating up to, and on, their 72nd birthday, and then can continue to donate as long as they remain healthy

PQ70808/09 Document  (pdf, 125.7KB)
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with NICE on providing up-to-date guidance for clinicians on the provision of HRT to people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. \p Ashley Dalton: There are currently no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on the provision of HRT to people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Topics for new or updated guidance are considered through the NICE prioritisation process. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by a prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s Chief Medical Officer.

NICE makes independent, evidence-based recommendations for the health and care system on best practice. It is right that decisions on the topics to be prioritised for guidance development should be based on the evidence and in line with NICE’s process.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve access to (a) podiatry and (b) physiotherapy services for patients with plantar fasciitis. \p Ashley Dalton: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, which includes the provision of physiotherapy and podiatry services for the management of plantar fasciitis.

NHS England does not hold condition-specific data that would allow identification of access issues for patients with plantar fasciitis. However, aggregate data on community health services, including physiotherapy and podiatry, is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/

It is important to note that this data set does not include services delivered by acute providers. For information on waiting times for specific conditions, individual providers would need to be approached directly, although such data is unlikely to be routinely collected or reported at that level of detail.

The Getting It Right First Time Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Delivery Programme is funded by the Joint Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Work and Health Directorate with a key objective being the reduction of waiting times for community MSK services. The programme is using a six-point plan, a handbook with case studies, and regular meetings with senior ICB officials to support 17 systems in the reduction of their waiting times. This programme is currently being evaluated with the aim of sharing lessons across the National Health Service.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the quality of the treatment available to people with Leukaemia in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire. \p Ashley Dalton: We will get the NHS diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so more patients survive, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system. This will benefit patients across the system, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.

We have not made a specific assessment of leukaemia treatment in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme. However, in September 2024, NHS England announced a new targeted treatment, Quizartinib, to be prescribed to newly diagnosed patients with a specific type of leukaemia, boosting their chance of remission and long-term survival. This was made available through NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund, which fast-tracks new innovative cancer treatments into standard care. This followed a previous announcement in August 2024, announcing the new treatment, Zanubrutini, for those with marginal zone lymphoma, which could halt the progression of their cancer and provide an alternative to further rounds of chemotherapy.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential savings to the public purse following the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine programme. \p Ashley Dalton: The chickenpox vaccination programme is considered cost-effective and is expected to relieve pressures on health services that currently result from treating cases of chickenpox, saving the NHS an estimated £15 million a year in costs.

The vaccination programme forms part of the Government’s wider ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever as part of our Plan for Change, boosting the nation’s health and ensuring the future sustainability of the NHS as we shift the focus of healthcare from treatment to prevention.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable (a) access to long covid services, (b) care outcomes and (c) patient experience for people with long covid. \p Ashley Dalton: Since April 2024, the commissioning of post-COVID, or long COVID, services have been the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs), following the closure of the national post-COVID programme.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning specialist services for long COVID that meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding. In the commissioning of services, commissioners should take account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, commissioning guidance, and other best practice.

NHS England has published commissioning guidance for post-COVID services, which sets out the commissioning, service requirements, and oversight of post-COVID services by ICBs in England for adults, and children and young people. It outlines the elements that post-COVID services should include and the principles of care for long COVID. The guidance also sets out that a proportion of long COVID services funding should be allocated to tackling health inequalities. The commissioning guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/commissioning-guidance-for-post-covid-services-for-adults-children-and-young-people/
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many confirmed cases of cholera there have been in the UK in the last 10 years. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) holds data on cholera cases diagnosed in the United Kingdom by the Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit.

