Department of Health and Social Care

We support ministers in leading the nation’s health and social care to help people live more independent, healthier lives for longer.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Wes Streeting
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Helen Morgan (LD - North Shropshire)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health and Social Care)
Danny Chambers (LD - Winchester)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)
Lord Scriven (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Health)

Conservative
Edward Argar (Con - Melton and Syston)
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Kamall (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Caroline Johnson (Con - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Caroline Johnson (Con - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Luke Evans (Con - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Health and Social Care)
Ministers of State
Stephen Kinnock (Lab - Aberafan Maesteg)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Karin Smyth (Lab - Bristol South)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Merron (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Andrew Gwynne (LAB - Gorton and Denton)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Wednesday 27th November 2024
World AIDS Day
Westminster Hall
Select Committee Docs
Tuesday 26th November 2024
14:30
Select Committee Inquiry
Wednesday 13th November 2024
Written Answers
Friday 29th November 2024
Wandsworth Prison: Health Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of …
Secondary Legislation
Thursday 28th November 2024
National Health Service (Ophthalmic Services and Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
These Regulations make amendments to the General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1185) (“the General Ophthalmic Services Regulations”), the …
Bills
Wednesday 6th November 2024
Mental Health Bill [HL] 2024-26
A Bill to make provision to amend the Mental Health Act 1983 in relation to mentally disordered persons; and for …
Dept. Publications
Thursday 28th November 2024
16:53

Department of Health and Social Care Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Nov. 19
Oral Questions
Sep. 09
Urgent Questions
Nov. 27
Written Statements
Nov. 27
Westminster Hall
Nov. 20
Adjournment Debate
View All Department of Health and Social Care Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Department of Health and Social Care - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations make amendments to the General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1185) (“the General Ophthalmic Services Regulations”), the Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1186) (“the Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations”) and the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/461) (“the Optical Charges and Payments Regulations”).
These Regulations make further amendments all of which are consequential on the Health and Care Act 2022 (“the 2022 Act”).
View All Department of Health and Social Care Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

