theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Dame Caroline Dinenage:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will complete the review into NHS Pensions' ability to meet the revised deadlines for issuing Remediable Service Statements set by the government on 31 March 2025. \p Karin Smyth: The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us.

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.
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Dr Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to discharge medically fit patients on the use of corridor care in NHS hospitals. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of care and is determined to consign corridor care to the history books. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding.

The plan sets as a priority that hospitals should tackle the delays in patients waiting to be discharged, both for the benefit of those patients and to improve flow through hospitals. Trusts should eliminate discharge delays of more than 48 hours caused by in-hospital issues, and work with local authorities to tackle the longest delays, starting with those over 21 days, and to profile discharges by pathway to support local planning.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have had a kidney transplant on the NHS in the last 12 months. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: NHS Blood and Transplant is the organisation responsible for organ donation in the United Kingdom, and they manage the NHS Organ Donor Register and National Transplant Register.

Between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, 3,381 individual patients received a kidney transplant from 3,385 donors. 2,373 were from deceased donors and 1,012 were from living donors. Of the 3,381 patients that received a kidney transplant, four received two transplants within this period.

This is a United Kingdom four nation service and I am proud of its achievements.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for palliative care services in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission, including the NHS Lincolnshire ICB, which covers the South Holland and The Deepings constituency. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of palliative care and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I am pleased to confirm the continuation of circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, for the next three financial years, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive, to be distributed again via ICBs. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

More widely, the Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of commissioning children's palliative care at (a) national and (b) regional levels. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services, including for children, are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations.   This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst 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 also play.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I am pleased to confirm the continuation of approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, for the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive, to be distributed again via ICBs.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10- Year Health Plan.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure sustainable long-term funding for hospices through Integrated Care Boards. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are also providing £80 million for children’s and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients.
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Patrick Hurley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I am pleased to confirm the continuation of circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, for the next three financial years, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive, to be distributed again via integrated care boards. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including primary eye care in the NHS 10 year plan. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan was published on the 3 July and can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future.

The 10-Year Health Plan will support more eye care services being delivered in the community and better joint working between primary and secondary eye care services.
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Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the database of AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine side effects was last updated. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for monitoring all authorised medicines and vaccines in the United Kingdom, including the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, on an ongoing basis to ensure their benefits continue to outweigh any risks. This monitoring strategy is continuous, proactive, and based on a wide range of information sources, including reports of adverse events and rare side effects retrieved from the Yellow Card Database. A dedicated team of assessors reviews this information on a weekly basis to look for safety issues or unexpected, rare events.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine no longer has an active market authorisation in the UK, since 2024. Consequently, no additional research activities have been undertaken beyond the ongoing monitoring of reported suspected adverse events through the Yellow Card Scheme. The most recent data extraction of spontaneous suspected adverse reactions reported via the Yellow Card Scheme was conducted on 20 September 2025. Further information is available at the following link:

https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/idaps/CHADOX1%20NCOV-19
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Sarah Green:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS services make reasonable adjustments to accommodate additional need when treating children with (a) SEND and (b) level 3 autism. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government is dedicated to ensuring that National Health Services are accessible for everyone, including for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and those who are autistic. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations must implement reasonable adjustments to enhance accessibility for disabled individuals. All organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care must follow the Accessible Information Standard.

A key initiative being rolled out is the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, supported by e-learning for health and care staff. The flag helps healthcare and social care providers identify and implement necessary reasonable adjustments for people, including any adjustment needs relevant to their SEND or autism, and supports provision of appropriate care.

NHS England has published a range of guidance to support tailored care provision. Guidance on Meeting the Needs of Autistic Adults in Mental Health Settings highlights the need for tailored support for autistic individuals facing mental health difficulties, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/meeting-the-needs-of-autistic-adults-in-mental-health-services/

Guidance on health and care passports sets out how passports should record a person’s health and care information, such as communication preferences, supporting consistent, and tailored care. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/health-and-care-passports-implementation-guidance/

Furthermore, under the Health and Care Act 2022, all Care Quality Commission registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to their role. The Government is rolling out its preferred package, the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, to the health and adult social care workforce.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Henley and Thames of 10 October 2025 on Suicide Bereavement Support Services. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: We replied to the Hon. Member’s correspondence on 13 November 2025.
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether integrated care boards have issued best practice guidance on the provision of health and social care services for those with a learning disability. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: There are clear expectations of integrated care boards (ICBs) in relation to the commissioning of health services for people with a learning disability. The Model ICB Blueprint sets out the direction of travel for their role and functions in relation to commissioning services for the needs of their local population. Further information on the Model ICB Blueprint is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/strategic-commissioning-framework/