The number of people with cholera in the UK is published as part of the UKHSA’s Travel-associated infection report. The latest report, published in August 2025, and previous reports, can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/travel-associated-infections

There have been 132 diagnosed cases of cholera in the UK between 2015 and June 2025. All cases have been linked with travel outside the UK. The following table shows the number of confirmed cases of cholera per year:

Year

Total number of confirmed cases

2015

15

2016

16

2017

15

2018

16

2019

15

2020

2

2021

2

2022

20

2023

14

2024

9

2025

8

Note: data is available to 30 June 2025.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide preventative health services in Stockport constituency's most deprived wards. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government’s mission is to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor, through the Health Mission and 10-Year Health Plan. Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how a shift to prevention will deliver healthier, more prosperous lives for all, but particularly for those suffering the consequences of widening levels of health inequality.

Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free UK and we will take decisive action to tackle the obesity crisis and create the healthiest generation of children ever, working in partnership with schools, supermarkets, and pharmaceutical companies.

We will also be asking the NHS to do more on secondary prevention, including through strengthening its vaccination and screening programmes.

The public health grant is paid to local authorities and is used to provide vital preventative services that help to support health. In 2025/26, funding for all local authorities through the public health grant will be £3.884 billion. This is an average 3.4% real terms increase in local authority public health grant funding, compared to 2024/25. This is complemented by almost £490 million of additional targeted investment in local drug and alcohol treatment, early years and stop smoking services. This represents a significant turning point for local public health services, marking the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending. Our Regional Team works with and supports North West local authorities across a wide range of portfolios that support taking action on health inequalities including children's services, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol services, physical activity and obesity, mental wellbeing, work and health, wider determinants of health and health literacy.
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Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage research on and (b) support the development of (i) strategic partnerships and (ii) research infrastructure for ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including post-acute infection condition such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), for which research funding is available. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality, rather than designating an amount of funding for a particular condition. Welcoming applications on ME/CFS and other post-acute infection conditions to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

The NIHR Academy offers extensive support for early-career researchers through various fellowships, training awards, and mentoring structures. For instance, through the INSIGHT Programme, they work with universities to fund research masters studentships and to attract students into research. Through Academic Clinical Fellowships, for doctors and dentists, and Predoctoral Academic Fellowships, for other health professionals, the NIHR Academy supports healthcare practitioners in integrating research with clinical practice.

Together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation, we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS final delivery plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical inventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including for ME/CFS and long COVID, later this year to stimulate further research in this field.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with local councils on the effectiveness of bleed control kits in urban centres with elevated rates of violent crime or road traffic collisions. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government has engaged with a range of stakeholders on the effectiveness of a number of trauma and bleed kits in regards to serious violence or for use in other settings. In response to the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the Department for Health and Social Care has worked alongside partners such as the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), health stakeholders and civil society to standardise the contents of Public Access Trauma Kits (PAcT kits). These kits can be found at venues and public spaces of private and public sector organisations and are suitable to support the treatment of many life-threatening injuries.

To ensure PAcT kits can be used by any person regardless of training, instructions on their use have been made clearer and universal signage has also been developed so PAcT kit locations can be better identified.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to increase support available for people with neurological conditions. \p Ashley Dalton: Our 10-Year Health Plan, Fit for the Future, will ensure that people with neurological conditions receive better support through its three shifts: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention.

Neighbourhood health centres will provide integrated, accessible, and localised services that will focus on early detection and diagnosis and comprehensive multidisciplinary care. By being community-based, the centres will reduce barriers to care and ongoing support and will empower patients to manage their condition more effectively.

People with complex conditions will be offered a personalised care plan, developed with healthcare professionals. These will improve care coordination and ensure care is tailored to the individual's needs.

We have committed to at least doubling the number of people offered a personal health budget by the 2028/29 financial year, and we will make personal health budgets a universal offer for all who would benefit from them by 2035. This will give people greater autonomy, flexibility, and involvement in their own healthcare, allowing them to organise the care that best meets their needs.

Digital tools like the NHS App will empower patients to manage their conditions, access information, and communicate with healthcare professionals more easily. Digital technologies will also enable remote monitoring of patients, allowing for early intervention and personalised care.

