theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase the number of specialist rheumatology nurses in the workforce. \p Karin Smyth: The training of nurses is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It has the general function of promoting high standards of education and coordinating all stages of education to ensure that nursing students and newly qualified nurses are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional practice.

The training curricula for postgraduate training for nurses to specialise as a specialist rheumatology nurse is set by the Royal College of Nursing, and has to meet the standards set by the NMC.

We will publish a new workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and to ensure the National Health Service 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 (2025-06-30)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of recommending the Quality Standards for Care and Rehabilitation of Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Key Supporters from the Resuscitation Council UK to (a) Integrated Care Boards and (b) NHS trusts. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England welcomes the recent publication on the quality standards for care and rehabilitation of cardiac arrest survivors and their key supporters.

We recognise the importance of this work and will take it into account as part of our ongoing review of all prescribed specialised service specifications. Specifically, the service specification will be reviewed in due course, and this publication will be considered as part of that process. The specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cardiology-primary-percutaneous-cortonary-intervention-adult.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have accessed Vamorolone since it was given NICE approval for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of availability of Vamorolone to patients with DMD in that period; and whether the NHS had fully implemented the NICE recommendation by the April 2025 deadline. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its technology appraisal, titled Vamorolone for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy in people 4 years and over, on 16 January 2025. NHS England routinely commissioned vamorolone in line with the guidance, from 16 April 2025.

When a patient is started on vamorolone, the prescribing clinician submits an electronic prior approval form, confirming that NICE’s recommendation criteria are met. NICE’s costing report, included in the technology appraisal, suggested that 1,390 people expected to receive vamorolone in 2025/26. The NICE’s technology appraisal is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta1031/resources/resource-impact-summary-report-xx-xxxx-xxxx/chapter/Resource-impact-summary-report

There is only 10 full weeks of data available since routine commissioning commenced in mid-April, and over this period there have been 32 prior approval forms submitted. Whilst submission of a form is not confirmation that treatment has begun, this is used as a proxy indication for the number of patients starting treatment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) divers and (b) other emergency patients in the North East have access to hyperbaric oxygen therapy within clinically recommended times after October 2025. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This will be achieved through the commissioning of six geographically dispersed services across England. Three preferred providers have been identified to date, and a further procurement exercise will take place to identify the three remaining centres.

The contract for HBOT services, also known as recompression, was reviewed in 2024, as existing contract terms expired. This included an update of the service specification using the published full methods process, and a public consultation on the proposal to reduce the number of commissioned providers in England from eight to six centres. Further information on the service specification, the published full methods process, and the consultation is available, respectively, at the following three links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-services-all-ages-Service-specification-January-2025.pdf

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/methods-national-service-specifications/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/#:~:text=Background-,Background,Manual%20of%20Prescribed%20Specialised%20Services

The updates to the specification seek to ensure timely access to treatment for the most acutely unwell patients with the specification requiring:

The geographical scope of the six services will ensure that there are no more than four hours travelling time by road from coastal locations, from the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines. The published Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment sets out an evaluation, including access to services and where appropriate action was taken to ensure fair access to any patient who requires this service. Further information on the Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment is available at the following link:   https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2.1-Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-equality-and-health-inequalities-impact-assessment.pdf
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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to reduce waiting lists for gynaecology services (a) nationally and (b) in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. \p Karin Smyth: At the end of April 2025, the gynaecology waiting list was down 15,955 since the end of June 2024. Waits for gynaecology services have also decreased by 1,052 in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) over the same period.

However, we know there is more to do across gynaecology services, which is why we’ve committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.

As our first step in achieving this, we have already exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 3.6 million more.

Gynaecology is one of the specialities serviced by surgical hubs, which are part of the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) High Volume Low Complexity programme, which aims to increase capacity and transform the ways that gynaecology and other services are provided. There are currently 116 elective surgical hubs nationally, three of which are in the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB, and there is one additional hub planned.

We are also taking action to support general practitioners and hospital doctors to work more effectively together to ensure patients are always seen in the right setting, through use of Advice and Guidance. The GIRFT programme has recently published a series of advice and guidance templates specifically for gynaecology.

Women’s health hubs bring together healthcare professionals and existing services to provide integrated women’s health services in the community, centred on meeting women’s needs across their life course. Women’s health hubs have a key role to play in shifting care out of hospitals and in reducing gynaecology waiting lists.

The Government is committed to encouraging ICBs to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to supporting ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women, including in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing hyperbaric oxygen therapy services from the North East on (a) Levels of patient safety and (b) treatment outcomes. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has not decided to remove hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services in the North East.