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Petitions with most signatures
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29,729 Signatures
(3,414 in the last 7 days)
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9,257 Signatures
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3,268 Signatures
(781 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
2,204 Signatures
(1,148 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
2,030 Signatures
(438 in the last 7 days)
Department of Health and Social Care has not participated in any petition debates
View All Department of Health and Social Care Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Health and Social Care Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Health and Social Care Committee
Layla Moran Portrait
Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Gregory Stafford Portrait
Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Joe Robertson Portrait
Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Paulette Hamilton Portrait
Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Josh Fenton-Glynn Portrait
Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Jen Craft Portrait
Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Deirdre Costigan Portrait
Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Beccy Cooper Portrait
Beccy Cooper (Labour - Worthing West)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Ben Coleman Portrait
Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Danny Beales Portrait
Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Andrew George Portrait
Andrew George (Liberal Democrat - St Ives)
Health and Social Care Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Health and Social Care Committee: Upcoming Events
Health and Social Care Committee - Private Meeting
3 Dec 2024, 1 p.m.
View calendar
Health and Social Care Committee - Private Meeting
4 Dec 2024, 8:45 a.m.
View calendar
Health and Social Care Committee: Previous Inquiries
Department's White Paper on health and social care Pre-appointment hearing for the role of Chair of NICE Supporting those with dementia and their carers Social care: funding and workforce General Practice Data for Planning and Research Omicron variant update Long term funding of adult social care inquiry Delivering Core NHS and Care Services during the Pandemic and Beyond Maternity services inquiry Planning for winter pressure in A&E departments inquiry NHS England current issues evidence session Suicide prevention inquiry Professional Standards Authority one off evidence session Department of Health and NHS finances Brexit and health and social care inquiry Impact of the Spending Review on health and social care Impact of membership of the EU on health policy in the UK Long-term Sustainability of the NHS - Report of the House of Lords Committee inquiry Pre-Appointment hearing for Chair of National Health Service Improvement Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services inquiry Work of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Integrated care: organisations, partnerships and systems inquiry Brexit – medicines, medical devices and substances of human origin inquiry Work of NHS England and NHS Improvement inquiry Nursing workforce inquiry Children and young people's mental health - role of education inquiry Care Quality Commission accountability inquiry Childhood obesity: follow-up Sustainability and Transformation Plans inquiry Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report 2018-19 inquiry National Audit Office's Report on Investigation into pre-school vaccination inquiry Childhood obesity follow-up 2019 inquiry NHS Capital inquiry Dentistry Services inquiry Government’s review of NHS overseas visitor charging inquiry Harding Review of health and social care workforce inquiry Kark Report inquiry Drugs policy inquiry Drugs policy: medicinal cannabis inquiry Suicide prevention: follow-up inquiry Availability of Orkambi on the NHS inquiry Budget and NHS long-term plan inquiry Impact of the Brexit withdrawal agreement on health and social care inquiry Impact of a no deal Brexit on health and social care inquiry Patient safety and gross negligence manslaughter in healthcare inquiry Care Quality Commission inquiry First 1000 days of life inquiry Sexual health inquiry NHS funding inquiry Pre-Appointment hearing for Chair of NHS England NMC and Furness General Hospital inquiry NHS Long-term Plan: legislative proposals inquiry Childhood obesity inquiry Antimicrobial resistance inquiry Prison healthcare inquiry Alcohol minimum unit pricing inquiry Memorandum of understanding on data-sharing inquiry Implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 Management of long-term conditions Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Emergency services and emergency care Post-legislative scrutiny of the Mental Health Act 2007 Nursing Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Care Quality Commission National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Public Expenditure Social Care Government's Alcohol Strategy Responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Health Commissioning Revalidation of Doctors Complaints and Litigation Follow-up inquiry into Commissioning Public Health Annual accountability hearing with the General Medical Council Annual accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Annual accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission Annual accountability hearing with Monitor Report of the NHS Future Forum Public Expenditure 2 Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the NHS Commissioning Board Education, training and workforce planning Professional responsibility of Healthcare practitioners PIP breast implants and regulation of cosmetic interventions Accountability hearing with Monitor (2012) Public expenditure on health and care services Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of NICE Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry Care Quality Commission 2013 accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Monitor 2013 accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission End of Life Care The impact of physical activity and diet on health 2015 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council 2015 accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council One-off session on the Ebola virus 2014 accountability hearing with Monitor 2014 accountability hearing with the Care Quality Commission Public expenditure on health and social care 2015 accountability hearing with the General Dental Council Accident and emergency services Children's oral health Current issues in NHS England inquiry Primary care inquiry Work of the Secretary of State for Health inquiry Childhood obesity inquiry Public health post-2013 inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Care Quality Commission Establishment and work of NHS Improvement inquiry Children's and adolescent mental health and CAMHS Integrated Care Pioneers Complaints and raising concerns Handling of NHS patient data Urgent and Emergency Care Public expenditure on health and social care inquiry 2013 accountability hearing with Monitor Public Health England Health and Care Professions Council 2013 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council Work of NICE Work of NHS England Safety of maternity services in England Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care Work of the Department Digital transformation in the NHS Integrated Care Systems: autonomy and accountability IMDDS Review follow up one-off session Assisted dying/assisted suicide NHS dentistry Ambulance delays and strikes The situation in accident and emergency departments Prevention in health and social care Future cancer Pharmacy Men's health Management of the Coronavirus Outbreak Preparations for Coronavirus NHS leadership, performance and patient safety Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction The 10 Year Health Plan Coronavirus: recent developments Availability of Orkambi on the NHS Childhood obesity follow-up 2019 Dentistry Services Drugs policy Drugs policy: medicinal cannabis First 1000 days of life Budget and NHS long-term plan Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report 2018-19 Harding Review of health and social care workforce National Audit Office's Report on Investigation into pre-school vaccination NHS Capital NHS Long-term Plan: legislative proposals Government’s review of NHS overseas visitor charging Sexual health Calls for cases of GP visa issues Long term funding of adult social care Memorandum of understanding on data-sharing Work of NHS England and NHS Improvement Work of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of healthcare provision in HMP Wandsworth.

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.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of healthcare provision across the prison estate.

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.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring the National Food Crime Unit of the Food Standards Agency within the remit of the Independent Office for Police Conduct and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) National Food Crime Unit works to prevent, detect and investigate fraud within our food system. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has the power under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 to grant food crime officers access to specific investigative powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The drafting of secondary legislation to grant these powers and to bring food crime officers under the necessary remit of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for complaint handling purposes is at an advanced stage and is currently undergoing final review by both IOPC and the FSA.

It is intended that a regime of scrutiny by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will also be placed on a legislative footing. A recent FSA bid for primary legislation included a Private Member’s Bill within the handout list for the first session, though this was not taken forward. However, in October 2024, HMICFRS agreed to a voluntary inspection regime for the FSA’s use of investigatory powers whilst work progresses to secure primary legislation. The FSA is working with HMICFRS to put appropriate arrangements in place for the voluntary inspection regime and Home Office officials are updating their minister of this arrangement.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2024 to Question 9576 on Methylphenidate: Shortages, what recent progress her Department has made on improving the supply of methylphenidate in (a) Norfolk and (b) the UK.

We are continuing to work to resolve supply issues, where they remain, for methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets. We are engaging with all suppliers to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support the continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. We currently expect supply to improve in the United Kingdom throughout the rest of 2024. However, we anticipate supply to be limited for some strengths, and we continue to work with all suppliers to ensure the remaining issues are resolved as soon as possible.

