Department of Health and Social Care

There are a number of laboratories in England which provide blood testing for paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis, although the Department has not made a specific formal estimate of how many there are. Several National Health Service laboratories across the United Kingdom also offer diagnostic testing for paraneoplastic antibodies. In England, these laboratories include the University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS in England does not routinely send blood samples to the United States for analysis when testing for paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis. There are specialised laboratories within the UK which the NHS in England uses to conduct these tests.

There are a number of laboratories in England which provide blood testing for paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis, although the Department has not made a specific formal estimate of how many there are. Several National Health Service laboratories across the United Kingdom also offer diagnostic testing for paraneoplastic antibodies. In England, these laboratories include the University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS in England does not routinely send blood samples to the United States for analysis when testing for paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis. There are specialised laboratories within the UK which the NHS in England uses to conduct these tests.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning healthcare services that meet the needs of their local populations. When ICBs exercise their functions, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.

Further, as part of the Government’s five long-term missions, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving support for older people in all parts of the country.

More care and support delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support patients closer to home.

The 10-Year Health Plan will also set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, such as older people.  It will set out how to support and enable health and social care services, and wider services, to work together better to provide that joined-up care.

NHS England’s Renal Service Transformation Programme (RSTP) highlighted the importance of prevention and of optimising screening, detection, and treatment. Regional NHS England Renal Networks are working in partnership with integrated care systems to deliver the RSTP’s aims, and to help develop effective strategies for their local populations.

NHS England recognises the importance of kidney disease, not only in preventing the progression of kidney disease but also in reducing cardiovascular events. A customer relationship management steering group has been established which aims to focus on the prevention of these common condition that often co-exist.

NHS England has expanded the scope of the work under the Prevention and Long-Term Condition Programme Board to include consideration of opportunities for improving the prevention of kidney disease.

The NHS Health Check programme is a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programme, which aims to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and some cases of dementia. The programme assesses for high blood pressure and high blood sugar, which are risk factors for the development of both chronic kidney disease and CVD. Where an individual’s NHS Health Check indicates high blood pressure or high blood sugar, it is for the general practitioner to consider the results, and then, if required, undertake further clinical investigation and treatment where appropriate.

Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease. People at risk of developing type 2 diabetes can also be referred by their general practitioner into the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. The programme is highly effective, cutting the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37% for people completing the programme, compared to those who do not attend.

NHS England has invested £314 million since the start of the pandemic to provide care and support for people with long COVID. This includes establishing specialist clinics throughout England to assess adults, children, and young people who are experiencing long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. A further £86.7 million of funding was included in integrated care board core allocations for 2024/25, and specific regional funding was also allocated for assurance and system support.

These services offer physical, cognitive, and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. Further information can be found via the National Health Service website, at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/

Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical care.

We will improve National Health Service cancer waiting time performance so that cancer patients are diagnosed and treated faster, including patients in the West Midlands.

We set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform plan, published on 6 January 2025. Our reforms to cancer care will see thousands of patients starting treatment within two months, and across the NHS we have already hit our target of delivering two million extra operations, scans, and appointments seven months early.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The JCVI stated in its advice for the autumn 2024 COVID-19 vaccination programme that there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the impact of additional vaccine doses, beyond the primary vaccination, on the risk, progression, and outcome of post-COVID syndromes. The JCVI advised that better data is needed on the impact of additional vaccine doses on the occurrence and severity of post-COVID syndromes in the current era of omicron sub-variants of the COVID-19 virus, and high population immunity. This advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-autumn-2024-vaccination-programme-jcvi-advice-8-april-2024/jcvi-statement-on-the-covid-19-vaccination-programme-for-autumn-2024-8-april-2024

On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programmes in spring 2025, autumn 2025, and spring 2026. This advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026

The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme, to include those aged 75 years old and above, those aged six months old or above with immunosuppression, and those living in care homes for older adults. The Government response is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/advice-accepted-on-spring-2025-covid-19-vaccination-programme

The Government is considering the advice for autumn 2025 and spring 2026 carefully, and will respond in due course.

The Government and the National Health Service recognise that prevention will always be better and cheaper than a cure. Reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages, including in older people, is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives, and a key part of the Department’s shift from treatment to prevention.