Due to current contract terms expiring, NHS England conducted a re-procurement of the service in line with Provider Selection Regime regulations. NHS England was only able to award contracts that met the quality requirements of the tender. The Intention to Award Notice, issued on 14 May 2025, confirmed that NHS England was only able to award three of the six available lots. For those lots where no preferred provider was identified, including the North-East, a further procurement exercise will take place. Interim contract arrangements will be put in place in these areas to ensure continued service provision in line with the commissioning intentions of equitably accessible, high-quality care for any patient who requires HBOT. The intention to award notice is available at the following link:

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/xx-xxxx-xxxx?origin=SearchResults&p=1

The geographical scope of the six services will ensure that there are no more than four hours travelling time by road from coastal locations, from the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with the optimal time to treatment set out in good practice guidelines. Further information on the configuration of service modelling can be found in the published public consultation documents, available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/

The published Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment, which sets out the evaluation of the impact of the changes on access to services, is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2.1-Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-equality-and-health-inequalities-impact-assessment.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand audiology testing capacity. \p Karin Smyth: We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for audiology.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament. The plan commits to transforming and expanding diagnostic services and to speeding up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the referral to treatment 18-week standard.

NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards, who are the commissioners of audiology services, to improve performance and reduce waiting lists. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in NHS trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via community diagnostic centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative. The latest management information data shows that community diagnostic centres have delivered over 56,000 audiology assessments since July 2021.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. Further details and allocations will be set out in due course.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England took to consult with(a) diving organisations, (b) local health trusts and (c) emergency services in the North East it decided to decommission hyperbaric chamber services in the north of England. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has not decided to decommission hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services in the North of England.

NHS England undertook stakeholder testing and a public consultation on the revised service specification for HBOT services. The main impact of the proposals was the reconfiguration of the number of commissioned HBOT centres in England, from eight centres to six.

The review was led by the chair of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Clinical Reference Group and the lead commissioner for the service, and was supported by a Specification Working Group (SWG). Membership of the SWG included a patient representative, clinical leads from current commissioned providers, consultants in public health, and members of the British Hyperbaric Association. Specialist advice was sought on relevant inter-dependent services including adult critical care, HM Coastguard, adult critical care transfer services, and children’s services.

Stakeholder testing on the revised service specification took place from 8 June 2024 to 25 June 2024. 14 responses were received, six of which were on behalf of organisations and eight from individuals. Public consultation was carried out from 13 September to 12 October 2024. A total of 923 individuals responded to the public consultation, from across all regions and devolved nations of the United Kingdom.

NHS England actively encourages individuals and organisations to register as stakeholders to ensure a full range of views are included in any service developments. Stakeholders can register their interest in services commissioned by NHS England on their website, which includes a special interest group for HBOT.

Any individuals or organisations who sign up are kept informed when NHS England engages on potential changes to the way that these services are commissioned. NHS England also encourages stakeholders to cascade invitations to provide feedback across their networks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that specialist medical services are accessible outside London. \p Karin Smyth: Specialised services are typically delivered on a scale that allows for some concentration of clinical expertise and for the management of relatively small caseloads. As such, it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access high-quality services. Commissioners are required to review the geographic spread of patients and to reflect this in their commissioning strategies, which may include the use of remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve access to effective (a) symptom management and (b) pain relief for people with chronic urinary tract infections in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency is served by the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB applies the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) to the treatment of chronic UTIs. The ICB has a defined care pathway which ensures that if primary care management is not sufficient, then patients are swiftly referred to specialist care for more intensive support, including further investigations and management of their symptoms and their pain.

Appropriate treatment and support for people with chronic UTIs are dependent on receiving an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic tests for chronic UTIs, such as urinalysis and urine culture, are widely available across all pathology networks in England, including Hertfordshire and West Essex. Ensuring accurate diagnostic testing not only aids more effective identification of infection but can also reduce unnecessary prescribing and overprescribing of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, and directly benefit patients in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, who will get the right treatment sooner.

General practitioners can request testing for chronic UTIs via several pathways, including at point-of-care, via community diagnostic centres, or via laboratories. Laboratories across England adhere to stringent quality standards for diagnostic tests, including the UK Accreditation Standard ISO 15189, and implement robust internal and external quality assurance schemes. Together, these measures ensure the accuracy and reliability of diagnostic testing.

Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is supporting work to understand the research gaps on UTIs that matter most to patients, carers, and clinicians. This is through a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (PSP), led by Antibiotic Research UK, Bladder Health UK, and The Urology Foundation. This partnership will publish its findings in spring 2026. The aim of the Chronic and Recurrent UTI PSP is to identify the unanswered questions about chronic and recurrent UTIs from patient, carer, and clinical perspectives and then to prioritise those that patients, carers, and clinicians agree are the most important for research to address.