The Department has also worked with specialists to develop advice for National Health Service clinicians on prescribing available alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets, whilst supplies are limited. If this is not possible, advice has also been provided for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) specialists to offer other clinically appropriate and available options, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, in line with the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidance, in order to avoid potentially disruptive breaks in treatment. To improve supply chain resiliency, we are also working with prospective new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to expand the UK supplier base.

We are supporting an ADHD taskforce that NHS England is establishing to examine ADHD service provision. The taskforce will bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we plan to combine modelling for future growth forecasts, which will be shared with industry to improve demand forecasting for ADHD medicines. The Department continually updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This helps ensure those involved in the prescribing and dispensing of ADHD medications can make informed decisions with patients. This list is available at the following link:

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reforms to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's statutory fees structures on (a) the Agency, (b) industry, (c) the NHS and (d) patients.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion in the United Kingdom.

Most of the MHRA’s income comes from charging fees for its services. Its fees are set to recover the full cost of delivering the respective services. This is in compliance with the HM Treasury guidance, Managing Public Money.

The MHRA aims to update its fees every two years, so that it can continue to recover its costs. This ensures the agency’s continued financial sustainability, and the ongoing delivery of its services.

The MHRA has recently consulted on its current fee uplift. The consultation has now closed, and they are analysing the responses. The Government response to the consultation should be published in the new year. With regards to the expected impacts:

  • the fees uplift will ensure the MHRA’s continued financial sustainability and the ongoing delivery of its services;
  • the MHRA’s fees will increase for industry, as by ensuring that the MHRA is fully recovering costs, it will be in a better position to deliver the level of service that the industry wants and expects;
  • the MHRA’s fees will increase for everyone, including the National Health Service, however, the impact on the NHS is expected to be small as it represents a small proportion of the MHRA’s total income, and the increase in its costs is also expected to be small; and
  • the fees uplift it will ensure the MHRA is sufficiently resourced to deliver its public health duties for patients, and additionally, the charging fees mean that the regulated bear the cost of regulation, rather than the taxpayer and patients themselves.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is to bring forward legislation to regulate NHS managers.

This Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the NHS has strong and effective leadership in place, and we are committed to introducing professional standards for, and regulation of NHS managers. On 26 November 2024 we published a consultation seeking views from stakeholders on options for regulating NHS managers. The consultation will close on 18 February 2025. We will carefully consider responses to the consultation and set out next steps in due course.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS employees' contracts of employment were terminated for underperformance in each year since 2020.

NHS England publish monthly statistics detailing information on National Health Service 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 at the following link:

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

The attached table summarises the published information, providing details for 2011/12 to 2023/24 of the total number of assignments of NHS staff where a reason for leaving is recorded. Within the total number, the number recorded against the four categories available to define dismissals are also presented. We believe the category ‘dismissal – capability’ is the best proxy for the data requested.

Data is presented from 2011/12 as we know the pattern of staff leaving or moving roles in the NHS was impacted in 2020/21 and 2021/22 by the pandemic and so comparison with pre-pandemic levels is appropriate.

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 around one third of leavers do not have a reason recorded. There is no data available to confirm the completeness of recording of reasons around dismissals.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many calls within the NHS were translated by each language code in each of the last ten years; and what the cost was to the public purse in each of those years.

The Department does not hold this information centrally.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
15th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of an increase in employers national insurance contributions on charity and not for profit providers of adult social care; and if he will publish this information.

The Government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process. This assessment took into account a wide range of factors, including changes to employer National Insurance contributions, and the National Living Wage increases.

In response to the range of pressures facing local authorities, the Government is providing a real-terms uplift to core local government spending power of approximately 3.2%, which includes £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women have been newly prescribed hormone replacement therapy in the last 12 months.

The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold data relating to the number of women who have been newly prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products in the last 12 months. However, the available data does indicate that the estimated number of identified patients who were prescribed at least one HRT drug item in England increased by 12%, from 2.3 million in 2022/23 to 2.6 million in 2023/24. Further information is available at the following link:

https://nhsbsa-opendata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/hrt/hrt_June_2024_v001.html

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
19th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (a) United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and (b) Lincolnshire Community Health Services spent on (i) translation and (ii) interpretation services in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the amount of money United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spent on translation and interpretation services each of the last five financial years:

Year

Total spend

2019/20

£158,395.00

2020/21

£127,235.96

2021/22

£162,501.32

2022/23

£204,008.60

2023/24

£248,547.00

In addition, the following table shows the amount of money Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five financial years:

Year

Total spend

2019/20

£34,638

2020/21

£43,790

2021/22

£56,512

2022/23

£71,885

2023/24

£42,692

During the COVID-19 pandemic, spend on translation and interpretation services reduced due to the reduction in planned activity across the providers’ sites. Since then, providers have significantly increased the number of patients they see and treat, which has resulted in increased interpretation and translation costs.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including people with learning disabilities in the spring Covid-19 booster vaccination programme.

