theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Julia Lopez:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42886 on NHS England: Redundancy Pay, whether he is making provision to reclaim redundancy payments for any staff subsequently reemployed by a public health body during the payout period. \p Karin Smyth: At this stage, while we are scoping the transformation programme, it is too early to share details of any redundancy programmes and what any terms will be regarding the clawback of redundancy payments.

The leadership of the Department and NHS England will communicate information about these reforms to staff at the earliest opportunity, and are committed to a culture of transparency.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS's 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance, published on 30 January 2025, what steps his Department is taking to include health infrastructure planning decisions in the scope of the commitment to streamline planning. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future. This means we need to see world class NHS infrastructure across the entire NHS estate. Beyond hospitals, we know we need the right infrastructure in the right place to deliver a true Neighbourhood Health Service and to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government on how to extend our collective interactions in the planning process, from local plan making to negotiating developer contributions, through updates to national guidance. This is alongside our support for the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government’s efforts to streamline the planning process, by extensively feeding into the ways in which health infrastructure plans can facilitate this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with the doctors and dentists review body since July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: I along with my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Care, both met with the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration at the scheduled oral evidence sessions in February 2025, one focussing on secondary care doctors, and the other on general practitioners and dentists.

Oral evidence sessions are a regular feature of the annual pay review process and enable the pay review body to ask questions directly of ministers or to clarify points from the Department’s written evidence. Officials accompany ministers to these meetings. All parties to the pay review process, including the British Medical Association, are invited to give oral evidence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make an updated impact assessment on the postponement of proposed upgrades to North Devon District Hospital. \p Karin Smyth: As set out in the Plan for Implementation, the New Hospital Programme (NHP) review used a range of data to assess and scope schemes, including the North Devon District Hospital scheme. This included assessing each scheme under criteria for mitigated risk, including health deprivation, deliverability, and transformation opportunity. As a result, North Devon is now in Wave 3 of the NHP and is expected to begin construction between 2035 and 2038. Further information on the Plan for Implementation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-plan-for-implementation

Additionally, an equality impact assessment was carried out for the review into the NHP, which included assessing the extent to which service users might be impacted by these delivery proposals, with specific reference to the impact that these might have on relevant protected characteristics. This was laid in the House Library and published on 20 January, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-equality-impact-assessment
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to reduce NHS waiting times in Ashfield. \p Karin Smyth: We are ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care, including in the Ashfield constituency. We have already exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, with three million more delivered between July 2024 and January 2025.

In Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board has been working with local National Health Service trusts and independent sector providers to secure additional capacity to see, diagnose and treat patients; review all waiting times; reduce any inequity of waits; and support patient choice.

We have also increased diagnostic capacity in Ashfield through investment in new computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scanners and reducing wasted appointments through improved communication with patients. This has resulted in waits for diagnostic tests improving significantly, contributing to improvements in the overall waits for diagnosis and treatment. It has also led to a reduction in the number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks for surgery and improvements in the number of patients who are seen and treated within 18 weeks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) role and (b) remit of National Clinical Directors will be following the abolition of NHS England. \p Karin Smyth: Two medical directors have been confirmed in the NHS England transformation executive team. One for secondary care, the other for primary care.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the annual profits of NHS Professionals Ltd were in each of the last five years; and whether those profits were (a) reinvested into NHS service provision and (b) returned to his Department. \p Karin Smyth: NHS Professionals Ltd (NHSP), a limited company wholly owned by the Department, is a supplier of clinical and non-clinical temporary workforce to client National Health Service trusts.

The following table shows NHSP profit before tax and dividends paid to the Department over the last five years:

Year Ended 31/3/24 £million

Year Ended 31/3/23 £million

Year Ended 31/3/22 £million

Year Ended 31/3/21 £million

Year Ended 31/3/20 £million

Profit before Tax

3.7

8.5

16.8

18.9

11

Dividends paid

nil

10

18

nil

10

Dividends received from NHSP are not ringfenced for specific purposes, but they are directly invested back into the wider healthcare economy by the Department. Where dividends are not taken, any profits generated are retained within the business and reinvested to support the delivery of its strategy.

