Department of Health and Social Care

The Government is aware of the need to improve the uptake of our vaccine programmes.

The Department is working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England to take steps to promote uptake by providing diverse delivery methods, to make getting vaccinated easier, increasing outreach efforts to under-served groups, and raising awareness of the dangers of vaccine preventable diseases. Paid for marketing campaigns to support uptake of routine immunisations, seasonal flu, and COVID-19 vaccinations have been run over the past year, with evaluation showing positive results.

The UKHSA has continued to undertake annual surveys of parents and adolescents to develop an understanding of how knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards immunisation, vaccine safety, and disease severity influence vaccine uptake decision-making.

Along with this work, the Department is also looking at how it can go further, exploring new ways to boost uptake by supplementing the general practice offer already based in communities through teams including community pharmacists and health visitors.

It is vitally important that everyone has their recommended vaccinations, as they are the best way to help protect yourself and your family from these viruses, which can cause serious harm.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. We have also agreed to continue funding for Pharmacy First in 2025/26 to reflect the growth of the service to date, with £215 million available to be earned by contractors in 2025/26.

Global sum payments to general practices are based on the Carr-Hill formula. The staff market forces factor is based on earnings data from 1999 to 2001.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services, including council-commissioned care homes, to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. Inspection reports on individual providers are made publicly available.

Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses a range of regulatory and enforcement powers to take action to ensure the safety of the people drawing on care and support.

This could include using requirement notices to highlight areas that need improvement, or placing adult social care providers into special measures to closely supervise the quality of their care. In cases of significant concern, the CQC can take action that could lead to the removal of a provider’s registration or, in the most serious cases, take criminal action.

The CQC also assesses local authorities’ delivery of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. This includes the local authority’s duty to work closely with local providers to ensure high quality services that put the wellbeing of the people who draw on care at the centre of decisions. Local authorities should also keep contracts under review to confirm that care requirements are being met, and to seek to continuously improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of services.

I recently met with Sir Julian Hartley on 14 March 2025, where we discussed the CQC’s recent challenges and how we will continue working closely together on key priorities.

In 2024/25, £16 million has been made available through the adult social care international recruitment fund for 15 regional and sub-regional partnerships to prevent and respond to exploitative practices of internationally recruited care staff. Between July 2024 and February 2025, approximately 8,800 people have contacted the regional partnerships for support. To date, approximately 550 of these individuals have been supported into new employment, according to self-reported data provided by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration. We do not hold data on the number of care workers supported into new employment whose sponsor has not had their licence revoked.

A primary aim of the 2024/25 fund is to facilitate in-country matching of overseas recruits who have been displaced by unethical practices or by their employer’s sponsorship licence being revoked. However, in some instances, regions are also providing support to care workers not impacted by sponsor licence revocation. To support regional partnerships, we have published guidance on implementing the aims of the fund, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025-guidance-for-local-authorities

We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

In 2024/25, £16 million has been made available through the adult social care international recruitment fund for 15 regional and sub-regional partnerships to prevent and respond to exploitative practices of internationally recruited care staff. Between July 2024 and February 2025, approximately 8,800 people have contacted the regional partnerships for support. To date, approximately 550 of these individuals have been supported into new employment, according to self-reported data provided by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration. We do not hold data on the number of care workers supported into new employment whose sponsor has not had their licence revoked.

A primary aim of the 2024/25 fund is to facilitate in-country matching of overseas recruits who have been displaced by unethical practices or by their employer’s sponsorship licence being revoked. However, in some instances, regions are also providing support to care workers not impacted by sponsor licence revocation. To support regional partnerships, we have published guidance on implementing the aims of the fund, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025-guidance-for-local-authorities

We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

In 2024/25, £16 million has been made available through the adult social care international recruitment fund for 15 regional and sub-regional partnerships to prevent and respond to exploitative practices of internationally recruited care staff. Between July 2024 and February 2025, approximately 8,800 people have contacted the regional partnerships for support. To date, approximately 550 of these individuals have been supported into new employment, according to self-reported data provided by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration. We do not hold data on the number of care workers supported into new employment whose sponsor has not had their licence revoked.