The 10-Year Health Plan envisions a healthcare system that is more proactive, personalised, and digitally enabled, leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective management, and ultimately, better outcomes for individuals with long-term conditions, including those with neurological conditions.
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Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps their Department is taking to implement the guidance entitled The government’s approach to rural proofing 2025, published on 15 May 2025. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed. Rural proofing ensures that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.

Rural proofing is important because rural communities are an important part of the economy. Rural areas are home to approximately one-fifth of England’s population and half a million registered businesses.

Policy outcomes in rural areas can be affected by economies of scale, distance, sparsity, and demography. That is why it is important that Government policies consider how they can be delivered in rural areas. Rural proofing ensures that these areas receive fair and equitable policy outcomes.

Our Department takes its obligation to rural proof seriously. The 10-Year Health Plan and its three shifts, from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital, are aiming to better reflect the needs of the local population and thereby support better health and social care access and outcomes in rural communities.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) raise awareness of prostate cancer symptoms and (b) encourage men to come forward for testing. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department remains committed to raising awareness of all cancer types, including prostate cancer, and recognises that there is more to be done to encourage men at increased risk to come forward for testing.

The National Health Service, and several other local and national organisations, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including prostate cancer. This information can be found on the NHS.UK website, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms/

Men with symptoms, those over the age of 50 years old, those from a black ethnic background, or those with a family history of prostate cancer, who are worried about their risk of prostate cancer, are urged to see a general practitioner.

In January 2025, NHS England re-launched its Abdominal and urological symptoms of cancer phase of the Help Us Help You public awareness campaigns. These public campaigns aim to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner.

In addition, NHS England has delivered a full roll out of non-specific symptom pathways, designed to speed up the diagnosis of cancer. Non-specific symptom pathways introduce a route to possible diagnosis for patients who display symptoms that could indicate cancer, but which do not align to specific cancers.
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Tom Gordon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the 10 year health plan on levels of inequality in access to wearable diabetes technology. \p Ashley Dalton: The 10 Year Health Plan aims to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and enhance the care of patients living with diabetes through the delivery of the three shifts. Hospital to community will enable those living with diabetes to manage their care in the best way for them through the Neighbourhood Health Service. Analogue to digital will make it easier for those living with diabetes to access tailored advice and manage their appointments at a time that suits them. Treatment to prevention will make it easier for people to access diabetes screening and support people to make healthier choices to prevent them from developing type 2 diabetes.

By 2035, all patients will have access to wearables. Wearables will enable patients and their carers to better manage their care by having access to their health data such as blood pressure and glucose levels. They will also enable remote monitoring to alert a patient’s care team to any issues so that appropriate interventions can be made quickly before they progress.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to support partnerships between (a) local pharmacies and (b) drug and alcohol support charities to deliver harm reduction services in (i) Fylde and (ii) Lancashire. \p Ashley Dalton: Many community pharmacies provide locally commissioned services aimed at reducing harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs. This includes supervised consumption of opioid substitution treatment medicines like methadone, needle and syringe programmes, and naloxone provision. Pharmacies also provide free healthcare advice, public health interventions, and signposting to relevant organisations and services.

Local substance misuse services and community pharmacies should work together to help provide an effective service to people who use drugs and alcohol. This includes encouraging person-centred and trauma-informed treatment with shared decision-making.

In 2024, the Department published guidance for community pharmacies delivering substance misuse services. This outlined good practice for delivering safe and effective care and advice on joint working between services and commissioners and community pharmacies. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-pharmacy-delivering-substance-misuse-services/community-pharmacy-delivering-substance-misuse-services#multidisciplinary-team-and-joint-working

The Department is aware of the challenges in the ability of some community pharmacies to provide substance misuse services and has been supporting drug and alcohol treatment services to identify local solutions, including increased payment and some alternative models of provision of these services.