Full details of profits, dividend payments and declarations are shown in NHSP’s statutory accounts which are available at the following link:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/xx-xxxx-xxxx
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of hospital access to medical equipment in the Surrey Heath constituency. \p Karin Smyth: Individual National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts are responsible and accountable for their own purchasing decisions, which will include medical equipment. NHS organisations are independent commercial entities, and it is for an NHS procuring authority to satisfy itself on how best to obtain quality and value for money through its procurement activity.

Local NHS organisations have access to a wide range of procurement routes, but the Government has put in place a range of initiatives to help NHS bodies make informed choices about the products and the route through which they are bought. These include NHS Supply Chain, a national body which is responsible for procuring and delivering most consumables, medical equipment and other supplies into the NHS. NHS Supply Chain was set up to leverage the collective buying power of the NHS to drive savings and provide a standardised range of clinically assured quality products at the best value.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Home Office's letter to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, dated 29 September 2023, what his Department's planned timetable is for the use of electronic signatures for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs within (a) secondary care and (b) the health and justice system. \p Karin Smyth: The Department is unable to confirm a timetable at this stage. Amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and Misuse of Drug Regulations 2001 would be required to enable electronic prescribing in named settings, such as secondary care and the health and justice system. Changes to this legislation would require public consultation and agreement with Parliament under the affirmative procedure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to levels of staffing for Integrated Care Boards in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire constituency on the capacity of those Integrated Care Boards to plan new services for areas of high population growth . \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act as main strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure to achieve a 50% cost reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025, and tasked ICBs with developing plans by the end of May setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities.

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

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

In his letter to ICBs, Sir Jim Mackay committed to greater transparency and moving back to a fair shares allocation policy over time. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB is within range of their fair shares allocation targets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of maternity services were accessed by foreign nationals in each of the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold data on how many or what proportion of maternity services were accessed by foreign nationals in each of the last five years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to ensure the recognition of biological sex in (a) single-sex hospital wards and (b) staff facilities. \p Karin Smyth: Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by the Government. This is the law, and we expect all public service bodies to comply. The recent Supreme Court ruling in the For Women Scotland case has provided much needed confidence and clarity for the National Health Service to adapt its policies to ensure that same-sex spaces are always protected. This includes NHS England’s review of the Delivering same-sex accommodation guidance, as well as providers’ policies on same-sex spaces for staff.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Rupert Lowe: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 patients who are in the UK unlawfully in the last 12 months. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has made no such estimate. The Department publishes income identified and cash recovered from overseas visitors, which includes expatriates, visitors and undocumented migrants, on an annual basis in its annual report and accounts. The latest report and accounts are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding he provides to Magpas Air Ambulance. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not directly fund air ambulance services on a routine basis. Air ambulances in England operate as independent charities and are supported by the National Health Service through the provision and training of key clinical staff.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Annual Review of Adult Social Care Complaints 2023-24, published in September 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing levels of awareness of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in privately funded and arranged care settings. \p Karin Smyth: We are aware of both the Annual Review and Triennial Review from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and support the work they do to ensure that those receiving care, whether self-funded or placed by their local authority, are aware of the options available to them if they wish to escalate their complaint. We are working across the Government on a response to the LGSCO’s recommendations, including on increasing awareness of the role of the LGSCO for those privately funding their care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate number of speciality training posts are available to ensure that NHS needs are met. \p Karin Smyth: We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision.  We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Andrew Murrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the NHS of the use of (a) generative AI and (b) large language models; and whether pilot schemes are underway to assess potential uses. \p Karin Smyth: New artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being developed that have the potential to improve healthcare delivery and to provide significant cost savings to the National Health Service. One example is the use of automated voice to text tools, which use generative AI to listen to and transcribe patient notes.

Currently, there are ongoing assessments of the use of these tools in the NHS as these technologies could help ease the administrative burden faced by staff and make systems more efficient. Several NHS trusts are running trials, including a multi-site assessment of the impact of using automated transcription software. The NHS AI team is monitoring these developments and developing guidance for the responsible use of these tools. This guidance will be informed by the Government’s broader guidance on the use of Generative AI in the public sector.