A primary aim of the 2024/25 fund is to facilitate in-country matching of overseas recruits who have been displaced by unethical practices or by their employer’s sponsorship licence being revoked. However, in some instances, regions are also providing support to care workers not impacted by sponsor licence revocation. To support regional partnerships, we have published guidance on implementing the aims of the fund, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025-guidance-for-local-authorities

We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

In 2024/25, £16 million has been made available through the adult social care international recruitment fund for 15 regional and sub-regional partnerships to prevent and respond to exploitative practices of internationally recruited care staff. Between July 2024 and February 2025, approximately 8,800 people have contacted the regional partnerships for support. To date, approximately 550 of these individuals have been supported into new employment, according to self-reported data provided by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration. We do not hold data on the number of care workers supported into new employment whose sponsor has not had their licence revoked.

A primary aim of the 2024/25 fund is to facilitate in-country matching of overseas recruits who have been displaced by unethical practices or by their employer’s sponsorship licence being revoked. However, in some instances, regions are also providing support to care workers not impacted by sponsor licence revocation. To support regional partnerships, we have published guidance on implementing the aims of the fund, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025/international-recruitment-fund-for-the-adult-social-care-sector-2024-to-2025-guidance-for-local-authorities

We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities. They provide an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

We have now concluded the most recent consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. Community Pharmacy England represent all pharmacy contractors, including independents. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

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.

We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

Any provider carrying out regulated care activities must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which includes providing information on the number of registered care beds which can be occupied by the local authority, the National Health Service, or self-funded residents. If a regulated activity is no longer being provided, the provider must notify the CQC so that the location can be removed from the register. However, the CQC’s registration does not require providers to inform the CQC if care beds are funded by the local authority.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities. They provide an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. Community Pharmacy England represent all pharmacy contractors in England, including independent community pharmacies. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows the Government’s commitment to rebuilding the sector.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities. They provide an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. Community Pharmacy England represent all pharmacy contractors in England, including independent community pharmacies. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows the Government’s commitment to rebuilding the sector.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.

The additional funding available to Hampshire in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 6.7% in cash terms.

NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This report was published on 28 March 2025.

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 Department considered the increases in National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage when consulting on the funding arrangements for community pharmacy. We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future, and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This report was published on 28 March 2025.

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 Department considered the increases in National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage when consulting on the funding arrangements for community pharmacy. We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future, and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This report was published on 28 March 2025.

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 Department considered the increases in National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage when consulting on the funding arrangements for community pharmacy. We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future, and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

We are investing an additional £889 million through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks (PCNs) to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots will be combined to create a single pot for reimbursement of patient facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

In a drive to recruit GPs via the ARRS and to bring back the family doctor, the salary element of the maximum reimbursement amount that PCNs can claim for GPs will be increased from £73,113 in 2024/25, the bottom of the salaried GP pay range, to £82,418, an uplift of £9,305, representing the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range, as some GPs will be entering their second year in the scheme. Proportionate employer on-costs will also be included within the overall maximum reimbursement amount which PCNs will be able to claim.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge, to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

We are investing an additional £889 million through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks (PCNs) to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots will be combined to create a single pot for reimbursement of patient facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

In a drive to recruit GPs via the ARRS and to bring back the family doctor, the salary element of the maximum reimbursement amount that PCNs can claim for GPs will be increased from £73,113 in 2024/25, the bottom of the salaried GP pay range, to £82,418, an uplift of £9,305, representing the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range, as some GPs will be entering their second year in the scheme. Proportionate employer on-costs will also be included within the overall maximum reimbursement amount which PCNs will be able to claim.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge, to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

We are investing an additional £889 million through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks (PCNs) to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots will be combined to create a single pot for reimbursement of patient facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

In a drive to recruit GPs via the ARRS and to bring back the family doctor, the salary element of the maximum reimbursement amount that PCNs can claim for GPs will be increased from £73,113 in 2024/25, the bottom of the salaried GP pay range, to £82,418, an uplift of £9,305, representing the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range, as some GPs will be entering their second year in the scheme. Proportionate employer on-costs will also be included within the overall maximum reimbursement amount which PCNs will be able to claim.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge, to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

We are investing an additional £889 million through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks (PCNs) to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots will be combined to create a single pot for reimbursement of patient facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

In a drive to recruit GPs via the ARRS and to bring back the family doctor, the salary element of the maximum reimbursement amount that PCNs can claim for GPs will be increased from £73,113 in 2024/25, the bottom of the salaried GP pay range, to £82,418, an uplift of £9,305, representing the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range, as some GPs will be entering their second year in the scheme. Proportionate employer on-costs will also be included within the overall maximum reimbursement amount which PCNs will be able to claim.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That’s why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge, to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers nationally to reduce wait times and provide faster treatment. To ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, we will also publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan later this year to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again.