The Department supports the NHS, together with local authorities, to provide a range of community services to support older people, such as exercise on referral and social prescribing, aquatic/swimming classes, dance classes, and fall prevention training through strength and balance classes. The Government continues to encourage local authorities to invest in and prioritise leisure facilities and community-based services.

In addition to the above, the NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for people of all ages to move more, and signposts to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app, an accessible way of building movement into everyday life.

NHS England has established a renal Clinical Reference Group to deliver change across the National Health Service, to accelerate improvements in the diagnosis of, and treatment for, people living with kidney disease.

Increasing access to home therapies for kidney issues is a priority for NHS England, and this is reflected in its inclusion in the Renal Transformation toolkit, published in 2023. This recommends that 20% of all patients on kidney replacement treatment should receive treatment at home.

NHS England is improving access to home dialysis for children, supported by a robust network of nurses and clinicians who can move care from hospitals to homes. This approach is working, with rates of home dialysis ranging from 64% to 76% across the 10 NHS paediatric dialysis centres.

Direct estimates of unmet health and care need at a local level are not available. Assessing unmet health and care need is complex, particularly as it is multi-faceted, and validated data is not always available at a constituency level. For national level insights, please see Age UK’s State of Health and Care of Older People in England 2024 report, which is available at the following link:

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/discover/2024/september/state-of-health-and-care-of-older-people-in-england-2024/

We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to which will set out a long-term vision to reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future. Addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the NHS is there for anyone who needs it, whenever they need it.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model, and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%.

FLS are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs), which make decisions according to local need. This includes the Lincolnshire ICB. We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.

The UK Health Security Agency undertakes proactive communications with the public to raise awareness of the risk of malaria and to promote consultation with an appropriate healthcare professional before travel. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/travel-associated-infections-approaching-pre-pandemic-levels

Travellers to malaria-endemic areas are encouraged to have a pre-travel consultation with a healthcare expert in travel health. This enables an individualised risk assessment and personalised advice to be given on measures to reduce the risk of malaria and other health risks.

The National Travel Health Network and Centre provides information for United Kingdom travellers on safe and healthy travel and effective strategies to prevent infection, including chemoprophylaxis. Further information is available at the following link:

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/52/malaria

There have been no reported outbreaks of salmonella spp. associated with recreational water use in the time period requested since 2020.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes surveillance of Salmonella spp. infections. No information is available on the suspected cause of gastrointestinal infection for individual cases, unless salmonellosis cases are epidemiologically linked to an outbreak.

The UKHSA also undertakes routine surveillance for leptospirosis infections in humans, and publishes a quarterly report on the common animal-associated infections, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-animal-associated-infections-2024/common-animal-associated-infections-england-second-quarter-2024#leptospirosis

Exposure history is not well reported by cases. Water sources may be in the United Kingdom or abroad, and do not necessarily reflect where the infection was acquired. The following table shows the most recent figures of confirmed cases of leptospirosis in each quarter, from Quarter one of 2020 to Quarter two of 2024:

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) holds data on all malaria cases diagnosed in the United Kingdom by the Malaria Reference Laboratory and Public Health Scotland. The UKHSA publishes malaria statistics in an annual report, the latest version of which, covering 2023, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/malaria-in-the-uk-annual-report/malaria-imported-into-the-uk-2023

The UKHSA does not routinely publish data on hospital admissions due to malaria or complications from malaria.

This information is not held centrally. NHS England collects and publishes data on the causes of hospital admissions, however there is no routine reporting on tuberculosis admissions. NHS England makes hospital admission data available in the National Health Service’s Hospital Episode Statistics publication, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/hospital-episode-statistics

The UK Health Security Agency uses epidemiological tools, such as whole genome sequencing, to better understand the transmission of tuberculosis. However, it is not possible to determine the proportion of the individuals admitted to hospital who contracted tuberculosis outside of the United Kingdom.

The Government is committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis and to raising the healthiest generation of children ever.

The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 were laid during the previous Parliament. The regulations provide for restrictions on the promotion and placement in retail stores and their online equivalents of certain foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt, or sugar, or which are ‘less healthy’.