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). On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme, covering vaccination in 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 is considering this advice carefully and will respond in due course.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of blood cancer in England; and what plans they have to involve the blood cancer community, including patients, clinicians and industry representatives, in the development of a potential cancer strategy for England.

The National Cancer Registration Service and the National Cancer Analysis Service collect information on levels of blood cancer in England. They show that in 2022 there were 35,466 diagnoses for blood cancer, broken down to 15,196 for females and 20,270 for males.

To help shape a 10-Year Health Plan to make the National Health Service fit for the future, the Government is inviting people to share their views, experiences, and ideas at the Change NHS online portal. We are also currently in discussions about what form a potential cancer strategy for England should take, including its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission,and will provide updates in due course.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that parents do not have to wait six months or more for post-mortem results following the death of a baby.

The Government recognises the significant impact of delays in post-mortems on bereaved families. Specialised perinatal pathology services provide medical investigations, including post-mortem examinations following the death of a foetus or baby. These services are delivered by 18 National Health Service hospital trusts in England.

Perinatal pathology services are currently experiencing significant staff shortages. There are 26.15 whole time equivalent consultant vacancies, which is a 46% vacancy rate across the service. The lack of consultant staff is impacting the service’s ability to produce post-mortem reports in line with national standards, as set out in NHS England’s service specification B, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/e12-perinatal-path.pdf

In response to the impact that the staffing challenges are having have on the service, NHS England has established a Perinatal Pathology Transformation Programme which is implementing interventions to increase perinatal pathology service capacity over time and improve the post-mortem reporting time. The programme reports to a national Steering Group which has clinical, commissioning, and key stakeholder representation, including service users and patient and public voice representation, through the baby loss charity Sands. The Royal College of Pathologists is also included in the membership of the Steering Group.

Additionally, we welcome and are carefully considering the findings of the Justice Committee’s recent follow-up Inquiry into the Coroner Service, including on coronial pathology provision.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the National Food Crime Unit of the Food Standards Agency to obtain the full powers to operate as set out in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) National Food Crime Unit works to prevent, detect and investigate fraud within our food system. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has the power under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 to grant food crime officers access to specific investigative powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The drafting of secondary legislation to grant these powers and to bring food crime officers under the necessary remit of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for complaint handling purposes is at an advanced stage and is currently undergoing final review by both IOPC and the FSA.

It is intended that a regime of scrutiny by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will also be placed on a legislative footing. A recent FSA bid for primary legislation included a Private Member’s Bill within the handout list for the first session, though this was not taken forward. However, in October 2024, HMICFRS agreed to a voluntary inspection regime for the FSA’s use of investigatory powers whilst work progresses to secure primary legislation. The FSA is working with HMICFRS to put appropriate arrangements in place for the voluntary inspection regime and Home Office officials are updating their minister of this arrangement.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 24 October (HL1589), what costs will fall on food premises in England if a requirement to display food hygiene rating certificates is introduced.

Mandatory display of ratings at premises in England would not impose additional burdens on businesses other than requiring them to display the rating stickers which are provided to them free of charge following food hygiene inspections. In its most recent assessment in 2022, the Food Standards Agency estimated a one-off cost of £3.5 million for the approximately 490,000 food businesses within scope of the scheme for familiarisation with the new requirements. This would equate to a one-off cost of £7 per business. There are no expected recurring costs.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value of Government-funded research into the impact of calorie labelling on alcohol products, given that such information has been provided on other drinks for many years.

The Department commissioned a National Institute for Health and Care Research study on understanding the impact of alcohol calorie labelling on alcohol and calorie selection, purchasing, and consumption. This study is underway, and due to end in 2026. The findings from this work will be useful in showing the potential impact of calorie labelling on reducing calorie intake and alcohol consumption.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across Government to determine the best ways to reduce alcohol-related harms.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government which organisations the Department of Health and Social Care consulted on the Mental Health Bill and their wider mental health policy.

The Mental Health Bill reflects the recommendations of Professor Sir Simon Wessely’s Independent Review into the Mental Health Act of 2018, which engaged widely with a number of organisations. The review’s advisory panel brought together a range of stakeholders to serve as a forum for gathering evidence and insight throughout the course of the review. The membership of the advisory panel comprised of individuals with lived experience, advocacy organisations, professionals and representative bodies, and representatives from the statutory system.