In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing Lancashire with £10,424,106 to help improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems. All funding is provided at the Lancashire level, and it is for Lancashire County Council to determine how to meet needs in Fylde. This funding can be used to support local community pharmacies and drug and alcohol support charities to deliver harm reduction services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_289

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the readiness of NHS services in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire to deliver the chickenpox vaccine from January 2026. \p Ashley Dalton: On 29 August, the Government announced plans to introduce chickenpox vaccination into the routine childhood immunisation schedule from 1 January 2026, using the MMRV vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (varicella).

The MMRV vaccine will be offered at GP practices as part of routine infant vaccination appointments.

Any vaccination programme change carefully considers factors including National Health Service delivery and impact on other vaccination programmes.

The Department, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency work closely together to inform and educate the public and health professionals and ensure system readiness to maintain the high standards of the UK’s world-leading vaccination programmes, including in Fylde and Lancashire.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_290

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve multiple sclerosis services in NHS hospitals in Devon. \p Ashley Dalton: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for their local populations, including for multiple sclerosis (MS). The Government expects ICBs to assess the demand for service provision when designing their local services.

Nationally, there are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as MS, across England. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which is supporting National Health Service trusts throughout England, including in Devon, to improve services by identifying and eliminating variations in care, sharing best practice, and promoting greater efficiency through clinically led reviews of neurology services. This is leading to faster diagnoses, improved access to specialist care and therapies, better coordinated and joined-up services, and better outcomes for people with MS, while also reducing costs and waiting times.

NHS England is responsible for the overall framework of NHS service specifications, which are developed by specialised clinical reference groups in conjunction with specialist clinicians, commissioners, and expert patients. In August, NHS England published a new service specification covering the provision of specialised adult neurology services, including MS services. By setting out a model of care that reflects how services should work together across services and specialisms, the new specification establishes a clear framework to help ensure that care is clinically effective and responsive to patients’ needs. The specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-neurology-services-adults/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_291

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made on implementing the Child Health Action Plan. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever, ensuring that every child has a healthy, happy start to life, and giving mental health the same focus as physical health. This commitment was recently reaffirmed in the 10 Year Health Plan, which outlined the first steps we are taking to progress this goal.

The Government has taken action already, including through:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_292

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating health conditions linked to exposure to domestic bonfire smoke in areas with high rates of respiratory illness. \p Ashley Dalton: Local authorities have a duty to monitor and review air quality in their areas. The Environment Agency manages the United Kingdom's national monitoring sites on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

No specific assessment of the cost has been made. It is not possible to determine the specific impact of domestic bonfire smoke from other similar pollutant sources.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_293

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential health impact of air pollution in Yeovil constituency on young residents. \p Ashley Dalton: It is well established that children can be more vulnerable to air pollution, which may affect their lungs and worsen conditions like asthma.

In March, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants reviewed the latest evidence and advised that children with asthma should continue to be considered in the Daily Air Quality Index. A full list of its recommendations is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-given-to-the-air-quality-information-system-aqis-review-steering-group

Local authorities have a duty to monitor and review air quality in their areas. Annual reports with details of the monitoring carried out, as well as actions that are being taken to improve air quality in the Somerset area, including Yeovil, are available at the following link:

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-food-safety/air-quality-and-health/

The Environment Agency manages the United Kingdom's national monitoring sites on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-08)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-08 conversation_294

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that cancer patients have access to treatments comparable to those available abroad in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: Cancer patients, including those in South Basildon and East Thurrock, are waiting too long for a diagnosis and treatment. We are determined to change that.

We set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform Plan. Our reforms to cancer care will see more than 100,000 people getting diagnosed faster, and thousands more starting treatment within two months and across the National Health Service, and we have already hit our target of delivering 4.5 million extra operations, scans, and appointments. This is more than double our commitment to deliver an extra two million appointments in England in our first year. The Government has invested £70 million of central funding to replace radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to the patients who need it. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the local provider for cancer services in the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, has been awarded funding for a replacement machine.

Furthermore, the National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer.

Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years. To do this, we will deliver targeted improvements and interventions, drive research and innovation, focus on prevention, and ensure patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.