In 2023, the implementation guidance accompanying these regulations was updated to provide some additional points of clarification, which included removing a reference to the term “minimally processed and nutritious food”. This was done to ensure the guidance remained in-line with the legislation, which does not reference minimally processed food. The legislation itself was not changed and still restricts the promotion of less healthy foods that contribute to childhood obesity. Therefore, no assessment was made of the merits of removing references to “minimally processed and nutritious food” from this document.

The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which is why we recommend everyone having a sight test at least every two years. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many, including children, those aged 60 years old and over, individuals on income-related benefits, and those diagnosed with, or considered at risk of, glaucoma.

The Department does not hold information on the absolute numbers of people living with glaucoma at any one time in England, and therefore no estimate has been made on the numbers of people who will have glaucoma in the next 10 years. Data is also not held centrally on the number of qualified ophthalmic consultants and doctors who are able to treat glaucoma in the NHS.

The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which is why we recommend everyone having a sight test at least every two years. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many, including children, those aged 60 years old and over, individuals on income-related benefits, and those diagnosed with, or considered at risk of, glaucoma.

The Department does not hold information on the absolute numbers of people living with glaucoma at any one time in England, and therefore no estimate has been made on the numbers of people who will have glaucoma in the next 10 years. Data is also not held centrally on the number of qualified ophthalmic consultants and doctors who are able to treat glaucoma in the NHS.

The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend screening for glaucoma because it is not clear if the tests which are available are accurate enough to be used in a screening programme. Regular sight tests are important in detecting glaucoma, which is why we recommend everyone having a sight test at least every two years. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many, including children, those aged 60 years old and over, individuals on income-related benefits, and those diagnosed with, or considered at risk of, glaucoma.

The Department does not hold information on the absolute numbers of people living with glaucoma at any one time in England, and therefore no estimate has been made on the numbers of people who will have glaucoma in the next 10 years. Data is also not held centrally on the number of qualified ophthalmic consultants and doctors who are able to treat glaucoma in the NHS.

General practices are independent businesses contracted to provide National Health Services, and have autonomy to manage appointments in the way that best suits their patient population, including determining what services are available on a walk-in basis. To accommodate patients who may not be able to access general practices during core opening hours, integrated care boards in England are required to provide general practice out of hours services from 18:30 to 08:00 on weekdays, all weekends, and on bank holidays.

Walk-in patients can also access care in other settings. Under Pharmacy First, community pharmacists can provide advice for minor illnesses and supply some prescription-only medicines without a prescription from a general practitioner, either following a referral or a walk-in. Patients with urgent but not life-threatening medical needs can also visit urgent treatment centres without an appointment.

Mental health support teams cover school pupils and further education learners, including those up to the age of 18 years old.

They work directly with school and college staff, alongside National Health Services, to provide professional advice, easing the pressure on school staff and allowing them to help young people get the right support and stay in education.

Free National Health Service sight tests are widely available across the country, from any optical practice with a contract to provide NHS sight testing services. We are not aware of patients facing undue delays in accessing these services.

The Department does not hold data at the required level of granularity to provide the average waiting time for a first neurology appointment for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

The term non-disclosure agreement is not used in the National Health Service. A non-disclosure agreement is a general term used to describe any kind of legal agreement which sets out requirements, known as confidentiality clauses, that prohibit or restrict the sharing of certain information to other parties. These terms are usually in the interests of both the employer and the employee concerned. In the NHS this relates to contracts of employment and settlement agreements.

Settlement agreements, which may include confidentiality clauses, can legitimately be used for a range of employment issues that are unrelated to whistleblowing and are legally binding. Both the employer and the employee concerned must take their own legal advice before entering into such an agreement. Some settlement agreements may include a non-contractual, or special severance, payment, but not all will do so.

The Department remains committed to exploring the extension of medicine responsibilities for non-medical professionals. This will support the aim that patients are cared for, and treated by, the most appropriate healthcare professional to meet their needs, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Many regulated healthcare professionals have already received extended medicine responsibilities and the Department is committed to assessing the impact that these changes have had on patient care.

Regarding the extension of paramedics’ medicine responsibilities, there is a process in place for making changes to ensure proposals are safe and beneficial for patients. Officials are carefully considering proposals relating to a range of healthcare professionals, including paramedics, and the use of fentanyl as an analgesic agent, as part of wider work.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning healthcare services that meet the needs of their local populations. When ICBs exercise their functions, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.