Following this, the Government ran an extensive public consultation on the proposals in the Mental Health Act White Paper, which received more than 1,700 responses. A draft bill was then published in 2022 for pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS), during which a range of stakeholders and organisations representing service users, patients, and professionals provided their views on how the draft bill could be improved.

The Mental Health Bill has been further strengthened through recommendations made by the PLS joint committee. Since July 2024, we have further engaged with range of key stakeholders, and we will continue to engage further, and consult widely, on the development of the Mental Health Act Code of Practice, the statutory guidance which will inform practice under the bill.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the rate of breast cancer diagnoses for women with asymptomatic breast density.

The UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing the evidence surrounding breast density in screening.

Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a priority for NHS England. To support early detection and diagnosis, the National Health Service carries out approximately 2.1 million breast cancer screens each year in hospitals and mobile screening vans, usually in convenient community locations.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including breast density in medical data collection, in the context of diagnosing breast cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing the evidence surrounding breast density in screening.

Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a priority for NHS England. To support early detection and diagnosis, the National Health Service carries out approximately 2.1 million breast cancer screens each year in hospitals and mobile screening vans, usually in convenient community locations.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a decision on the funding of Torbay Hospital under the New Hospital Programme before 31 December 2024.

The Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the new Torbay Hospital scheme. Following review and agreement of the Strategic Outline Case, the next step would be the development, review, and agreement of the Outline and Full Business Cases. Through this process, the final funding amount is determined, as is usual for large infrastructure projects.

Torbay Hospital is in scope of the review into the New Hospital Programme. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out further details of the outcome of the review at the earliest opportunity, alongside a new delivery schedule for the programme.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
12th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which mental health apps are (a) recommended and (b) linked to by the NHS on its website; and if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the promotion of these apps by the NHS.

The National Health Service website does not currently display or recommend any mental health apps, as the commissioning of these digital tools is done locally. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Early Value Assessment conditionally recommends products for use in the NHS. So far five mental health topics have been assessed. These assessments have conditionally recommended a wide range of products to be used, while further evidence is generated.

The products that have been conditionally recommended within the five mental health topics can be found on the NICE website.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the sustainability of the funding model for the hospice sector.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.

The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.

We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face, and we will consider next steps on palliative and end of life care, including funding, in the coming months.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support hospices in (a) rural and (b) remote areas.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between integrated care board (ICB) areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.

Due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country, or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. NHS England has developed a palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end of life care needs of those in their local population, thereby enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities.

I have met NHS England to discuss how to reduce inequalities and variation in access to, and the quality of, palliative and end of life care. We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) GP surgeries, (b) dentists, (c) pharmacies and (d) care homes in rural areas to tackle workforce pressures, in the context of changes to the level of employer National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, and this enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many individuals were seen by an NHS dentist in the (a) Middlesbrough and (b) Stockton-on-Tees local authority area in each year since 2010.

The following table shows the number of unique adult patients seen by a National Health Service dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authority areas, in the 24 months to June, each year from 2013 to 2024:

Year

Stockton-on-Tees

Middlesborough

2013

90,843

70,962

2014

89,499

70,394

2015

88,279

70,055

2016

88,392

73,350

2017

87,803

73,490

2018

86,589

73,100

2019

85,859

56,729

2020

81,507

52,893

2021

74,718

44,770

2022

69,797

38,516

2023

75,805

42,998

2024

73,483

45,287

Source: figures prior to 2019 were published by NHS Digital, and are available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

Note: the figures from the two different data sources are not directly comparable, and caution should be taken when comparing pre and post 2019 figures.

The following table shows the number of unique child patients seen by an NHS dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authority areas, in the 12 months to June, each year from 2013 to 2024:

Year

Stockton-on-Tees

Middlesborough

2013

33,105

25,002

2014

32,611

25,312

2015

32,648

25,720

2016

28,006

22,755

2017

28,481

22,608

2018

28,754

22,673

2019

26,859

17,892

2020

25,413

15,617

2021

17,131

8,166

2022

24,044

13,579

2023

25,667

16,231

2024

27,288

17,520

Source: figures prior to 2019 were published by NHS Digital, and are available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

Note: the figures from the two different data sources are not directly comparable, and caution should be taken when comparing pre and post 2019 figures.

In addition, the attached tables show the number of courses of treatment delivered by an NHS dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authorities, respectively, broken down by band, from 2013/14 to 2023/24.

We do not hold local authority level data for the number of adults and children seen prior to 2013, or for the courses of treatment prior to 2013/14. The most recent data has been published by NHS Business Services Authority, and is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many courses of dental treatment were delivered by an NHS dentist in the (a) Middlesbrough and (b) Stockton-on-Tees local authority area in each year since 2010 by treatment band.

