theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a nationwide kerbside collection for lithium-ion batteries and small Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment. \p Mary Creagh: This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will be supported by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis, supporting government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. We are considering the evidence for sector-specific interventions right across the economy, including in electronic waste and batteries, as we develop our Strategy. Currently 100 local authorities in the United Kingdom operate Kerbside collection for small waste electricals and electronic equipment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to direct funding from fees through the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme towards recycling (a) infrastructure and (b) awareness campaigns. \p Mary Creagh: pEPR makes packaging producers responsible for the costs incurred by UK Local Authorities in managing household packaging waste, including the fees they pay to recycling facilities. This will provide around 1.5 billion pounds of new funding in the UK in 2025-26, including 1.1 billion in England. This funding will underpin the Simpler Recycling reforms in England and stimulate investment in associated recycling infrastructure. The scheme administrator, PackUK, is also obliged to provide information to the public and to businesses concerning packaging re-use, recycling, recovery, and disposal, as well as the prevention of packaging litter. The cost of providing this information is covered by producer fees.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of land eligible for the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund 2024. \p Daniel Zeichner: All farmers, foresters, and land managers in England, including tenants, were eligible to form or join a Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Group in order to submit an application during the application window. Facilitators, who applied for the funding, were required to be an individual or organisation from the farming, forestry or other land management sector or service provider, with environmental land management experience and suitable facilitation skills. Members can be added to an existing group at any time throughout the lifetime of the agreement.

The application window for the 2024 round closed on the 15 January 2024. 24 applications were received. Of these, 18 secured an agreement, with all agreements starting on 1 June 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many mental health workers will be recruited in Cornwall by 2029. \p Stephen Kinnock: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment, which will also help ease pressure on busy mental health services. We are working with NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment.

Whilst we don’t have the breakdown of how many mental health workers will be recruited in specific constituencies, this summer 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. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to help retain alternatives to digital booking systems for GP appointments for those that cannot access online systems. \p Stephen Kinnock: We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. The GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice.

The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours. In addition to improving online access, this will help free up phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the level of primary care core funding to help support GP practices to hire more staff. \p Stephen Kinnock: General practices (GPs) are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the profession about what services GPs provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking account of the cost of delivering services.

We are investing an additional £889 million in through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade, and we are pleased that the General Practitioners Committee England is supportive of the contract changes.

The Government also committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. Primary care networks (PCNs) can continue to recruit and employ recently qualified GPs through the ARRS in the coming year, as part of the 2025/26 contract.

Under the contract changes for 2025/26, the ARRS will become more flexible, to allow PCNs to respond better to local workforce needs. This includes GPs and practice nurses included in the main ARRS funding pot, an uplift of the maximum reimbursable rate for GPs in the scheme, and no caps on the number of GPs that can be employed through the scheme.

In a drive to recruit GPs via the ARRS and to bring back the family doctor, the salary element of the maximum reimbursement amount that PCNs can claim for GPs will be increased from £73,113 in 2024/25, the bottom of the salaried GP pay range, to £82,418, an uplift of £9,305, representing the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range, as some GPs will be entering their second year in the scheme. Proportionate employer on-costs will also be included within the overall maximum reimbursement amount which PCNs will be able to claim.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of flexibility in the local application of dental budgets. \p Stephen Kinnock: The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.

NHS England supports ICBs with their local commissioning responsibilities for primary dental services with the provision of nationally agreed policies and procedures. NHS England has also published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning, which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/

NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his interview with BBC Radio 5 Live on 28 February 2025, if he will publish the data showing that 900 new GPs have been employed since July 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: Data on the number of general practitioners in the workforce is available through the General Practice Workforce series of Official Statistics, at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/general-and-personal-medical-services/31-january-2025