There are strict safeguards in place throughout the NHS to protect data. All providers of services which handle patient data must protect that data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and Data Protection Act 2018, and every health organisation is required to appoint a Caldicott Guardian to advise on the protection of people’s health and care data, and ensure it is used properly. This includes where AI is used in relation to patient records.

To mitigate the likelihood and severity of any potential harm to individuals arising from use of data in AI, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has developed detailed AI guidance which provides an overarching view of data protection, including Data Protection Impact Assessments and UK GDPR. It has also produced an AI toolkit to support organisations auditing compliance of their AI-based technologies. NHS bodies are expected to make use of this guidance and toolkit.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Tim Roca:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of differences in regulations on ear wax removal between registered nurses and non-registered practitioners on patient care. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the impact of differences in regulations on wax removal between registered nurses and non-registered practioners on patient care. The Department does not have plans to intervene in locally led arrangements for the provision of ear wax removal services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning ear wax removal services in local areas in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of wound care, in the context of the disbandment of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme in March 2025. \p Karin Smyth: The outcome of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme was to implement consistently high wound care across England by reducing unnecessary variation, improving safety, and optimising patient experience and outcomes.

NHS England’s work on wound care has now transitioned into its business as usual service, and work is continuing to support the spread of best practice across England. Additionally, to further improve the quality of wound care, a pressure ulcer improvement diagnostic and discovery phase of work was agreed as a priority component of the national wound care programme, undertaken in partnership with the National Wound Care Strategy Programme team, the National Nursing Directorate, providers, and integrated care systems.

Resources developed through the National Wound Care programme are accessible on the NHS Futures website.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Written Question 43758 on NHS England, how any short-term upfront costs incurred will be funded. \p Karin Smyth: Detailed plans are being formulated by a joint Department and NHS England programme team. The remit of work includes formulation of the relevant costs and securing the required funding. Funding conversations between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and HM Treasury are ongoing. Further detail on the costs and funding mechanisms will be provided as this work develops.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support to (a) local authorities and (b) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to identify new sites for the (i) expansion and (ii) development of existing hospital facilities. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises that delivering high quality National Health Service healthcare requires the right infrastructure in the right places.

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are responsible for strategic infrastructure planning as well as managing the operational capital for their respective local areas. This includes expanding and developing hospital facilities. The Department is supporting local NHS organisations to better manage their estates, and systems have developed infrastructure strategies which will inform their decision making and estate management.

In this context, the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and other local authorities are encouraged to engage with their local integrated care board (ICB), the Greater Manchester ICB, to discuss opportunities for developing hospital infrastructure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) development and (b) approval of (i) second- and third-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors and (ii) other targeted therapy options for patients with ROS1-positive cancer; and whether his Department has had recent discussions with (A) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and (B) pharmaceutical companies on encouraging clinical trial funding in this area. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops 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 NICE evaluates all new licensed cancer medicines and aims wherever possible to issue recommendations close to the time of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund treatments recommended by the NICE. The NICE published guidance that recommends the tyrosine kinase inhibitors crizotinib and entrectinib for use in the treatment of people with ROS1 positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer who have not previously been treated with ROS1 inhibitors. These treatments are now routinely funded by the NHS for eligible patients.

The Department has had no discussions with the NICE or pharmaceutical companies on encouraging clinical trial funding in this area. The Department is working closely with the NHS, industry, academia, research regulators, and charities to make clinical research in the United Kingdom more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK, including clinical trials for cancer. The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical research on cancer. NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. These investments are pivotal towards efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to publish an implementation plan alongside the policy paper entitled Reforming elective care for patients, published on 6 January 2025. \p Karin Smyth: There are currently no plans to publish an implementation plan alongside the Elective Reform Plan.

Our Elective Reform Plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament, and outlines how these will be implemented by National Health Service systems, including a series of milestones for delivery. We have hit our pledge to deliver two million extra elective appointments early, and have now exceeded that pledge by delivering over three million more appointments.

In addition, the Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has since been published and confirmed the interim targets for 2025/26, including a target that 65% of patients wait for 18 weeks or less by March 2026, up from 58.9% in January 2025, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people who need joint replacement surgery are able to access treatment in all regions. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to putting patients first, including those waiting for joint replacement surgery.