The following table shows the number of unique adult patients seen by a National Health Service dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authority areas, in the 24 months to June, each year from 2013 to 2024:

Year

Stockton-on-Tees

Middlesborough

2013

90,843

70,962

2014

89,499

70,394

2015

88,279

70,055

2016

88,392

73,350

2017

87,803

73,490

2018

86,589

73,100

2019

85,859

56,729

2020

81,507

52,893

2021

74,718

44,770

2022

69,797

38,516

2023

75,805

42,998

2024

73,483

45,287

Source: figures prior to 2019 were published by NHS Digital, and are available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

Note: the figures from the two different data sources are not directly comparable, and caution should be taken when comparing pre and post 2019 figures.

The following table shows the number of unique child patients seen by an NHS dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authority areas, in the 12 months to June, each year from 2013 to 2024:

Year

Stockton-on-Tees

Middlesborough

2013

33,105

25,002

2014

32,611

25,312

2015

32,648

25,720

2016

28,006

22,755

2017

28,481

22,608

2018

28,754

22,673

2019

26,859

17,892

2020

25,413

15,617

2021

17,131

8,166

2022

24,044

13,579

2023

25,667

16,231

2024

27,288

17,520

Source: figures prior to 2019 were published by NHS Digital, and are available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

Note: the figures from the two different data sources are not directly comparable, and caution should be taken when comparing pre and post 2019 figures.

In addition, the attached tables show the number of courses of treatment delivered by an NHS dentist in the Middlesborough and Stockton-on-Tees local authorities, respectively, broken down by band, from 2013/14 to 2023/24.

We do not hold local authority level data for the number of adults and children seen prior to 2013, or for the courses of treatment prior to 2013/14. The most recent data has been published by NHS Business Services Authority, and is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to (a) reschedule Psilocybin to allow it to be prescribed and (b) retain its status as a class A substance for other purposes.

There are no current plans to reschedule psilocybin under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, also known as the Act.

There is an established process for the development of medicines, overseen by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This enables medicines, including those containing Schedule 1 controlled drugs under the Act, such as psilocybin, to be developed, evaluated in clinical trials, and licensed, based on an assessment of their safety, quality, and efficacy, before being made available to patients in the United Kingdom. Should an application be submitted for a marketing authorisation, for a product licence, it will ultimately be a decision for the MHRA whether to license psilocybin as a therapy. There are no psilocybin-based medicines with a marketing authorisation in the UK.

If a manufacturer is successful in being granted a marketing authorisation by the MHRA for a medicine containing psilocybin, the Home Office is committed to reviewing its scheduling under the Act, subject to advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the appropriate scheduling and safeguards for the medicine.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is supporting psilocybin research via the NIHR King’s Clinical Research Facility, the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, where researchers are developing and evaluating the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapies.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure the availability of learning disability nursing studies programmes in the South East.

Individual universities are responsible for the courses that they offer. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. A central and core part of this plan will be our workforce, and how we ensure we train and provide the staff the NHS needs, including doctors and nurses, to care for patients across our communities.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of electronic prescribing across all NHS settings.

The Frontline Digitisation programme in NHS England is supporting National Health Service trusts to reach a core level of digitisation, as set out in our minimum digital foundations.

83% of all NHS trusts have stated that they have electronic prescribing capabilities in place, largely as part of their core Electronic Patient Record. NHS England's Transformation Directorate is supporting the remaining NHS trusts to achieve this as part of their core level of digitisation over the next financial year.

In primary care, 95% of all prescriptions are produced electronically via the national Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). The EPS is not strictly mandated, but it is strongly recommended for use by prescribing and dispensing services in NHS settings.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delays in ADHD assessments on children.

We recognise the importance of early identification and timely diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), so that an individual’s needs can be identified sooner, and so that appropriate health, social care, and education interventions, advice, and support can be offered.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available the appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. This includes support for children and young people whilst waiting for an assessment.

We are supporting an independent cross-sector taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support. The ADHD taskforce will also work closely with the Department for Education’s neurodivergence task and finish group.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of waiting times for ADHD assessments in Halton.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally, or for individual organisations or geographies in England.  Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.

We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.

Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of 20 November 2024 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, Official Report, columns 347 and 348, what his timetable is for having a mental health professional in every school.

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, we will introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school, so that mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, can be identified early on and prevented from developing into more serious conditions in later life.

The timescale is not yet agreed. We are currently working with colleagues at NHS England and the Department for Education to consider options to deliver this commitment.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to support (a) people diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance and (b) their carers.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is most often understood as a characteristic experienced by or observed, or both, in some autistic people, but professional consensus on its status is still required. PDA is not a recognised and stand-alone diagnosis within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Disease.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including support for autistic people, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

The NICE guideline, Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis, recommends that as part of autism assessments, healthcare workers should consider PDA and carry out appropriate referrals.