The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust reports that recruitment to substantive posts has improved, and the use of temporary staff has reduced, with the overall vacancy rate reducing to 9.4% in January 2025, against an in-year target of 11.4%.

The trust recognises the need to retain its skilled workforce, and it has seen significant improvements in its turnover, which has reduced from more than 17% in June 2023 to 9.8% in January 2025, against an in-year target of 12.5%.

In the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, recruitment to substantive posts has also improved, whilst the use of temporary staff has reduced. Its vacancy rate in January 2025 had reduced to 8.5%, against an in-year target of 9.5%. Plans are in place to address vacancies within the nursing and medical workforce, and improvements in retaining the skilled workforce have resulted in a turnover which has reduced from 12.1% in June 2023 to 9.5% in January 2025, against a target of 9.6%.

In addition, a child and adolescent mental health services recruitment campaign is running across Greater Manchester between January and July 2025, to recruit to roles within this specialism.

Sex and gender identity are not always the same thing, and it is important for patients that we record both accurately. On 20 March 2025, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care instructed the health service to immediately suspend applications for National Health Service number changes for under 18 year olds, to safeguard children.

Taking such action does not prevent the NHS from recording, recognising, and respecting trans people’s gender identity. General practitioners are currently able to rename a patient and manually input preferred pronouns and expressed gender in free text without affecting the formal marker.

We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive, including children and young people. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will outline our approach to delivering this.

In the meantime, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has set out detailed guidance for general practitioners on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending referral within 48 hours for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms.

The Department is also taking steps to improve waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment across all cancer patient groups, including children and young people. This will be achieved by delivering an extra 40,000 scans, appointments, and operations each week to ensure that patients are seen and treated as quickly as possible.

To further support timely investigation after referral, we are working with the NHS to maximise the pace of the roll-out of additional diagnostic capacity, delivering the final year of the three-year investment plan for establishing community diagnostic centres, with capacity prioritised for cancer.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce. The taskforce will explore a range of issues, including early detection and diagnosis, in order to identify areas of improvement for this patient group.

For the 2025/26 GP Contract year, the 32 Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators that were income-protected for 2024/2025 have been permanently retired. The 32 permanently retired indicators are listed in Annex B at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/changes-to-the-gp-contract-in-2025-26/

The following table shows the number of integrated care boards (ICBs), formerly clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), meeting the Mental Health Investment Standard, meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year, from 2020/21 to 2024/25:

Source: NHS Mental Health Dashboard, NHS England

Note: between 2020/21 and 2021/22 there was a methodology change in how ICB/CCG base allocation was calculated.

The calculation of the Mental Health Investment Standard does not include spend on learning disabilities, autism, dementia, and specialised commissioning.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, including for children and young people, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

NHS England has a legal duty to annually assess the performance of each ICB in respect of each financial year, and to publish a summary of its findings. This assessment must assess how well the ICB has discharged its functions.

Healthcare funding and administration, including in relation to palliative and end of life care services, is a devolved matter across the four nations of the United Kingdom, and, therefore, is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

In England, we have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, and a central part of the plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients, including children with palliative and end of life care needs, across our communities. This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the NHS in England has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when and where they need it, including for children with palliative and end of life care needs.

In England, 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. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, including specialist services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification for children and young people.

We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices in England for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant.

The Government is committed to patients, including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in South Suffolk, having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. A patient’s right to choose is set out in legislation, and no changes are being made to this legal right. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.

The additional funding available to Hampshire in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 6.7% in cash terms.

The Government is committed to financially supporting healthcare students in England, including pharmacy students, throughout their studies. Support is predominantly provided through the Department for Education and the student loans system.

For the 2025/26 academic year, the Government has announced that the maximum loans and grants for living and other costs from Student Finance England will increase by 3.1% to meet forecast inflation.

There are no immediate plans to make changes to the NHS Learning Support Fund scheme design. The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare students under close review. At all times the Government must strike a balance between the level of support students receive and the need to make the best use of public funds to deliver value for money.