NHS England is also supporting research into newer, more accurate point-of-care tests for UTIs, such as via the Toucan study. Further information on the study is available at the following link:

https://www.phctrials.ox.ac.uk/recruiting-trials/toucan-platform-for-uti-diagnostic-evaluation
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide final year medical students assigned placeholder jobs with clarity on where they will begin working as doctors in August 2025. \p Karin Smyth: We are aware that there is a delay in NHS England allocating some foundation year one doctors their programme details and work schedules. We have asked NHS England to urgently tackle this issue. We know there is more to do and NHS England is working to ensure that all posts are confirmed as soon as possible, while keeping applicants informed throughout the process, including through webinars.

NHS England is due to review the foundation programme allocation process to make sure it works well for applicants. The review is scheduled for after the 2025/26 allocations and is aiming to commence in 2026. NHS England will advise stakeholders on how they can input in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Quality Standards for Care and Rehabilitation of Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Key Supporters, published by the Resuscitation Council UK. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England welcomes the recent publication on the quality standards for care and rehabilitation of cardiac arrest survivors and their key supporters.

We recognise the importance of this work and will take it into account as part of our ongoing review of all prescribed specialised service specifications. Specifically, the service specification will be reviewed in due course, and this publication will be considered as part of that process. The specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cardiology-primary-percutaneous-cortonary-intervention-adult.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of exempting people with cystic fibrosis from prescription charges. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate, for exemption from prescription charges.

Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with cystic fibrosis may be eligible.

Eligibility for these exemptions depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are also available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three-month and 12-month certificates available. To help spread the cost, people can pay for an annual PPC by ten monthly direct debits. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing NICE guidance for (a) Tourette’s Syndrome and (b) other tic disorders. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has established a prioritisation board that takes decisions on which topics should be prioritised for the development of a clinical guideline, in line with the criteria set out in NICE’s published prioritisation framework, and through engagement with experts and other interested parties. The prioritisation board recently considered the development of a guideline on Tourette’s and tic disorders and concluded that many of the challenges relate to service provision, where NICE guidance is likely to have limited impact. It was, however, recognised that there could be value in developing a clinical knowledge summary on this topic, and NICE is exploring this possibility further.

NICE has produced guidance on suspected neurological conditions, which includes recommendations on treatment for tics and involuntary movements in adults and children. The guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/

On 7 May 2025, NICE published Early Value Assessment guidance on digital therapy for chronic tic disorders and Tourette syndrome. The guidance states that Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics, created by the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s MindTech national research centre, can be used with standard care in the National Health Service during an evidence generation period as an option to treat chronic tic disorders and Tourette syndrome in children and young people nine to 17 years old. Further information on the digital therapy for chronic tic disorders and Tourette syndrome is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/hte25
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the annual cost is for using Hospedia for patients in each NHS trust in England; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national policy on the use of television in hospital. \p Karin Smyth: No data is collected centrally on the annual cost for using Hospedia or the provision of bedside television and similar services by the National Health Service.

NHS providers are locally responsible for the provision of bedside television and similar services, including the charges for them. If patients do not wish to, or are unable to afford the cost of the bedside television, they should still be able to watch the free to view television via their own devices and local hospital Wi-Fi, or in the hospital day rooms or communal areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical appointments were (a) missed by patients and (b) cancelled by the health trust at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals in each of the last three years. \p Karin Smyth: The following table shows data on the number of outpatient appointments missed by the patient where they Did Not Attend on the day, without prior cancellation, and the number of outpatient appointments cancelled by the provider, for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Missed by patients

55,243

56,286

56,383

Cancelled by hospital

58,367

57,817

57,108

The table above includes all outpatient appointments, both new and follow up, where the patient Did Not Attend on the day, or where the hospital cancelled, with the latter including some rearrangements of appointments, such as where a patient has been brought forward or delayed. This data excludes where the patient has cancelled in advance. Please note that the accuracy of the type of missed appointment ascribed could be impacted by incomplete documentation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to investigate NHS penalty charges resulting from errors in direct debits for prescriptions. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has no plans to investigate National Health Service penalty charges resulting from errors in direct debits for prescriptions.

Only the 12-month Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) can be paid for by direct debit, and there are processes in place to ensure individuals who pay for their PPC via direct debit are informed of the procedures and their responsibilities.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) administers PPCs on behalf of the Department. A patient’s PPC and payments automatically renew unless it is: requested or cancelled by the certificate holder; there is an outstanding balance to be paid on a PPC; or if the holder is turning 60 years old within nine months of their certificate expiring. In these instances, the individual will be notified by letter before the end date of their existing certificate. Where a patient is turning 60 years old within nine months of their certificate expiring, they are advised of alternative routes to exemption to cover the period until they are entitled to the age exemption.