Information on the number of recently qualified general practitioners for which primary care networks are claiming reimbursement via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme will be published shortly
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the non-departmental public bodies overseen by his Department he plans to abolish. \p Karin Smyth: The Prime Minister announced the abolition of NHS England, the largest arm’s length body in England, on 13 March 2025, and my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, followed this with a statement to Parliament.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether they have made an estimate of the potential impact of abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion roles in their Department on annual staffing costs. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has no current roles which focus exclusively on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The roles to support the Department's legal and policy obligations under this remit are integrated into its wider human resources and policy functions. Therefore, the Department has not made such an estimate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Alex McIntyre:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to treatment for people with alopecia areata in Gloucester. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to supporting all those living with dermatological conditions, including alopecia areata. Dermatology services are being transformed to make sure that patients are seen on time. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme for Dermatology is working with National Health Service trusts to deliver rapid clinical transformation. The work brings together clinicians and operational teams to work collectively to transform patient pathways, reduce unnecessary appointments, and improve access and waiting times for patients.

In March 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended ritlecitinib as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. The NHS is legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of publication of the guidance, opening the way for patients across the country, including in Gloucester, to access this treatment.

It is a clinician’s responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of their patient, whilst ensuring they are taking account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness, as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care board (ICB), in this case the NHS Gloucestershire ICB.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle maternal health inequalities in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire. \p Karin Smyth: It is unacceptable that there are such stark inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.

Actions to tackle maternal health inequalities at the Slough and East Berkshire maternity services include, but are not limited to:

- a Rapid Communication Aid, developed to assist in identifying patient needs in 30 languages;

- free midwife-led antenatal education classes in Urdu, focusing on birth preparation for over 24 weeks gestation;

- a culturally competent genetics service being established, to support informed decision-making for close relative couples;

- equity training for staff on mandatory update day; and

- the implementation of the MAMAs phone line, a triage service staffed by midwives with interpretation services.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has also focused on addressing inequalities through measures such as improving access to perinatal mental health services and antenatal and preconception information, and by promoting an increase in folic acid uptake.

Progress has also been made nationally in recent years. As part of NHS England's three-year plan, all local areas have now published Equity and Equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and for those living in the most deprived areas. However, we recognise that more is required. We are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions that will deliver the required change.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Richard Foord:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of people requiring osseointegration transfemoral surgery in England. \p Karin Smyth: Using the available data, we are unable to identify the number of people currently waiting for osseointegration transfemoral surgery in England.

Regardless of why patients are waiting for treatment, the Government has committed to reducing waiting times and ensuring that we return to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. We have already made progress, delivering on our commitment to provide an additional two million appointments and publishing our Elective Reform Plan, which details how we will go further to reduce waiting times, increase productivity, and improve patient experience.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which projects using NHS data undertaken by (a) Novartis, (b) IQVIA, (c) AstraZeneca, (d) Merck, (e) Novo Nordisk, (f) GSK, (g) Roche and (h) Janssen-Cilag have adopted the (i) no value sharing, (ii) free or discounted products, (iii) royalty or revenue share, (iv) profit share, (v) intellectual property ownership share, (vi) equity share and (vii) fee for access NHS value sharing approaches. \p Karin Smyth: The Department and the National Health Service in England are moving to a system of “data access as default” for secondary uses of NHS data, which is being supported by the implementation of Secure Data Environments (SDEs). This means that NHS data is increasingly accessed through secure platforms rather than shared with researchers.

Across the NHS Research SDE Network, which is a consortium of national and regional NHS-led SDEs, access to data is usually subject to a fee on a cost-recovery basis. Some SDEs are also exploring options of royalty or revenue sharing, profit sharing, intellectual property ownership sharing, and equity sharing. These approaches are supported by the Value Sharing Framework for NHS data partnerships, which sets out principles for NHS organisations to ensure fair value returns, including sharing in the value created by their data. Details of these are not collected centrally.