In respect of carers, the Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. Local authorities are required to undertake Carer’s Assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, and to meet their eligible needs on request from them.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the last time a GP surgery was set up from scratch in England was.

Information regarding the name and date of establishment for the latest GP surgery set up in England, Tunbridge Wells constituency, and Kent is as follows:

  • The last GP surgery set up in England was Solent NHS Trust T/A Medina Healthcare, which was created on 4th September 2024.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Tunbridge Wells constituency was Lonsdale Medical Centre, which was created on 1st May 1991.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Kent was Bromleag Care Practice, which was created on 1st April 2019.

To note:

The data included has been taken from GP and GP practice related data - NHS England Digital (file epraccur.csv), and is labelled ‘GP Practices’, however this is not entirely accurate as it comes from NHS Prescribing Services and identifies cost centre codes for prescribing activity. This data wasn't created to list GP Practices; instead, it's meant to track prescribing activity and pay dispensing contractors. It has since been used as a reference for IT systems operations.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the last time a GP surgery was set up from scratch in Kent was.

Information regarding the name and date of establishment for the latest GP surgery set up in England, Tunbridge Wells constituency, and Kent is as follows:

  • The last GP surgery set up in England was Solent NHS Trust T/A Medina Healthcare, which was created on 4th September 2024.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Tunbridge Wells constituency was Lonsdale Medical Centre, which was created on 1st May 1991.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Kent was Bromleag Care Practice, which was created on 1st April 2019.

To note:

The data included has been taken from GP and GP practice related data - NHS England Digital (file epraccur.csv), and is labelled ‘GP Practices’, however this is not entirely accurate as it comes from NHS Prescribing Services and identifies cost centre codes for prescribing activity. This data wasn't created to list GP Practices; instead, it's meant to track prescribing activity and pay dispensing contractors. It has since been used as a reference for IT systems operations.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the name of the last GP surgery set up in Tunbridge Wells constituency; and when that surgery was set up.

Information regarding the name and date of establishment for the latest GP surgery set up in England, Tunbridge Wells constituency, and Kent is as follows:

  • The last GP surgery set up in England was Solent NHS Trust T/A Medina Healthcare, which was created on 4th September 2024.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Tunbridge Wells constituency was Lonsdale Medical Centre, which was created on 1st May 1991.
  • The last GP surgery set up in Kent was Bromleag Care Practice, which was created on 1st April 2019.

To note:

The data included has been taken from GP and GP practice related data - NHS England Digital (file epraccur.csv), and is labelled ‘GP Practices’, however this is not entirely accurate as it comes from NHS Prescribing Services and identifies cost centre codes for prescribing activity. This data wasn't created to list GP Practices; instead, it's meant to track prescribing activity and pay dispensing contractors. It has since been used as a reference for IT systems operations.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the registration rate per NHS dentist was in each (a) integrated care board and (b) local authority area in England in each year since 2010.

The information requested is not held centrally. Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.

NHS dentists are required to keep their NHS.UK website profiles up to date so that patients can find a dentist more easily. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Further information is available at the following link:

www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many individuals were registered with an NHS dentist in the (a) Middlesbrough and (b) Stockton-on-Tees local authority area in each year since 2010.

The information requested is not held centrally. Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.

NHS dentists are required to keep their NHS.UK website profiles up to date so that patients can find a dentist more easily. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Further information is available at the following link:

www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many registered dentists were serving NHS patients in the (a) Middlesbrough and (b) Stockton-on-Tees local authority area in each year since 2010.

We do not hold data on the number of dentists who have delivered some National Health Service treatment each year at a local authority level. We have therefore provided data on the number of dentists who delivered NHS care in the Northeast and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which is the ICB for both local authorities. The following table shows the number of dentists who delivered some NHS dental care each year in the Northeast and North Cumbria ICB, from 2011/12 to 2023/24:

Year

Total Registered dentists

2011/12

1,400

2012/13

1,420

2013/14

1,531

2014/15

1,518

2015/16

1,523

2016/17

1,713

2017/18

1,723

2018/19

1,760

2019/20

1,491

2020/21

1,418

2021/22

1,426

2022/23

1,387

2023/24

1,349

Source: the figures from 2019 to 2024 are published by the NHS Business Services Authority, and the figures prior to 2019 were published by NHS Digital, and both are available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

Note: the figures from the two different data sources are not directly comparable, and caution should be taken when comparing pre and post 2019 figures.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
8th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (a) funding and (b) support for community pharmacies.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists, as we shift care from the hospital to the community.

Now that the Budget for Government has been set, we will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the amount of funding received by the most recently-established independent NHS GP surgery in Kent.