Only where the individual fails to manually renew their PPC but continues to claim free prescriptions after the expiry date of their PPC, will a penalty charge be issued by the NHSBSA.
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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department holds data on how much notice was given to patients about the cancellation of their planned medical operation at (a) Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and (b) Blackpool Teaching Hospitals in the last three years. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold data on how much notice was given to patients about the cancellation of their planned medical operations.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many families subject to No Recourse to Public Funds are (a) in receipt of Healthy Start and (b) have had their application for Healthy Start rejected. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department transferred the Healthy Start Extension Scheme to the NHS Business Services Authority at the beginning of April 2025.

As of the 19 June 2025, the number of those subject to no recourse to public funds, with a British child aged under four years old, in receipt of the Healthy Start Extension Scheme is 75.

Since April 2025 and as of the 19 June 2025, the number of applications for the Healthy Start Extension scheme that have been rejected is 51.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of follow up care for survivors of sudden cardiac arrest (a) nationally and (b) regionally. \p Ashley Dalton: The NHS Long Term Plan committed to improving community first response and building defibrillator networks to help save 4,000 lives by 2028. This is being supported with education for the general public, including young people of school age, about how to recognise and respond to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

NHS England is also working with partners such as the British Heart Foundation to harness new technology and to ensure the public and emergency services are able to rapidly locate this life saving equipment in an emergency.

Patients who survive cardiac arrest and their families are supported through referral to local National Health Services, and this will include rehabilitation, such as cardiac and neurological rehabilitation, and mental health services for psychological support.

There are different pathways for cardiac arrest survivors, depending on the severity of the damage caused by the cardiac arrest. For people being discharged from secondary care and those with ischemic heart disease, also known as myocardial infarction, cardiac rehabilitation services are available in every region.

In December 2024, to support local systems to commission high quality cardiac rehabilitation, NHS England published Commissioning standards for cardiac rehabilitation, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/commissioning-standards-for-cardiovascular-rehabilitation/

These standards of care complement the British Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation’s Standards and Core Components document, published in 2023, to support the delivery of high-quality care and the adherence to evidenced-based practice. This document is available at the following link:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/66cc563eecc7a22020c7da6c/t/66ffa8f20aef5d0b272c6b0e/1728030962905/BACPR+Standards+and+Core+Components+2023.pdf
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to increase funding into research on the (a) causes of and (b) treatments for Tourette’s syndrome. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The NIHR has funded a number of research projects on Tourette’s syndrome, including the live ORBIT-UK study, which aims to translate an evidence-based online behavioural therapy intervention for tics in young people into a patient-ready digital tool, deliverable at scale within the National Health Service.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and social care, including Tourette’s syndrome. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on Tourette’s syndrome to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) children with foetal valproate syndrome and (b) their families are represented in NHS reform. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. We are adopting a mission-based approach and will deliver this ambition through the Health and Opportunity Missions, and through the 10-Year Plan for the National Health Service.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS-funded fertility treatment in Fylde constituency. \p Ashley Dalton: We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate.

In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_37

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of people on the bone marrow donors register. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK aligned stem cell registry, a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered. The British Bone Marrow Registry is now known as the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, and forms part of the UK aligned stem cell registry.

The Department is taking action to increase the number of people on the UK aligned stem cell registry by funding the Stem Cell Programme, with £2.4 million for the period from 2022 to 2025. The programme is being delivered by NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan. It aims to enhance the resilience of the United Kingdom’s stem cell supply by strategically recruiting donors to the UK aligned stem cell registry. It focuses on recruiting those most likely to donate and on addressing health disparities through targeted campaigns, with a focus on ethnic minority communities. By increasing the pool of potential donors, the programme seeks to improve the availability of matches in the UK, ultimately reducing waiting times for patients in need of stem cell treatment. Funding to both organisations has been extended by one year to 2025/26.
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_38

Mark Sewards:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand access to smear tests. \p Ashley Dalton: NHS England launched its first ever cervical cancer elimination creative campaign and communications toolkit for Cervical Screening Awareness Week, from 16 June 2025 to 24 June 2025. The campaign included digital resources that create a strong sense of shared responsibility and aim to increase awareness of the elimination goal, educate the public, and build confidence in cervical screening.

