Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help restrict the sale of illegal prescription drugs online.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicines for human use, medical devices, and blood products for transfusion in the United Kingdom. This includes applying the legal controls on the retail sale, supply, and advertising of medicines which are set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
Sourcing medicines from unregulated suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not authorised for use. Products purchased in this way will not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards and could expose patients to incorrect dosages or dangerous ingredients. The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to prevent, detect, and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices. It works closely with other health regulators, customs authorities, law enforcement agencies, and private sector partners, including e-commerce and the internet industry to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices.
The MHRA seeks to identify and, where appropriate, prosecute online sellers responsible for putting public health at risk. In 2025, the MHRA and its partners seized almost 20 million doses of illegally traded medicines with a street value of nearly £45 million.
During the same period, it disrupted over 1,500 websites and posts on social media accounts selling medicinal products illegally. Additionally, collaboration with one well-known online marketplace led to the successful identification and blocking of more than two million unregulated prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and medical devices before they could be offered for sale to the public.
The MHRA is continually developing new and innovative ways to combat the illegal trade in medicines and to raise public awareness. These measures include:
- publication of a #Fakemeds campaign which explains how to access medicines through safe and legitimate online sources, with further information available at the following link:
https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/;
- public guidance on how to safely access and use GLP-1 medications, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know.
- implementation of a web-based reporting scheme allowing users to report suspicious online sellers to the MHRA;
- rollout of an online service which will allow users to check if a website has been deemed ‘Not Recommended’ by the MHRA; and
- extensive work with media outlets to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal medicines.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the ruling over Paul versus Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has made on secondary victims of medical negligence.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked David Lock KC to look at the issue of secondary victims for maternity clinical negligence cases only. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.
There are no plans to extend the scope of the work wider than maternity clinical negligence cases.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will establish an inquiry into delays in the NHS providing (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and (b) any other services related to children's mental health.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that many children and young people are currently experiencing significant delays in accessing mental health support and we are taking action to address this, as committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan. This includes providing mental health support for almost one million more young people in school this year and an extra £688 million in Government funding this year to transform mental health services, to hire more staff, deliver more early interventions, and get waiting lists down.
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government is recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of this Parliament. Almost 8,000 of these workers have been recruited since July 2024, which will help to ease pressure on busy mental health services. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan later this year to ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places to care for patients when they need it.
Additionally, we are also accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools to achieve full national coverage by 2029. This includes investing £13 million to pilot enhanced training for staff, so that they can offer more support to young people with complex needs, such as trauma, neurodivergence, and disordered eating.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the average time taken for transfers of care of patients being discharged from hospitals to home care provision.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that people are discharged promptly from hospital with the right support in place. This winter, local systems have been asked to place a particular focus on reducing bed occupancy and improving patient flow, whilst from 2025/26, National Health Service trusts have been asked to eliminate discharge delays of more than 48 hours caused by issues in the hospital and to work with local authorities to reduce the longest delays, including those linked to arranging onwards care packages.
Through the Better Care Fund (BCF) the Government has provided £9 billion to be used jointly by the NHS and local authorities towards achieving agreed goals, including reducing discharge delays for those awaiting home care provision.
In 2026/27 the BCF will continue to focus on those services that are essential for integrated health and social care, such as hospital discharge, intermediate care, rehabilitation, and reablement.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of IT issues on pharmacies claiming payment for Pharmacy First Services that they have carried out.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Payments made to pharmacy contractors in England are set out in the Drug Tariff. Within the Drug Tarif there are discretionary provisions for advanced services, including Pharmacy First, that allow contractors to receive payment if the submission of claims data was delayed by an IT issue outside the contractor’s control. All payments are subject to an investigation by the NHS Business Services Authority and the required evidence being supplied by the contractor and IT system supplier.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what resources i) his department and ii) the NHS is providing to support those wards within the government Pride in Place program in a) Telford, b) West Midlands and c) England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pride in Place is funded and led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Neither the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) nor NHS England holds the information requested. However, our 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, delivering truly integrated, proactive and personalised care closer to where people live and work.
We have launched wave 1 of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) in 43 places across England, including in the West Midlands. The NNHIP supports systems across the country in driving innovation and integration at a local level to improve the care they provide to their communities.