Each platform within the NHS Research SDE Network publishes a data use register that summarises the projects in progress, including those conducted by the commercial organisations referenced. Local data partnerships between NHS trusts and private companies outside the SDE network would not be collected on the same registers, and some details may be commercially sensitive.
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Robbie Moore:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the timeframe for rebuilding of Airedale Hospital as part of the Hospital Rebuilding Programme. \p Karin Smyth: On 20 January 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced a new, realistic timeline to deliver schemes on the New Hospital Programme; the abolition of NHS England should not impact these timelines.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his oral contribution in response to the Question from the hon. Member for North Devon on 20 January 2025, Official Report, column 769, when he will visit North Devon District Hospital. \p Karin Smyth: I remain committed to visiting North Devon District Hospital. Ministers regularly consider visits across the country to see the impact of their policy areas. Any plans to visit specific locations will be notified to the relevant Members of Parliament in advance.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding has been allocated for the enabling works for Watford General Hospital. \p Karin Smyth: As announced following the review of the New Hospital Programme, Watford General Hospital will be delivered in Wave 2. Enabling works, including the Outline Business Case for the Watford General Hospital scheme, will be taken forward by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust from 2028/29, or sooner if possible.
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John Glen:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of funding changes for level 7 apprenticeships on skills shortages in the NHS; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on funding for those apprenticeships. \p Karin Smyth: Skills England and the Department for Education are reviewing the growth and skills offer, including whether employers will fund level seven apprenticeships outside of the levy. Ministers, officials, NHS England, and a range of stakeholders across the sector have been feeding into this review and will continue to work closely with Skills England to ensure that the National Health Service has access to the skilled workforce that patients need, as we rebuild the NHS and make sure that it is there for all of us when we need it.
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Sally Jameson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on providing access to Brineura for patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2). \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance for the National Health Service on whether cerliponase alfa, also known as Brineura, can be recommended for routine NHS funding, considering real-world evidence collected during a period of managed access. NICE and NHS England are actively engaging with the company, BioMarin, as well as other stakeholders in the development of the guidance to secure continued access for NHS to Brineura at a cost-effective price. These discussions are complex and given the nature of this evaluation and the potential impact on patients and their families, it is essential that they take the necessary care to reach the best possible outcome. All parties are also committed to providing updates to stakeholders, notwithstanding the necessity that discussions are undertaken in a confidential setting.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to ask ICBs to reduce running costs by half. \p Karin Smyth: As part of the necessary changes to support the National Health Service to recover, NHS England has indicated that integrated care boards (ICBs) should reduce running costs. The Government is supportive of NHS England taking the action needed to get the NHS back on its feet.

The reduction in ICB running costs is a necessary step to ensure that more funding is directed toward frontline health services, where it is needed most. These changes will streamline commissioning and administrative costs so we can prioritise patient care and improve health outcomes. This decision reflects our commitment to delivering the best possible services while using resources responsibly.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been written off for the treatment of chargeable overseas visitors in real terms since the National Health Services (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 were introduced. \p Karin Smyth: The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received in-year by the National Health Service from overseas visitors.

NHS charges can be recovered up to six years from the date of invoice, and therefore the amount recovered in a year does not necessarily mean it was identified in the same financial year. The Department does not hold information in the format requested regarding real terms data for written off debt.

The following table shows aggregate income identified and cash payments received between 2019-2024:

Year

Aggregate income identified

Cash payments received in-year

2018/19

£91,000,000

£35,000,000

2019/20

£93,000,000

£39,000,000

2020/21

£61,000,000

£21,000,000

2021/22

£67,000,000

£25,000,000

2022/23

£100,000,000

£32,000,000

2023/24

£123,000,000

£42,000,000

Source: The Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts and Consolidated NHS provider accounts.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer 11 March 2025 to Question 35836 on NHS: Negligence, how many instances of Obstetrics Clinical Negligence between financial years(a) 2019-20 and (b) 2023-24 resulted in the death of (i) the mother, (ii) the child or children and (iii) both. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHS Resolution does not record ethnicity data and therefore this information is not held in the format requested as it is not required for claims management purposes. NHS Resolution’s new case management system will collect the NHS number for claimants where possible, which will allow it to work with others to identify ethnicity and other protected characteristics in its data.