We understand the impact long waits can have on patients’ mental health, and we are committed to ensuring that people can access high quality mental health support when they need it. As part of this, we will recruit 8,500 mental health workers to ease pressure on busy mental health services. Separately, in the Government’s Plan for Change we have committed to return to the 18-week Referral to Treatment standard, which has not been met for almost a decade.

We will ensure that patients are not only seen on time but also have the best possible experience of care. Our Elective Reform Plan, published on 6 January 2025, has committed us to working with patients and their carers to co-develop minimum standards for their experience of care.

Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are helping to reduce elective surgery wait times by focusing on high volume low complexity surgeries, such as joint replacement surgery. As of March 2025, there are 114 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England.

The Elective Reform Plan has committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical hub procedures by opening 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June 2025 and ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years, so even more operations can be carried out near where patients live.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse has been of free prescriptions provided to asylum seekers since 5 July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold the information requested. Data is not held on the number of prescriptions dispensed in the community in England free of charge to asylum seekers.

There is no automatic exemption from prescription charges for asylum seekers, however individuals may be entitled to exemption from charges for other reasons such as age or through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS). If an individual who is an asylum seeker has a prescription that includes a charge exemption, it would be recorded in the system in the same way as any other prescription with that exemption.

Asylum seekers who are supported by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), Section 95 support, who may be housed by UKVI or in accommodation prior to dispersal, are sent a HC2 certificate, valid for six months, for full help. Other asylum seekers may make an NHS LIS claim using the HC1 certificate form.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on (a) medical student finance and (b) the adequacy of total financial support during NHS Bursary funded years of study. \p Karin Smyth: The Department works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, including student funding.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government will increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants and all allowances by 3.1%. This is the second consecutive academic year that this Government has increased support through the NHS Bursary. For the 2025-26 academic year, the Government has also announced that maximum loans for living costs from Student Finance England (SFE), including reduced rate non-means tested loans for students in NHS Bursary years, will increase by 3.1%.

The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary scheme and SFE support.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase the number of entry-level positions for newly qualified physiotherapists. \p Karin Smyth: Decisions about the employment of newly qualified physiotherapists are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for the 10-year Health Plan of the report by the National Clinical Homecare Association entitled Best Kept Secret: The Value Of Clinical Homecare To The NHS, Patients And Society, published in July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: We have committed to develop a 10-Year Health Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. As part of these reforms, we are determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it.

The use of evidence is embedded in our development of the 10-Year Health Plan, both by informing the proposals developed by the working groups supporting the plan, and in our ongoing assessment of the plan’s potential impacts. Both areas of work draw on a broad range of evidence, including published sources outside of the Department and NHS England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of the new surgical hubs will be focused solely on orthopaedic procedures. \p Karin Smyth: There are no plans for any of the new hubs to focus solely on orthopaedic procedures, but five of the new surgical hubs will focus on orthopaedics procedures in addition to other specialties.

The Elective Reform Plan committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical procedures by opening 14 new and three expanded surgical hubs by June 2025, and ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years, so more operations can be carried out. They focus on driving improvements in six high volume specialties: ophthalmology; general surgery; trauma and orthopaedics, which includes spinal surgery; gynaecology; ear, nose and throat; and urology.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the per capita funding is for each integrated care board. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to integrated care boards (ICBs). This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formulae from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. ICB allocations for 2025/26 were published on 30 January 2025, and include a breakdown of per capita funding for each ICB, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_47
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_47

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a national strategy on the efficiency and effectiveness of community equipment services. \p Karin Smyth: Individual National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts are responsible and accountable for their own purchasing decisions, which will include community equipment. NHS organisations are independent commercial entities, and it is for an NHS procuring authority to satisfy itself on how best to obtain quality and value for money through its procurement activity.