Data regarding the amount of funding received by the most recently established independent National Health Service general practice (GP) surgery in Kent, the Tunbridge Wells constituency, and England, is as follows:

  • the last GP surgery set up in Kent was the Bromleag Care Practice, which was created on 1 April 2019, and the total NHS payments to this practice, minus deductions, in 2022/23 was £5,317,351;
  • the last GP surgery set up in the Tunbridge Wells constituency was the Lonsdale Medical Centre, which was created on 1 May 1991, and the total NHS payments to this practice, minus deductions, in 2022/23 was £898,629; and
  • the last GP surgery set up in England was the Solent NHS Trust T/A Medina Healthcare, which was created on 4 September 2024, and we have no data for this practice, as the 2022/23 data only covers practices up to 31 March 2023.

It should be noted that the latest data we have available relating to these requests is published data for NHS Payment to GP Practices for 2022/23, which is available at the following link:

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

The data can be found in Table 2 of Annex 1 Tables and Charts on this page. The totals columns are available on the far right of Table 2.

NHS Payments to General Practice, England 2022/23 provides information on NHS payments to individual providers of GP services in England. Figures are given for the main payment categories, which include Global Sum, the Balance of Primary Medical Services expenditure, the Quality Outcomes Framework, and Local Incentive Schemes.

It is not a record of the amount of money available for direct patient care, nor the total invested in patient care through GPs. Instead, it constitutes the majority of actual monies paid to practices for all activities and costs during the 2022/23 financial year.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department allocated to the most recently established independent NHS GP surgery in (a) Tunbridge Wells constituency and (b) England.

Data regarding the amount of funding received by the most recently established independent National Health Service general practice (GP) surgery in Kent, the Tunbridge Wells constituency, and England, is as follows:

  • the last GP surgery set up in Kent was the Bromleag Care Practice, which was created on 1 April 2019, and the total NHS payments to this practice, minus deductions, in 2022/23 was £5,317,351;
  • the last GP surgery set up in the Tunbridge Wells constituency was the Lonsdale Medical Centre, which was created on 1 May 1991, and the total NHS payments to this practice, minus deductions, in 2022/23 was £898,629; and
  • the last GP surgery set up in England was the Solent NHS Trust T/A Medina Healthcare, which was created on 4 September 2024, and we have no data for this practice, as the 2022/23 data only covers practices up to 31 March 2023.

It should be noted that the latest data we have available relating to these requests is published data for NHS Payment to GP Practices for 2022/23, which is available at the following link:

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

The data can be found in Table 2 of Annex 1 Tables and Charts on this page. The totals columns are available on the far right of Table 2.

NHS Payments to General Practice, England 2022/23 provides information on NHS payments to individual providers of GP services in England. Figures are given for the main payment categories, which include Global Sum, the Balance of Primary Medical Services expenditure, the Quality Outcomes Framework, and Local Incentive Schemes.

It is not a record of the amount of money available for direct patient care, nor the total invested in patient care through GPs. Instead, it constitutes the majority of actual monies paid to practices for all activities and costs during the 2022/23 financial year.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made on establishing the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.

On 10 October 2024, the Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill in Parliament. Among other powers, and as currently drafted, the bill confers powers on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to establish a body to negotiate for Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector. This bill is currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons.

The Department is currently engaging national stakeholders, as it works towards implementing Fair Pay Agreements in the care sector, and will fully consult, including on the establishment of a negotiating body, following Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 12696 on Primodos: Research, whether the meeting of the Commission on Human Medicines has taken place.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), together with wider Government, have committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence which comes to light.

The new publication by Danielsson et al has been reviewed by the MHRA and advice has been sought from the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), who have provided their independent expert advice on our assessment of whether the findings of the latest publication justify a further review. The MHRA will consider the recommendations given by the CHM before deciding whether any further action is warranted.

The minutes of the November CHM meeting will be made publicly available through the GOV.UK website at the earliest opportunity.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, whether he has made an estimate of the (a) overall cost to pharmacies and (b) the estimated average cost per business in the pharmacy sector of the proposed increase to employer National Insurance contributions.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department, from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year at the earliest opportunity.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, if he will make an estimate of the number of pharmacies that will pay increased National Insurance contributions (a) nationally and (b) by constituency.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department, from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year at the earliest opportunity.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, whether he has made an estimate of the total cost to pharmacy businesses of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions (a) nationally and (b) by constituency.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department, from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year at the earliest opportunity.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason his Department withdrew the NHS contract from the Waltham Dentist Practice; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that withdrawal on the provision of NHS dental appointments.

The decision to terminate the contract for the provision of National Health Service dental services with Waltham Dentist Practice was taken by NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) as a contractual matter. We cannot comment further due to commercial sensitivity.

The funding from this contract remains allocated to dental services in the region and the ICB is engaging with other dental practices in the area to find solutions for NHS patients to access treatment with alternative providers.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)