NHS Resolution has provided the attached information which shows: total payments for clinical negligence claims between 2019/20 and 2023/24 where the specialty is Obstetrics, broken down by year and patient age range at the time of the incident; the number of clinical negligence claims where payments have been made between 2019/20 and 2023/24 where the specialty is obstetrics, broken down by year and patient age range at the time of the incident, including interim and final payments; total payments for clinical negligence claims between 2019/20 and 2023/24 where the specialty is Obstetrics, and the injury 'Fatality' is present at any level, broken down by year; and the number of clinical negligence claims where payments have been made between 2019/20 and 2023/24 where the specialty is obstetrics and the injury 'Fatality' is present at any level, broken down by year.

NHS Resolution is unable to break down fatality by the requested mother/child split as it often receives claims from both the mother and child for the same incident. NHS Resolution’s coding of claims will only allow it to record fatality and does not distinguish who has died in those instances.

PQ38441/42 Document  (pdf, 157.0KB)
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of NHS staff who have been sacked for clinical negligence in each year between 2019 and 2024. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold information on the number of National Health Service staff who have been dismissed for clinical negligence.

NHS England publishes monthly statistics detailing information on NHS staff recorded within the Electronic Staff Record, the human resource system for the NHS. Each quarter, these statistics include data on ‘reasons for leaving’, where these have been recorded upon a member of staff leaving or moving employment. The published data is available as part of the data each March, June, September, and December, at the following link:

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

Data on dismissals is available in four categories, namely those due to ‘capability’, ‘conduct’, ‘some other substantial reason’, and ‘statutory reason’. There is no way to report those specifically for clinical negligence.

Any interpretation of data should be made with the understanding that not all assignments that finish in the NHS result in a ‘reason for leaving’ being recorded. Therefore, the data presented can be viewed as a minimum number of leavers in any giving category. From analysis of the records of staff who leave NHS employment entirely, it is estimated that approximately one third of leavers do not have a reason recorded.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department has on the (a) number of unfilled vacancies, (b) cost for using (i) locum and (ii) bank staff to fill vacancies at Torbay Hospital in the most recent period for which data is available. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold information on the number of unfilled vacancies or the costs of using locum or bank staff to fill vacancies at Torbay Hospital. NHS England published vacancy rates by trust as of June 2024, with further information available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2024/total-vacancy-rates-by-org-since-201718

The Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, of which the hospital is a part, has reported to NHS England a position of a zero full time equivalent vacancy rate across the trust.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support ICBs to offer community wax removal services to people requiring them. \p Karin Smyth: 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, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) well-being, (b) morale and (c) working conditions of midwives at NHS hospitals in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Government values midwives and is committed to supporting them as a profession and in their everyday working lives.

Local employers across the National Health Service have their own arrangements in place for supporting staff, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments. This, alongside strong leadership and a supportive culture, is central to improving staff engagement and morale and contributes to improved working conditions for staff.

To support local employers, NHS England has introduced targeted midwifery support, including the introduction of Perinatal Midwifery Advocates, who support trusts to offer additional capacity for wellbeing support and restorative clinical supervision, the national Preceptorship Framework, which provides early career support to help midwives transition from education to employment, the midwifery mentorship scheme, strengthened advice and support on pensions, and flexible retirement options.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions has he had with stakeholders within the medical equipment industry on the provision of medical equipment to care facilities. \p Karin Smyth: Local National Health Service procuring authorities are responsible for assessing the timeliness and quality of the medical equipment delivered for their patients, procured under contracts they hold with suppliers.