As announced at Autumn Budget 2025, the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild programme will deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 delivered in 2030. Rollout will be progressive over this Parliament, with early sites focused on areas of greatest need.
Neighbourhood Health Centres will bring together National Health Service, local authority and voluntary sector services in one building to help create a holistic offer that meets the needs of local populations.
DHSC continues to work closely with MHCLG on relevant policies and programmes including Pride in Place. I recently met with the Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities on this topic to discuss synergies between Neighbourhood Health and Pride in Place.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve respite services for carers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need.
In England, the Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
The Government is making around £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in England in 2028-29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support community-based preventative services for older people in Sutton Coldfield constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of a broader strategy to improve quality of care and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, the National Health Service is implementing various preventative services to support older people in maintaining their health and independence. For example, support for frailty through the NHS Toolkit, that helps general practitioners (GPs) identify and manage frailty in patients aged 65 years old and over, and preventative primary care interventions are being evaluated to improve functional ability and self-rated health for older people. The NHS 10 Year Plan aims to move care from hospitals into communities, bringing together health and care professionals to provide proactive care and prevention.
The Community Care Collaborative in Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (ICS) has rolled out six new neighbourhood health hubs to date. These will bring together multi-disciplinary health and care professionals in each locality across Birmingham to provide easily accessible community-based care for individuals with frailty and long-term conditions.
The neighbourhood health hubs will host 11 new integrated neighbourhood teams (INTs) in Birmingham and Solihull ICS, with an aim to have teams across all 35 of its neighbourhoods by the end of 2026. The INTs provide a holistic response to an individual's care.
A recent evaluation of the first INT pilot teams to go live across the ICS shows a 31% reduction in GP appointments and fewer inpatient stays at acute hospitals.
The NHS offers several vaccinations for older adults to protect them from disease. This includes vaccination for flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), shingles and pneumonia. These are delivered in the community primarily through general practice, with flu and COVID-19 vaccinations also available at community pharmacies across England, and RSV vaccinations available at select community pharmacies in some areas including Sutton Coldfield and the wider Birmingham and Solihull region.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration the Department has given to end-of-life decision-making in cases involving progressive loss of capacity, including advanced dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that high-quality palliative care and end-of-life care should include the opportunity for individuals to discuss their wishes and preferences so that these can be taken fully into account in the provision of their future care, also known as advance care planning (ACP). ACP is a voluntary process of person-centred discussion between an individual and their care providers about their preferences and the priorities for their future care.
In order to facilitate a consistent national approach to ACP, NHS England has published Universal Principles for ACP, which are available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/universal-principles-for-advance-care-planning/
The universal principles sets out that ACP should take place while a person has the mental capacity to engage in these conversations. An output of these discussions may include an advance statement of wishes, preferences, and priorities. An advance statement is not legally binding, but it is useful to inform and guide decision-making in the future if a person subsequently loses their capacity to make decisions about their care. A person can also nominate a Lasting Power of Attorney who is then able to make decisions on behalf of that person should they lose capacity to make decisions about their care.
Additionally, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on dementia includes recommendations on ACP and involving people living with dementia in decisions about their care. The NICE guidance recommends using an anticipatory healthcare planning process for people living with dementia who are approaching the end of life. It recommends involving the person and their family members or carers, as appropriate, as far as possible and using the principles of best-interest decision-making if the person does not have capacity to make decisions about their care. Further information on the NICE guidance on dementia is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to free up hospital beds and support individuals whose families delay hospital discharges to avoid paying for health care costs.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Enabling people to be discharged from hospital promptly with the right care and support contributes to better outcomes and a speedier recovery for patients, as well as preventing the loss of independence.
As set out in the statutory guidance on hospital discharge and community support, people do not have the right to remain in an acute or community hospital bed if they no longer have a clinical need to be in hospital. When a person is medically fit for discharge, local areas should, as far as possible, offer choice for individuals on the care and support they receive, and National Health Service bodies and local authorities have a duty to involve patients, carers, and their families, where considered appropriate, in this process. Further details can be found at the following link:
In instances where a person’s preferred care package or placement is unavailable, an appropriate alternative should be offered whilst a person awaits availability of their preferred choice.