In March 2025, NHS England published its Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England, setting out how the National Health Service will improve equitable uptake and coverage across cervical screening to meet the goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/

NHS England will build on what is already working well to drive vaccination and screening uptake and coverage, focussing on five cross-cutting themes: increasing access; raising awareness; reducing inequalities; improving digital capabilities; and strengthening workforce capacity.

From January 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer human papillomavirus self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more, following routine invitation.
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_39

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the link between lung health and the adequacy of smoking cessation services in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire. \p Ashley Dalton: We are increasing our efforts to support smokers to quit and have invested an additional £70 million, this year and last, for local stop smoking services, in England. It is for local authorities to determine and commission the most appropriate stop smoking services for their area.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact of stop smoking services on lung health in these areas. However, we have commissioned an independent evaluation of the impact of our additional funding to stop smoking services, in which we look at partnerships with health providers.

There is also an established referral pathway between the NHS Targeted Lung Health Programme in University Hospital North Midlands and the local stop smoking service. The local NHS Targeted Lunch Health Check Programme also previously ran a pilot to offer smoking cessation support to patients through community pharmacies.
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_40
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_40

Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has his Department has made of the potential impact of childhood obesity on risk of cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: A specific assessment of a direct link between childhood obesity and the risk of cancer has not been made. However, there is evidence that children and adolescents living with obesity are more likely to remain living with obesity as adults. There is also evidence that adults living with obesity have a higher risk of developing several types of cancer, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/obesity-weight-and-cancer/how-does-obesity-cause-cancer

Data suggests that 6% of cancer cases in the United Kingdom are attributable to obesity and overweight, including:

- 34% of uterine cancer cases, or 3,000 out of 9,000;

- 24% of kidney cancer cases, or 2,900 out of 12,400;

- 17% of upper gastrointestinal cancer cases, or 5,600 out of 32,400;

- 11% of colorectal cancer cases​, or 4,800 out of 41,800; and

- 8% of breast cancer cases, or 4,600 out of 55,100.

Further information on this data is available at the following link:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-018-0029-6

The National Child Measurement Programme collects data on children aged four to five years old, who would be in reception, and 10 to 11 years old, who would be in year 6. In the 2023/24 school year, data on childhood obesity in England indicates that 22.1% of children in reception and 35.8% in year 6 were overweight or living with obesity. Further information on childhood obesity in England is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/national-child-measurement-programme/2022-23-school-year

The Department has commissioned research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research to quantify the health and social impacts of obesity during childhood and is awaiting results, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/health/case-studies/2024/jul/quantifying-health-and-social-impacts-obesity-during-childhood
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_41
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_41

Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of safety levels at Castle Hill Hospital. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department recently sought information from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regarding their regulatory oversight of Castle Hill Hospital. The CQC last inspected Castle Hill Hospital in November 2022, where it was rated as Requires Improvement overall. The full inspection report and detail are available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RWA16

Castle Hill Hospital is part of the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The trust is subject to enhanced surveillance and attends a monthly Quality Improvement Board chaired by NHS England, which the CQC also attends. The trust’s action plan is monitored by the Board.

The trust was told by the CQC to take several actions to ensure that clinical care and treatment across the trust was delivered safely and in accordance with national guidance. The CQC continues to monitor the trust to ensure required improvements are made.

In light of the police investigation and the completion of three external reviews into the trust, the CQC is considering new information to determine any further regulatory action. Any inspection activity will be reported on and published on the CQC’s website.
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_42
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_42

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that any future redress to those affected by in-utero exposure to sodium valproate includes both (a) financial and (b) non-financial compensation. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report in due course.
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_43
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_43

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review (a) guidelines and (b) referral criteria for the direct rectal examination for prostate cancer. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is committed to ensuring that all patients with cancer, including prostate cancer, are diagnosed faster and more accurately, with the most appropriate diagnostic methods available. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance on best practice for health and social care professionals in England.

Current NICE guidance does not recommend digital rectal examination for diagnosing prostate cancer. NICE does recommend digital rectal examination as part of the physical examination that should be offered to all men with lower urinary tract symptoms as part of their initial assessment. The guidelines are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer#urological-cancers
wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_44
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_44

Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement enhanced public awareness campaigns to educate the public on the importance of (a) HPV vaccination and (b) regular cervical screening. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) works alongside NHS England and the Department to promote the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as part of a national programme to prevent cervical cancers caused by HPV.

Throughout the year, UKHSA's data and surveillance is used to create public and stakeholder communications, and to raise awareness of HPV and the importance of the vaccine. UKHSA also publishes and provides a range of supporting materials to health professionals on both the 12- and 13-year-old HPV offer, and the vaccine programme for those at higher risk.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme, through NHS England, has a series of initiatives underway, including developing a digital-first approach.