The Department works closely with partners across the health system and medical technology landscape, including individual suppliers, trade associations, patient groups, and devolved administrations, to provide challenges and to ensure that stakeholder input is at the right level and at the right time. However, local NHS bodies are responsible for the provision of medical equipment to care facilities.
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Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is for a hip replacement. \p Karin Smyth: People have been waiting too long for National Health Service treatment, with their personal and professional lives put on hold. This is why we have committed to getting back to the NHS constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by March 2029. This includes patients waiting for hip replacement surgery, for which the median average waiting time in England as of 16 March 2025 was 24.7 weeks.

We have already made progress, delivering on our commitment to provide two million additional appointments and publishing our Elective Reform Plan, which sets out how we will tackle waits, increase productivity, and improve patient experience. This includes providing quicker access to common surgical procedures, such as hip replacements, by opening 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June 2025, so more operations can be carried out.

Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are transforming the way the NHS provides elective care by focusing on high volume low complexity surgeries. There are currently 114 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England as of March 2025, with 88 of them providing treatment for the trauma and orthopaedic specialty under which hip replacements fall. These surgical hubs help separate elective care facilities from urgent and emergency care, improving outcomes for patients and reducing pressures on hospitals.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_48

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the safety of NHS maternity services in Fylde constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust entered the national Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP) in September 2022, following a Care Quality Commission inspection earlier that month which rated Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s maternity services in the Fylde constituency as ‘requires improvement’ overall. The programme provides intensive support to the trust to assist in the improvement of their maternity services, including a dedicated Maternity Improvement Advisor and support to implement a tailored improvement plan. A full diagnostic assessment has identified key areas of focus with an associated improvement plan and agreed exit criteria.

The Local Maternity and Neonatal System arm of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board receives reports from the MSSP, so it can support the service with focused improvement work.

A MSSP assurance visit on 27 January 2025 concluded that significant improvements had been made across a number of areas, with evidence of data demonstrating sustained improvement. The next review meeting for the service is to take place on 28 May 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_49

Rosie Duffield:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on which (a) cognitive behavioural therapy, (b) family therapy, (c) exploratory therapy and (d) other non-medical treatments are offered to young people by NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England commissions gender services for children and young people in line with its interim service specification for children and young people with gender incongruence.

Children and young people are cared for holistically by specialist multi-disciplinary teams based in specialist children's hospitals. The multi-disciplinary teams include expertise in child and adolescent mental health, including family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Each child or young person will have a tailored individual care plan to meet their needs. Depending on individual need, the gender service for children and young people will provide psychosocial and clinical interventions, including support for the family.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_50

Rosie Duffield:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the NHS review of adult gender dysphoria clinics to report its findings. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England is currently undertaking a review of adult gender services, chaired by Dr David Levy. The review will examine the model of care and operating procedures of each service, and will carefully consider experiences, feedback, and outcomes from clinicians and patients, with the aim of producing an updated service specification. The review will report its findings at the earliest opportunity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_51

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with (a) NHS England and (b) ITF Pharma UK to ensure that NHS Trusts have the necessary resources and guidance to take part in the Early Access Programme for givinostat. \p Karin Smyth: The Department understands the impact that Duchenne muscular dystrophy has on those living with it and their families, and the urgent need for new treatment options. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently published guidance that recommends the medicine vamorolone for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy in people 4 years old and over. The National Health Service is required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

The Department has not had any discussions with ITF Pharma UK about resources or guidance available to NHS trusts participating in the early access programme for givinostat. Departmental officials have had discussions with colleagues in NHS England about the guidance and resources that are available to NHS trusts. NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge medicines schemes such as early access programmes, including providing advice on potential financial, administrative, and clinical risks. The guidance aims to support the NHS to drive value from medicines and ensure consistent and equitable access to medicines across England. ICSs should follow the recommendations to determine whether to implement any free of charge scheme, including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/free-of-charge-foc-medicines-schemes-national-policy-recommendations-for-local-systems/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_52

Sir Alec Shelbrooke:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) awareness of, (b) diagnosis of and (c) access to effective treatment within the NHS for those affected by Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service. We recognise that Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a serious condition which can be both distressing and disabling for those that experience PMDD symptoms.