The Department recognises that providing services in rural areas comes with significant additional costs, for example, in travel and staff time. That is why the funding formula used by NHS England to allocate funds to ICBs includes an element to better reflect the needs in some rural, coastal, and remote areas.

The Department also wants ICBs to ensure that travel is not a prohibitive factor. There is a longstanding policy in the National Health Service that if you are eligible, you may be able to claim a refund for reasonable travel costs to receive services that are not primary medical, dental, or ophthalmic, following a referral by a healthcare professional. That scheme, the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, continues to apply.

Furthermore, NHS England strives for digital services to improve healthcare access. NHS England published the Inclusive digital healthcare: a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion in September 2023, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/inclusive-digital-healthcare-a-framework-for-nhs-action-on-digital-inclusion/

This framework highlights that certain groups, including people living in areas with inadequate broadband and mobile data coverage, especially rural and coastal areas, face higher risks of both digital exclusion and health inequalities. The framework is designed to ensure NHS services are accessible to people who are digitally excluded.

Early access schemes for unlicenced medicines, where approval may be obtained in other markets, including where a licence exists but a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence decision is not available, are managed by companies to benefit patients.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) provides a route for the supply of new medicines to United Kingdom patients on an unlicensed basis, prior to receiving a marketing authorisation. The EAMS aims to give patients with life threatening or seriously debilitating conditions early access to medicines that show early signs of having a major advantage over existing therapeutics.

The EAMS is a two-step process, with the first step being a Positive Innovative Medicine designation, and the second step being the publishing of a Scientific Opinion. Medicines have to be successful at both of these stages to have access to patients through this scheme.

We are currently reviewing the recently submitted Torfersen, but cannot comment on its progress. The MHRA recognises the importance of rapid assessment, and is committed to doing so in a timely manner.

Andrew Kennedy KC has been appointed as the independent chair of a clinical review taskforce which is undertaking an external, independent, and retrospective clinical review of all surgeries carried out by Kuldeep Stohr while she was employed by the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) from 2012.

The CUH has commissioned Verita, an organisation specialising in healthcare investigations, to undertake a separate external and independent review of what was known and when it was known, regarding concerns about Ms Stohr’s clinical practice and competence, and any missed opportunities to identify and address concerns earlier.

The CUH is maintaining communication with the affected families. Each family has a named contact and is receiving written updates. We are clear that affected patients and families must continue to be supported throughout the process, so that they can be provided with the answers they deserve.

The most recent estimate of the cost of free prescriptions for the population of England is £10 billion for 2023/24. This is based on the difference between there being no prescription charge for all and requiring all patients to pay the then single charge of £9.65 per item.

These figures do not correspond to the revenue that would be raised if any exemptions were removed, because some people would buy a pre-payment certificate, and some might not follow up to get the medication.

The Department is working with NHS England and the NHS Supply Chain to develop and promote Value Based Procurement (VBP) Standard Guidance for the National Health Service to consistently assess value when procuring medical technologies, including continence products. The Department has now developed draft VBP Standard Guidance and is testing its usability with procurement teams. The aim is to publish the guidance in early 2026.

The Department is engaging medical technology trade associations, including the Urology Trade Association, suppliers, as well as broader networks of patient forums, financial teams, clinicians, and NHS procurement professionals, to co-develop and promote this approach. Departmental officials hosted two market engagement sessions in May 2025. These were attended by over 450 suppliers, including suppliers of continence products.

In addition, because prescriptions in primary and community care are an important route of supply for incontinence consumables, the Department is building VBP principles into its plans to update Part IX Drug Tariff assessments of medical devices and consumables, where appropriate.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.

There has been a reduction in the number of pharmacies since 2017, as there are over 1,300 fewer than in 2017, and over 550 fewer than two years ago. However, access to pharmacies in England remains good. Over 80% of the population lives within one mile of a pharmacy. In some rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the over 400 NHS online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver prescription medicines free of charge to patients.

The Department and NHS England are working collaboratively on the development of the 10-Year Health Plan, including through independent investigation, a public engagement exercise, and wider policy development.