Each ICB is expected to have an Executive Lead for learning disability and autism to support the Board in addressing health inequalities, supporting equal access to health services, and planning to meet the needs of its local population of people with a learning disability and autistic people. NHS England has published guidance on expectations for Executive Lead roles which sets out further information, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/executive-lead-roles-on-integrated-care-boards/

There is a range of best practice guidance available to support ICBs to commission services for people with a learning disability, including guidance on Dynamic Support Registers and Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews, a service model for adults, and guidance for developing support and services for children and young people. Further information on all three guidance documents is available, respectively, at the following three links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/dynamic-support-register-and-care-education-and-treatment-review-policy-and-guide/#heading-1

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/service-model-for-commissioners-supporting-people-with-a-learning-disability-andor-autism-who-display-behaviour-that-challenges-including-those-with-a-mental-health-condition/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/developing-support-and-services-for-children-and-young-people-with-a-learning-disability-autism-or-both/

ICBs can also utilise NHS Futures, a digital collaboration platform which supports people working in health and social care to connect, share, and learn across organisations. NHS Futures has dedicated workspaces to support good practice, including resources on learning disability and autism.

The recently published NHS Medium Term Planning Framework emphasises the importance of improving outcomes for people with a learning disability, and our 10-Year Health Plan makes clear that people with disabilities are a priority group for more holistic, ongoing support from neighbourhood health services.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current average waiting time is for an (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessment in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) the South East. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.

For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025, as part of its ADHD data improvement plan, and has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

In respect of autism, the most recent data, published on 13 November 2025, is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics/october-2024-to-september-2025
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many e-RS communications were sent to category F patients in each of the last five years. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The information requested is not available. The term "Category F patient" is not a classification used within the National Health Service e-Referral Service (e-RS) for patient status or priority.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the availability of medicinal cannabis for epilepsy patients in Devon. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The licenced cannabis-based medicine Epidyolex is available on the National Health Service in England for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex. This follows approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE has assessed the available evidence, and concluded that there is a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. NHS funding decisions follow established procedures that ensure equitable distribution of funding, prioritising those medicines that have proved their safety, quality, and clinical and cost effectiveness.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints the NHS has received on language issues in each of the last five years. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Data on written complaints in the National Health Service is published annually and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The data collection is a count of written complaints made by, or on behalf of, patients. It does not include a category specifically on complaints involving language issues.
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Charlie Maynard:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to address the shortage of clinicians working in the prison system; and what impact the shortage of clinicians has on whether inmates receive timely medical attention. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Both the Department and NHS England recognise the impact that clinical staff shortages can have on the timeliness of prisoners receiving medical attention.

NHS England’s national health and justice inclusive workforce programme was created to improve the recruitment and retention of a larger, more diverse, inclusive, and representative workforce for all health and justice services and programmes. It provides a wide range of resources to support the regions and providers to increase recruitment and improve retention, as well as various initiatives to address some of the barriers to employment in prison healthcare. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/health-just/the-health-and-justice-inclusive-workforce-programme/

NHS England’s nursing directorate is also undertaking work around nurse perceptions, which is targeted at the future workforce, 11 to 18 year olds, and which includes prison nurses.
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Sir Iain Duncan Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether all British citizens are eligible to the same access to healthcare across the UK. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: All British citizens who are residents in the United Kingdom are eligible to access healthcare services free at any point of need. In England, Scotland and Wales, this is provided through the National Health Service, and in Northern Ireland through Health and Social Care (HSC). These systems are founded on the principle of providing comprehensive, high-quality healthcare based on clinical need and not the ability to pay.

Health is a devolved matter and the health services in each of the four nations operates under their own legislative and governance arrangements. Eligibility criteria and specific service models may vary between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the UK Government works closely with the Devolved Governments to support a joined-up approach to healthcare, ensuring that people can receive urgent and emergency healthcare wherever they are in the UK.

We will continue to collaborate with our Devolved Government counterparts across the UK through established intergovernmental structures to share best practise and improve access to high-quality healthcare for all our citizens.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which local authorities have (a) received and (b) are housing (i) individuals and (ii) families evacuated from Gaza. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. As of 28 October 2025, four groups of patients have now arrived.

The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these severely ill and vulnerable patients and their families remains our absolute priority. We will not be providing further operational details, including their whereabouts, at this stage.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand patient access to clinical trials for (a) less survivable cancers and (b) pancreatic cancer. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with pancreatic cancer and other less survivable cancers, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

The Department funds research and research infrastructure through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports National Health Service patients, the public, and NHS organisations across England to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trials into cancers.

The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest.

