Department of Health and Social Care

The Department does not hold this information as the 2025 medical specialty recruitment process is still ongoing.

Existing criminal offences relating to foetuses are contained in the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929. The Government has no plans to change these.

From 2018 to 2022, latest available data, for residents of England, there were 5,853 abortions for those aged under 16 years old, 0.6% of all abortions for English residents, and 9,530 abortions for those aged 16 years old, 0.9% of all abortions for English residents.

From 28 December 2018, eligible women in England could take the second of the two drugs for early medical abortion (EMA), misoprostol, at home. This was changed from 30 March 2020, to allow eligible women in England to take both drugs for EMA, mifepristone and misoprostol, at home, without the need to first attend a hospital or clinic.

The Department does not hold a record of how many drugs for EMA have been issued. However, from 2019 to 2022, latest available data on home use, for one or both drugs taken at home, for residents of England, there were 481,179 abortions where either one or both of the drugs were taken at home. Of these, 2,127, or 0.4%, were for those aged under 16 years old.

From 2020 to 2022, latest available data on home use, for both drugs taken at home, for residents of England, there were 316,795 abortions where both medications were taken at home. Of these, 1,250, or 0.4%, were for those aged under 16 years old.

Please note, the second set of statistics, both pills taken at home, is included within the first, one or both pills taken at home.

The Department does not hold data on how much notice was given to patients about the cancellation of their planned medical operations.

The Department has no plans to investigate National Health Service penalty charges resulting from errors in direct debits for prescriptions.

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

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

Only where the individual fails to manually renew their PPC but continues to claim free prescriptions after the expiry date of their PPC, will a penalty charge be issued by the NHSBSA.

The following table shows data on the number of outpatient appointments missed by the patient where they Did Not Attend on the day, without prior cancellation, and the number of outpatient appointments cancelled by the provider, for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:

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

No data is collected centrally on the annual cost for using Hospedia or the provision of bedside television and similar services by the National Health Service.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has established a prioritisation board that takes decisions on which topics should be prioritised for the development of a clinical guideline, in line with the criteria set out in NICE’s published prioritisation framework, and through engagement with experts and other interested parties. The prioritisation board recently considered the development of a guideline on Tourette’s and tic disorders and concluded that many of the challenges relate to service provision, where NICE guidance is likely to have limited impact. It was, however, recognised that there could be value in developing a clinical knowledge summary on this topic, and NICE is exploring this possibility further.

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

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

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

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/hte25

The Department has no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate, for exemption from prescription charges.

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

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

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

NHS England welcomes the recent publication on the quality standards for care and rehabilitation of cardiac arrest survivors and their key supporters.

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

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cardiology-primary-percutaneous-cortonary-intervention-adult.pdf

We are aware that there is a delay in NHS England allocating some foundation year one doctors their programme details and work schedules. We have asked NHS England to urgently tackle this issue. We know there is more to do and NHS England is working to ensure that all posts are confirmed as soon as possible, while keeping applicants informed throughout the process, including through webinars.

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

The Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency is served by the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB applies the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) to the treatment of chronic UTIs. The ICB has a defined care pathway which ensures that if primary care management is not sufficient, then patients are swiftly referred to specialist care for more intensive support, including further investigations and management of their symptoms and their pain.

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

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

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

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

https://www.phctrials.ox.ac.uk/recruiting-trials/toucan-platform-for-uti-diagnostic-evaluation

Specialised services are typically delivered on a scale that allows for some concentration of clinical expertise and for the management of relatively small caseloads. As such, it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access high-quality services. Commissioners are required to review the geographic spread of patients and to reflect this in their commissioning strategies, which may include the use of remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation.

NHS England has not decided to decommission hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services in the North of England.

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

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

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

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

Any individuals or organisations who sign up are kept informed when NHS England engages on potential changes to the way that these services are commissioned. NHS England also encourages stakeholders to cascade invitations to provide feedback across their networks.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for audiology.

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

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

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. Further details and allocations will be set out in due course.

NHS England has not decided to remove hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services in the North East.

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

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021325-2025?origin=SearchResults&p=1

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

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

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

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2.1-Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-equality-and-health-inequalities-impact-assessment.pdf

At the end of April 2025, the gynaecology waiting list was down 15,955 since the end of June 2024. Waits for gynaecology services have also decreased by 1,052 in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) over the same period.

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

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

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

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

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

The Government is committed to encouraging ICBs to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to supporting ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women, including in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This will be achieved through the commissioning of six geographically dispersed services across England. Three preferred providers have been identified to date, and a further procurement exercise will take place to identify the three remaining centres.

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

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

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

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

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

• the delivery of care that is integrated with other services, including the emergency department, critical care, and other healthcare professionals as required; and
• facilities should be capable of receiving patients in any diagnostic category who may require advanced life support either immediately or during HBOT.