It is too early to say exactly what the 10-Year Health Plan will look like, but what is certain is that delivering on prevention will remain a priority as part of the plan’s three shifts to get the health service and the nation’s health thriving once again.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have dedicated funding to research into treatment options, clinical trials, and to understanding the underlying mechanisms of long COVID. The overall Government investment in long COVID research is over £57 million. Government research funders welcome applications for funding for long COVID research.

Of the research studies identified in the answer for HL5426, four are ongoing and have expected spend in this financial year, namely: STIMULATE-ICP; PHOSP-COVID; Percutaneous Auricular Nerve Stimulation for Treating Post-COVID Fatigue; and Online cognitive training for people with cognitive impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The total budget for these studies is over £15 million, but spend in this financial year is not yet confirmed, as it depends on the progress of the studies.

No specific assessment has been made of the progress of United Kingdom-based researchers on finding methods to treat the symptoms of long COVID. The UK has a strong track record of developing and evaluating new treatments for COVID-19 through randomised control trials. In November 2020, the NIHR and UKRI launched their first call for research proposals on long COVID and subsequently funded the treatments for long COVID. In 2021, the NIHR funded the STIMULATE-ICP study as the largest trial for long COVID treatments at the time. This study is still ongoing, and emerging findings will be shared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The NIHR Innovation Observatory has undertaken a rapid horizon scan to identify repurposed medicines in clinical development for the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as related conditions such as long COVID and fibromyalgia. The horizon scan focused on medicines with a UK licence that are in phase two or three clinical trials, with trial registration dates from 2020 onwards.

Unfortunately, no study globally has identified a cure for long COVID. The REGAIN study became the first randomised trial to show a benefit from rehabilitation for people with long COVID, and the first high quality evidence confirming the sustained clinical benefit and lack of harm from rehabilitation programmes for long COVID. The NIHR provided £1.5 million towards this trial, which combined exercise with behavioural support, to measure their effects on symptoms, health, and other outcomes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have dedicated funding to research into treatment options, clinical trials, and to understanding the underlying mechanisms of long COVID. The overall Government investment in long COVID research is over £57 million. Government research funders welcome applications for funding for long COVID research.

Of the research studies identified in the answer for HL5426, four are ongoing and have expected spend in this financial year, namely: STIMULATE-ICP; PHOSP-COVID; Percutaneous Auricular Nerve Stimulation for Treating Post-COVID Fatigue; and Online cognitive training for people with cognitive impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The total budget for these studies is over £15 million, but spend in this financial year is not yet confirmed, as it depends on the progress of the studies.

No specific assessment has been made of the progress of United Kingdom-based researchers on finding methods to treat the symptoms of long COVID. The UK has a strong track record of developing and evaluating new treatments for COVID-19 through randomised control trials. In November 2020, the NIHR and UKRI launched their first call for research proposals on long COVID and subsequently funded the treatments for long COVID. In 2021, the NIHR funded the STIMULATE-ICP study as the largest trial for long COVID treatments at the time. This study is still ongoing, and emerging findings will be shared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The NIHR Innovation Observatory has undertaken a rapid horizon scan to identify repurposed medicines in clinical development for the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as related conditions such as long COVID and fibromyalgia. The horizon scan focused on medicines with a UK licence that are in phase two or three clinical trials, with trial registration dates from 2020 onwards.

Unfortunately, no study globally has identified a cure for long COVID. The REGAIN study became the first randomised trial to show a benefit from rehabilitation for people with long COVID, and the first high quality evidence confirming the sustained clinical benefit and lack of harm from rehabilitation programmes for long COVID. The NIHR provided £1.5 million towards this trial, which combined exercise with behavioural support, to measure their effects on symptoms, health, and other outcomes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations for the National Health Service in England on the use of new medicines, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

The NICE issued guidance in March 2024 that recommends ritlecitinib, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health. At the present time, there are no plans to update this guidance.

As health is a devolved issue, information relating to guidance on the use of ritlecitinib in Scotland would be held by the Scottish health authorities.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations for the National Health Service in England on the use of new medicines, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

The NICE issued guidance in March 2024 that recommends ritlecitinib, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health. At the present time, there are no plans to update this guidance.