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials, on for example pancreatic cancer, to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) percentage of communications in each language in e-RS communication letters was so far this year. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: NHS England only incurs costs for changes to templates or when new languages are added. Therefore, the primary cost is associated with template updates, not per-letter translation. No changes have been made to templates in 2025, nor have additional languages been added, so no costs for translation have been incurred.

There are no additional variable costs for providing a translated letter, as an English language version of the letter would be sent instead. The following table shows the total number of e-RS letters as well as the proportion of these letters that were translated, sorted by the language they were translated to, for 2024/25 and for 2025/26 to date:

2024/25

2025/26

Total e-RS letters

1,066,650

402,685

Arabic

0.64%

0.57%

Bengali

0.82%

0.74%

Gujarati

0.29%

0.30%

Kurdish

0.21%

0.18%

Persian

0.22%

0.20%

Polish

0.75%

0.73%

Punjabi

0.50%

0.45%

Somali

0.26%

0.22%

Turkish

0.36%

0.35%

Urdu

1.35%

1.27%

Albanian

0.15%

0.13%

Chinese

0.06%

0.06%

French

0.17%

0.15%

Greek

0.08%

0.08%

Hindi

0.17%

0.15%

Hungarian

0.09%

0.09%

Italian

0.18%

0.16%

Lithuanian

0.12%

0.10%

Portuguese

0.32%

0.30%

Romanian

0.48%

0.44%

Russian

0.16%

0.17%

Slovak

0.15%

0.13%

Spanish

0.30%

0.26%

Tamil

0.24%

0.18%

Wolof

0.00%

0.01%

Total translated

8.05%

7.44%
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve coordination between hospital trusts, Integrated Care Boards and hospices to support patient transitions from hospital to community-based end-of-life care. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: National Health Service bodies and local authorities have a duty to co-operate to provide appropriate discharge support according to local need to enable effective and timely discharge. This is of particular importance for individuals who may require palliative and end of life care services.

The Hospital discharge and community support guidance outlines that health and care providers should collaborate to prevent common issues that could disrupt the provision of care as part of the discharge process. Providers should also have regard to the fast-track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare to ensure individuals receive timely, appropriate, and compassionate support following discharge. The Hospital discharge and community support guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance

The Department and NHS England are currently working to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.
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Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to implement a financial redress scheme for people harmed by Sodium Valproate as recommended by the Patients Safety Commissioner. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the increase in eating disorders among teenagers and young adults. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, there is a critical need to shift the treatment of eating disorders from hospital to the community. Improved care in the community will give young people early access to evidence-based treatment involving families and carers, improving outcomes and preventing relapse.

NHS England is currently working to improve children’s community eating disorder services. Improved care in the community will give young people early access to evidence-based treatment involving families and carers, improving outcomes and preventing relapse. By preventing eating disorders from progressing to adulthood, we will help deliver our aim to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.
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Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 85147, what proportion of health research and development has been spent on dentistry in each of the past three years; and how the decision to allocate each sum to dentistry was arrived at. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November 2025 to Question 85147 in which I noted that between 2022/23 and 2024/25 the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department’s research delivery arm, directly spent £18.2 million on research projects and programmes on dentistry research.

Programme funding allocated to a particular topic area is not calculated as a proportion of total NIHR spend. This is because, in addition to directly investing in research projects and programmes, the NIHR also provides investment for cross-cutting research delivery within the National Health Service and wider health and care system, including research facilities and workforce, known as NIHR infrastructure.

The NIHR funds research in response to receiving high-quality applications through regular funding opportunities. 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.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the (a) establishment and (b) delivery of the MHRA Early Access Service. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: In July of this year the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published a statement of policy intent for the development and implementation of an Early Access Service for innovative medical devices. The statement of policy intent is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices#next-steps

The service aims to speed up safe access to innovative medical devices for patients, supporting the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan. The statement set out our intention to work with stakeholders across the life science ecosystem to further develop the policy and to build the internal capability required to deliver the service throughout 2025. Further information on our plans will be provided in early 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_241

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards prioritise ADHD and autism assessments for children and young people approaching (a) key educational stages, (b) GCSEs and (c) post-16 transition points. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: We recognise that transitions between life stages can be particularly challenging for those who find change difficult, including many autistic people and people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, was explicit that integrated care boards (ICBs) and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for autism and ADHD assessments and improve the quality of assessments by implementing existing and new guidance, as published.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for people referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance also sets out what support should be available before an assessment and following a recent diagnosis of autism. They make clear that autism assessment provision is needed throughout the lifespan and that ICBs should ensure that people of all ages can access an autism assessment locally.

NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_242

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing drug prices on patients. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: No such assessments have been published. We will always prioritise the needs of National Health Service patients, and we are protecting the NHS with record investment and reform to deliver better health care.

Investing in the newest medicines so that patients can get access to life saving treatments is a critical part of a modern health care system and one that many charities and patient groups frequently call for.

Life sciences are a cornerstone of our modern industrial strategy, driving growth through world-class research, advanced manufacturing, and innovation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_243

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits (a) introducing free dental care and (b) ensuring access to dental rehabilitation for mouth cancer patients. \p Stephen Kinnock: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2025 to Question PQ89333.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_244

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of introducing a national risk-stratified screening programme for prostate cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which advises ministers on all screening matters, commissioned an evidence review modelling the clinical effectiveness and cost of several approaches to prostate cancer screening. This included different potential ways of screening the whole population and targeted screening aimed at groups of people identified as being at higher-than-average risk, such as black men, men with the BRCA gene mutation, and/or men with a family history of cancer.

The modelling and evidence review reports are now complete, and the UK NSC plans to open a three-month public consultation towards the end of the year. After this, the UK NSC will make a recommendation on screening for prostate cancer. Ministers will then be asked to consider whether to accept the recommendation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_245

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) transparency of data reporting on NHS dental service availability in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: National Health Service dentists are required to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.

Patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. In circumstances where patients are unable to access an urgent dental appointment directly through an NHS dental practice, they should contact NHS 111.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_246

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve training on cleft in (a) undergraduate dental education and (b) ongoing dental professional development. \p Stephen Kinnock: The standard of training for dentists is the responsibility of the General Dental Council (GDC) who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses and dental schools to write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the GDC’s outcome standards.

Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasise the skills and approaches a dentist must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.

NHS England commissions services for children, young people, and adults with a cleft lip and/or palate. The patient pathway can start from pre-birth and continues into adulthood. Cleft services provide care through multi-disciplinary teams, and the comprehensive care pathway will include elements such as paediatric dentistry, restorative dentistry, and orthodontics. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d07-cleft-lip.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_247

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place to monitor NHS dental practices’ compliance with the Equality Act 2010 in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available.

We recognise that certain groups of patients may find it difficult to access dental care. Community dental services are available to people whose additional needs may mean they are not able to be treated at high street dental practices. Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care organisations, including dental practices, have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments in their approach and provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled patients as they are for everybody else. Care Quality Commission regulations mandate that all registered providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_248

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle regional inequalities in access to gluten free prescriptions for patients with coeliac disease. \p Ashley Dalton: Decisions about the commissioning and funding of local health services are the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop local services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

NHS England guidance on Prescribing Gluten-Free foods in Primary Care states that commissioners should restrict the prescribing of gluten-free (GF) foods to bread and mixes only. Under the current legislation, ICBs may choose to further restrict product choice, or end prescribing of GF foods altogether, if they feel that this is appropriate for their population, whilst taking account of their legal duties to advance equality and having regard to reducing health inequalities.

The national prescribing position in England remains that GF bread and mixes can be provided to coeliac patients on an NHS prescription, and a wide range of these items continue to be listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. This means that prescribers can issue NHS prescriptions, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while also being mindful of local and national guidance.

Health is largely a devolved matter and local health arrangements for GF prescribing in Scotland and Wales are a matter for the devolved administrations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_249

Edward Argar:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total full FTE headcount employed by Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland ICS was in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025 as at 1st January of each year. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff employed by hospital trusts and integrated care boards but excludes staff working for other providers such as in primary care or social care. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the Human Resources system for the National Health Service, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

The most recent published data can be found within the July 2025 (Including selected preliminary statistics for August 2025) section of the publication, within the file “NHS Workforce Statistics, July 2025 England and Organisation”. Within this file, the full time equivalent (FTE) staffing levels for NHS organisations can be found in worksheet 5 and the headcount data can be found in worksheet 4. Published figures are taken from the last day of each month.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_250

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of prioritising care-experienced children for (a) mental health, (b) neurodiversity and (c) other NHS appointments. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Although the Department is not convening a formal assessment, we believe that for care-experienced children and young people who are struggling with their mental health, fast access to early, high-quality support is critical. That is why the 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will work with schools and colleges to better identify and meet children's mental health needs by expanding mental health support teams in schools and colleges in England, to reach full national coverage by 2029. This will build on the work that has already begun, including providing mental health support for almost one million more young people in schools this year and investing an extra £688 million in Government funding to transform mental health services, hire more staff, and deliver more early interventions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-20 conversation_251

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to provide a breakdown of (a) total pay-outs (b) total value of claims to category A patients by (i) UK citizens (ii) asylum seekers for the financial year 24/25. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.