The Department and the NHS have created a women’s health area on the NHS website, which brings together over 100 health topics including periods, gynaecological conditions, fertility, pregnancy, heart health and cancers, and is designed to be a first port of call for women seeking health information. The page on premenstrual syndrome contains information and advice on PMDD.

Women’s health hubs have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and improving care for women’s health conditions. As of December 2024, 39 out of 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) reported to NHS England that they had at least one operational women’s health hub. We continue to engage with and encourage ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hubs pilots to improve local delivery of services to women.

Psychological support is also available to women experiencing premenstrual dysphoric disorder through local NHS Talking Therapies services, which provide evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, for common mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. People can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies services or be referred by their general practitioner.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_54

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of prescribing Mounjaro for Cushing's syndrome on the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has made no assessment. Mounjaro is not licensed as a treatment option for Cushing’s syndrome. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) would consider an evaluation of Mounjaro for Cushing’s syndrome if the company, Eli Lilly, were to apply to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for a marketing authorisation, or licence, for use in the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome.

Clinicians can prescribe medicines outside of their licensed indication, known as “off-label” use, where there is sufficient evidence and/or experience of using the medicine to show its safety, quality, and efficacy, provided there is no suitable alternative licensed medicine, and subject to funding by the National Health Service locally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_55

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on reducing delays in referrals for specialist treatment in the South West. \p Karin Smyth: Too many people have been left in limbo waiting for National Health Service treatment. The waiting list in the South West region stands at 642,756, with 63% of those having waited less than 18 weeks, compared with the 18-week standard of 92%, and with a median waiting time of 12.8 weeks from referral to treatment.

The Department and NHS England are supporting a range of efforts, nationally and in the South West region, to reduce the time patients are waiting from being referred for specialist care, and to return to the 18-week constitutional standard. We have delivered an additional 2.5 million operations, scans, and appointments across elective services nationally since July 2024. We will support further progress in the South West region and across the United Kingdom, with approximately £1.5 billion of capital funding in 2025/26 for new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners across England.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week standard, including reforms to outpatient care to ensure care is delivered in the right clinical setting and unnecessary appointments are reduced. In addition, the plan commits to diagnostic transformation, including investment in new and expanded community diagnostic centres and the rollout of straight to test pathways. Significant transformation across high priority specialities with waiting list challenges will also bring down waiting times for patients who have been referred for specialist treatment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_56

Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what he has made of the potential merits of using pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy for people with cystic fibrosis. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on best practice, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NICE’s guideline on the diagnosis and management of cystic fibrosis recommends pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy as a treatment option for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng78
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_57

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NICE on the potential use of PEMGARDA to protect clinically vulnerable people against covid-19 in emergency situations. \p Karin Smyth: It is critical that medicines used in the United Kingdom are safe and effective and as such, medicines cannot be marketed in the UK without a marketing authorisation. These are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which assesses all medicines with regard to their quality, safety, and efficacy. Pemivibart, sold under the brand name Pemgarda, for use in the prophylaxis of COVID-19 does not yet have a marketing authorisation. It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for the relevant marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly.

In England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) considers all newly licenced medicines, those that have received a marketing authorisation, to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of Pemgarda seeks a licence from the MHRA, then the NICE may consider it through its technology appraisal programme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_58

Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that medical students remain in the (a) UK and (b) medical profession after graduation. \p Karin Smyth: We are committed to listening to the concerns of resident doctors, and to enhancing and improving their working lives.

We are undertaking a range of work to tackle the issues that resident doctors are facing, including improving working conditions and reforming the current system of rotations and placements, working in partnership with the British Medical Association and other partners, as agreed as part of the pay deal last year.

NHS England’s Enhancing Resident Doctors Working Lives programme continues to implement a number of measures to support resident doctors, encouraging them to stay in training and the National Health Service. This includes measures such as less than full time training options, to allow trainees to continue to work in the service and progress with their training on a reduced working pattern, where this benefits their personal circumstances.