As health is a devolved issue, information relating to guidance on the use of ritlecitinib in Scotland would be held by the Scottish health authorities.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that makes recommendations for the National Health Service in England on the use of new medicines, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

The NICE issued guidance in March 2024 that recommends ritlecitinib, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people 12 years old and over. Whilst severity is not specifically defined in the guidance, the evidence submission by the medicine’s manufacturer defined ‘severe’ as a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of more than 50 out of 100. The guidance also acknowledges that living with severe alopecia areata can have a profound impact on psychosocial health. At the present time, there are no plans to update this guidance.

As health is a devolved issue, information relating to guidance on the use of ritlecitinib in Scotland would be held by the Scottish health authorities.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future and recognises the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects. We recently announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (PCUMF) to deliver upgrades this financial year to more than a thousand general practice surgeries across England.

We have made sure that every single region across the country receives part of the funding, so benefits are felt nationwide. Decisions were made based on the highest priority of need and where the investment would quickly create additional clinical space, specifically to deliver more appointments.

NHS England worked with all the integrated care boards (ICBs), including in Greater Manchester, to prioritise the schemes that local health leaders identified as meeting their communities’ most urgent needs.

The Greater Manchester ICB has been allocated £5.6 million from the PCUMF to be spent on physical improvements resulting in additional clinical space and increased access to appointments. Digital transformation projects were not considered to be in scope for the £102 million of funding.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future and recognises the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects. We recently announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (PCUMF) to deliver upgrades this financial year to more than a thousand general practice surgeries across England.

We have made sure that every single region across the country receives part of the funding, so benefits are felt nationwide. Decisions were made based on the highest priority of need and where the investment would quickly create additional clinical space, specifically to deliver more appointments.

NHS England worked with all the integrated care boards (ICBs), including in Greater Manchester, to prioritise the schemes that local health leaders identified as meeting their communities’ most urgent needs.

The Greater Manchester ICB has been allocated £5.6 million from the PCUMF to be spent on physical improvements resulting in additional clinical space and increased access to appointments. Digital transformation projects were not considered to be in scope for the £102 million of funding.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future and recognises the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects. We recently announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (PCUMF) to deliver upgrades this financial year to more than a thousand general practice surgeries across England.

We have made sure that every single region across the country receives part of the funding, so benefits are felt nationwide. Decisions were made based on the highest priority of need and where the investment would quickly create additional clinical space, specifically to deliver more appointments.

NHS England worked with all the integrated care boards (ICBs), including in Greater Manchester, to prioritise the schemes that local health leaders identified as meeting their communities’ most urgent needs.

The Greater Manchester ICB has been allocated £5.6 million from the PCUMF to be spent on physical improvements resulting in additional clinical space and increased access to appointments. Digital transformation projects were not considered to be in scope for the £102 million of funding.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future and recognises the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects. We recently announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (PCUMF) to deliver upgrades this financial year to more than a thousand general practice surgeries across England.

We have made sure that every single region across the country receives part of the funding, so benefits are felt nationwide. Decisions were made based on the highest priority of need and where the investment would quickly create additional clinical space, specifically to deliver more appointments.

NHS England worked with all the integrated care boards (ICBs), including in Greater Manchester, to prioritise the schemes that local health leaders identified as meeting their communities’ most urgent needs.

The Greater Manchester ICB has been allocated £5.6 million from the PCUMF to be spent on physical improvements resulting in additional clinical space and increased access to appointments. Digital transformation projects were not considered to be in scope for the £102 million of funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Government is delivering new and innovative models of care in the community. We have launched six neighbourhood adult mental health centres that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to bring together community, crisis, and inpatient care.

NHS England’s Planning Guidance for 2025/26 makes clear that for this year, to support reform and improvements, we expect all providers to reduce the variation in children and young people accessing services and improve productivity.

We are also improving data quality so we can support providers in understanding demand across their areas. Since July 2023, NHS England has included waiting times metrics for referrals to urgent and community-based mental health services in its monthly mental health statistics publication, to help services target the longest waits.

Our 10-Year Health Plan will inform the future vision and delivery plan for mental health services in England. Earlier intervention remains a key focus of the plan, with the aim of reducing pressure on mental health services.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.