The geographical scope of the six services will ensure that there are no more than four hours travelling time by road from coastal locations, from the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines. The published Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment sets out an evaluation, including access to services and where appropriate action was taken to ensure fair access to any patient who requires this service. Further information on the Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2.1-Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-equality-and-health-inequalities-impact-assessment.pdf

NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This will be achieved through the commissioning of six geographically dispersed services across England. Three preferred providers have been identified to date, and a further procurement exercise will take place to identify the three remaining centres.

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

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

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

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

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

• the delivery of care that is integrated with other services, including the emergency department, critical care, and other healthcare professionals as required; and
• facilities should be capable of receiving patients in any diagnostic category who may require advanced life support either immediately or during HBOT.

The geographical scope of the six services will ensure that there are no more than four hours travelling time by road from coastal locations, from the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines. The published Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment sets out an evaluation, including access to services and where appropriate action was taken to ensure fair access to any patient who requires this service. Further information on the Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2.1-Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-equality-and-health-inequalities-impact-assessment.pdf

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its technology appraisal, titled Vamorolone for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy in people 4 years and over, on 16 January 2025. NHS England routinely commissioned vamorolone in line with the guidance, from 16 April 2025.

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

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta1031/resources/resource-impact-summary-report-15239352925/chapter/Resource-impact-summary-report

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

NHS England welcomes the recent publication on the quality standards for care and rehabilitation of cardiac arrest survivors and their key supporters.

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

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cardiology-primary-percutaneous-cortonary-intervention-adult.pdf

The training of nurses is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It has the general function of promoting high standards of education and coordinating all stages of education to ensure that nursing students and newly qualified nurses are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional practice.

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

We will publish a new workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and to ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

The following table shows the total number of elective cancelled operations for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25:

Source: Cancelled Elective Operations Data, with further information available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-operations/cancelled-ops-data/
Note: this is for last-minute elective operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons, and excludes emergency and trauma cases.

No estimate has been made for the cost of these cancellations.

The following table shows the revenue raised by National Health Service penalty charges each year from 2020 to 2024:

Source: NHS Business Services Authority.

Dental treatment is the only service aside from prescriptions that can result in an NHS penalty charge notice.

The new workforce plan, to be published later this year, will be influenced by the 10-Year Health Plan and the Spending Review.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

We will publish a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. Later this year, we will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

We are committed to supporting people with long term conditions and to ensuring that they receive the support they need, including referral to specialist services as appropriate. We want a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition, and their families and carers, receive high-quality, compassionate continuity of care.

The Department is taking a range of practical steps to support parents caring for ill children. Immediately after diagnosis and in the longer term, parents may be eligible for travel cost support through the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. In cases where a child has complex health needs, they can be assessed under the Children’s Continuing Care framework to determine appropriate ongoing support. Wider work is underway, such as the development of initiatives to support parents in hospital settings. Counselling and mental health support are typically provided through local services, and peer support is often offered by voluntary organisations.

As per Section 97 (3b) of the Children’s and Families Act 2014, parent carers have the right to request an assessment of their need for support from the local authority. Having been assessed, Section 17 (10b) of the Children’s Acts 1989 makes provision for a child whose physical or mental health is impaired, as well as his or her family, to receive the appropriate support services from the local authority.

The table attached shows the number of general practices which have opened and closed between January 2014 and May 2024 in the Broxtowe constituency, Nottinghamshire, the East Midlands, and England. This is as far back as the data goes, up to the most recently published data.

This analysis only considers head practices and ignores branch practices. If a practice ceases to be a main practice and becomes a branch practice of another, this will count as a “closure” in this data, while in reality general practice provision at the site may well have continued under the new head practice.

Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, and so this data does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the quality of care. When a practice does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice within their area.

The Department has noted the publication of the Institute of Alcohol Studies’ report. It will consider its findings and reflect on the relevant policies, as necessary.

External engagement is a fundamental part of what United Kingdom ministerial Government departments do. We recognise the importance of promoting transparency through engagement and the need to take a balanced approach. Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on the GOV.UK website.

NHS England has a published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions. This sets out what guidance should be followed, and the services provided to support diagnosis and treatment of patients with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease. This also includes support to families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. The specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions.pdf

The national service specification also includes a requirement for specialised inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases.

NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification working with a broad range of stakeholders including NHS clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice and the British Heart Foundation.

There are plans for all referrals to the Inherited Cardiac Conditions service in Cambridgeshire to go to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Papworth Hospital. This will operate a specialist centre for Cambridgeshire, with a multi-disciplinary team already in place to support this.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator with oversight of quality and safety in health and care settings. Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 compels providers to assess the risks to the health and safety of service users receiving the care or treatment and to do all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate any such risks. This includes having an appropriate assessment of environmental risks, such as extreme heat events.