Local NHS organisations have access to a wide range of procurement routes, but the Government has put in place a range of initiatives to help NHS bodies make informed choices about products and the route through which they are bought. These include the NHS Supply Chain, a national body which is responsible for procuring and delivering the majority of consumables, equipment, and other supplies to the NHS. The NHS Supply Chain was set up to leverage the collective buying power of the NHS to drive savings and provide a standardised range of clinically assured quality products at the best value.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_48

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of procedures deliverable per £1 million of Departmental spend via (a) NHS internal delivery, (b) outsourcing and (c) insourcing. \p Karin Smyth: The National Health Service’s national cost collection gives a national average unit cost of £751 across all planned procedures within outpatients, day cases, and elective inpatient settings in 2023/24. This is the equivalent to 1,331 procedures per £1 million. Further information on the NHS’s national cost collection is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/costing-in-the-nhs/national-cost-collection/

Prices for individual procedures are set out in the NHS Payment Scheme. How the procedures are delivered is a local decision, to reflect local population need and to allow for the greatest opportunity to deliver value for money in local budgets. The Department does not hold a national estimate by procedure of care delivered through insourcing or outsourcing. However, NHS guidance for both insourcing and outsourcing makes clear the expectation that services are contracted at or below the unit prices set out in the NHS Payment Scheme.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_49
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_49

Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of prioritising UK medical school graduates' preference informed allocation over international medical graduates. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England keeps the selection process for foundation training under review to make sure it works well for applicants.

Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. However, the Government is also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join our National Health Service.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_50
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_50

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to expand the role of National Clinical Directors. \p Karin Smyth: In recent years, the cohort of national clinical directors has expanded and is now supported by an additional cadre of national specialty advisors.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care. As part of this process, we are carefully considering the future role of national clinical directors. While no specific decisions have been made yet regarding their scope and responsibilities within the new organisation, their expertise and leadership will continue to be pivotal in shaping the future of healthcare in our country.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_51
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_51

Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce competition ratios for specialty training for doctors. \p Karin Smyth: We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_52
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_52

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people each Integrated Care Board will cover following proposed local government reforms. \p Karin Smyth: As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the Government recognises the benefits that aligned geographical boundaries can have for improving co-ordination between public services. Within integrated care systems, collaboration between local government and health partners is crucial to the delivery of high quality and efficient services for communities and patients. On 5 February 2025, the Government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. As set out in the published statutory guidance, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens, and the views of other public sector providers will be crucial to understanding the best way to structure local government. Following submission of proposals, we will consider these carefully before taking decisions on how to proceed.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_53
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_53

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department have to extend the Start for Life programme beyond the 75 upper-tier local authorities that currently receive funding. \p Ashley Dalton: In 2025/26, £57 million will be made available to 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation to provide a range of Start for Life services. Funding for future years is being considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_54

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) the global sum payment funding allocation and (b) other Government funding is for each GP surgery in Huntingdon constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department does not hold this information centrally for 2024/25. However, the attached table shows published data for the global sum payment allocation and other Government funding for each general practice surgery in Huntingdon constituency for 2022/23.

This information is also available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-payments-to-general-practice/england-2022-23

Table for 46968 (xlsx, 18.9KB)
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_55
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_55

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the consultation process undertaken by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board in advance of its decision to cancel primary eyecare contracts from April 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning both primary and secondary eye care services in their areas to meet local needs.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_56

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding for the Lavender Square project in Devon; and if he will hold discussions with representatives of that project. \p Stephen Kinnock: Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality care.

The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system and we are taking immediate action to improve it by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most in 2025-26. The Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes a £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. We are also taking forward a range of initiatives in 2025/26, including funding more home adaptations, promoting better use of care technologies, and professionalising the adult social care workforce.

We will continue to engage with the sector to ensure that we are considering the merits of different models of care.
wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_57
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-30 conversation_57

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of costs for opticians on trends in the level of people seeking eye care. \p Stephen Kinnock: High street optical practices are independent businesses that deliver a mix of private and National Health Service eye care services. Free NHS sight tests are available for children, people aged 60 years old and over, individuals on income related benefits, and those at risk of particular eye diseases. The funding for NHS sight tests is demand led, with no limit set on the numbers of NHS sight tests that can be provided. The numbers of NHS sight tests continue to increase, with 13.7 million sight tests provided to eligible groups in 2023/24, and access for NHS patients remains good.

Help is also available for eligible patients to assist with the cost of glasses or contact lenses, through NHS optical vouchers. Integrated care boards can also commission primary eye care services over and above the NHS sight testing service from optical practices, where they consider these necessary to meet local need.