The CQC would expect providers to follow national guidance on extreme heat safety and to follow any relevant heat alerts when these are issued.

The Department transferred the Healthy Start Extension Scheme to the NHS Business Services Authority at the beginning of April 2025.

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

Since April 2025 and as of the 19 June 2025, the number of applications for the Healthy Start Extension scheme that have been rejected is 51.

The Government has stockpiled over 5,000,000 vaccine doses of the Adjuvanted Zoonotic Influenza Vaccine (Surface Antigen, Inactivated) Seqirus suspension. These are for use in the event of zoonotic infections, and in response to the entry of H5 influenza into the United Kingdom’s population.

The Government entered into contract with Seqirus UK Limited on 26 November 2024 for the supply of these vaccines. Details regarding the cost of this purchase are withheld from publication in accordance with Regulation 50(6)(a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended), due to commercial sensitivity and the need to protect confidential business information.

The UK aligned stem cell registry, a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered. The British Bone Marrow Registry is now known as the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, and forms part of the UK aligned stem cell registry.

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

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate.

In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. We are adopting a mission-based approach and will deliver this ambition through the Health and Opportunity Missions, and through the 10-Year Plan for the National Health Service.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

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

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

The NHS Long Term Plan committed to improving community first response and building defibrillator networks to help save 4,000 lives by 2028. This is being supported with education for the general public, including young people of school age, about how to recognise and respond to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/66cc563eecc7a22020c7da6c/t/66ffa8f20aef5d0b272c6b0e/1728030962905/BACPR+Standards+and+Core+Components+2023.pdf

Formal notification and negotiation of proposed resolutions at the World Health Organization (WHO) typically begin in the autumn, including any potential resolution on making traumatic brain injury a notifiable and chronic condition. The United Kingdom gives due consideration to all proposed WHO resolutions and will engage in all resolution negotiations ahead of any adoption at the World Health Assembly, which takes place in May each year. All resolutions to be considered by the World Health Assembly would also be subject to the WHO's budget allocation process.

The UK is committed to addressing traumatic brain injury and we intend to develop an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Action or Delivery Plan, with input from NHS England and other Government departments, to be published in the autumn of this year. The forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan will provide the overarching plan for the future of the National Health Service, and a subsequent ABI Plan would then focus on specific actions and deliverables for ABI against the backdrop of the 10-Year Health Plan. This will ensure a coherent, targeted approach. The new ABI Action Plan will be concise, action-oriented, and accountable, in order to drive real change for people with ABI.

The Department recently sought information from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regarding their regulatory oversight of Castle Hill Hospital. The CQC last inspected Castle Hill Hospital in November 2022, where it was rated as Requires Improvement overall. The full inspection report and detail are available at the following link:

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

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

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

In light of the police investigation and the completion of three external reviews into the trust, the CQC is considering new information to determine any further regulatory action. Any inspection activity will be reported on and published on the CQC’s website.

The Department recently sought information from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regarding their regulatory oversight of Castle Hill Hospital. The CQC last inspected Castle Hill Hospital in November 2022, where it was rated as Requires Improvement overall. The full inspection report and detail are available at the following link:

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

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

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

In light of the police investigation and the completion of three external reviews into the trust, the CQC is considering new information to determine any further regulatory action. Any inspection activity will be reported on and published on the CQC’s website.

The spring 2025 data, which covers any dose administered from 1 April to 1 June, shows that 55.3% of all people aged 75 years old and over, and 23.3% of all people aged under 75 years old with a weakened immune system, who are living in England, had been vaccinated. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format.

An announcement on the autumn vaccination programme is expected shortly. This will be followed by an announcement on the spring 2026 programme later in the year.

No specific assessment has been made of the public health impact of removing added nitrates and/or nitrites from processed meats. An assessment has been made of the health impact of nitrates/nitrites more generally.

Government advice on red and processed meat consumption is based on the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) report Iron and Health, published in 2010. This report concluded that red and processed meat intake is probably associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. The report considered nitrates and nitrites, which are preservatives that are added to some processed meats, as one of the plausible mechanisms for this association, and it concluded that the data did not support this, and noted that although such preservatives are permitted in processed meats, not all processed meats will contain these.

Based on the SACN’s conclusions, the Government advises that adults who regularly consume more than 90 grams per day of red and processed meat reduce their consumption to no more than the population average of 70 grams per day. This recommendation is also consistent with advice from the European Food Safety Authority in relation to safe levels for nitrites and nitrates added to meat. Intakes of red and processed meat are monitored through the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

All food additives used in food and drink in Great Britain have undergone a rigorous safety assessment before they were authorised.