We have made the necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise was implemented in April 2025.

General practices (GPs) are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the profession about what services GPs provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking account of the cost of delivering services.

We are investing an additional £889 million through the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade, and we are pleased that the General Practitioners Committee England is supportive of the contract changes.

As part of the Primary Care Access and Recovery Plan for 2024/25, integrated care boards (ICBs) received non-recurrent funding to support the uptake of highly usable and accessible digital tools in practices. This funding is not separately available in 2025/26. ICBs are expected to continue funding digital tools for general practices from their core allocations, and to prioritise as necessary within those allocations, as part of delivering Government and planning priorities on general practice access, and to support the move from analogue to digital.

The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and partners are developing the new HIV Action Plan for England, which we aim to publish this year. The plan will address improving preventive HIV care and HIV health promotion campaigns across England, including in London.

HIV testing is partly funded by local authorities through the ringfenced Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we are increasing funding through the PHG to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 5.4% cash increase and a 3% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.

The London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP) and Sexual Health London (SHL) are key organisations at the centre of London’s HIV prevention efforts, working to reduce new HIV diagnoses and improve access to testing. The LHPP promotes early testing and prevention, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, through its Do It London campaigns and targeted outreach. In parallel, SHL offers free, easy-to-access sexually transmitted infection testing for Londoners aged 16 years old and over via online self-sampling and local collection points.

The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and partners are developing the new HIV Action Plan for England, which we aim to publish this year. The plan will address improving preventive HIV care and HIV health promotion campaigns across England, including in London.

HIV testing is partly funded by local authorities through the ringfenced Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we are increasing funding through the PHG to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 5.4% cash increase and a 3% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.

The London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP) and Sexual Health London (SHL) are key organisations at the centre of London’s HIV prevention efforts, working to reduce new HIV diagnoses and improve access to testing. The LHPP promotes early testing and prevention, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, through its Do It London campaigns and targeted outreach. In parallel, SHL offers free, easy-to-access sexually transmitted infection testing for Londoners aged 16 years old and over via online self-sampling and local collection points.

We acknowledge the challenges that neurology services have been facing, particularly regarding the workforce, delays to treatment and care, and the lack of information and support that some patients have experienced.

However, whilst no assessment has been made on the potential merits of the Parkinson’s UK Parky Charter, I am pleased that there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

These national initiatives include the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, and the Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services.

Furthermore, we have delivered an additional two million appointments between July and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, seven months ahead of schedule, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks. These additional appointments have taken place across a number of specialities, including neurology.

This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients, including those with Parkinson’s, on time again. We will 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.

Approximately 89% of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place. People with Parkinson’s who are 60 years old or over are entitled to free prescriptions. For those that have to pay for prescriptions, the cost can be capped by purchasing a pre-payment certificate. Additionally, the NHS Low Income Scheme can provide help with health costs on an income-related basis.

The Government spent £79.06 million on research into Parkinson’s between 2019/20 and 2023/24, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and is continuing to invest in Parkinson’s disease research.

Decisions about the employment of newly qualified nurses in Nottinghamshire is a matter for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

There is currently a project team of four working directly on the establishment of the gambling prevention commissioning programme of work, within the wider Alcohol and Gambling policy team. The team also draws on analytical, financial, and legal specialists from across the Department to support policy development. As work progresses on the development of the future approach to prevention, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will consider any additional resource requirements.

There is currently a project team of four working directly on the establishment of the gambling prevention commissioning programme of work, within the wider Alcohol and Gambling policy team. The team also draws on analytical, financial, and legal specialists from across the Department to support policy development. As work progresses on the development of the future approach to prevention, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will consider any additional resource requirements.

Our approach to personalised prevention is through the NHS Health Check, England’s cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programme.

The Government continues to support this programme as it assesses the top seven risk factors for CVD in people aged 40 to 74 years old. Where an individual’s NHS Health Check indicates that further action is necessary, they may be referred to either behavioural support services and/or a clinical assessment, where appropriate.

To improve access to the NHS Health Check, we are developing a new NHS Health Check Online service, which people can use at a time and place convenient to them, to understand and act on their risk of CVD.

The Department is also piloting a new programme to deliver up to 130,000 lifesaving heart health checks in the workplace. These checks can be completed quickly and easily by people at work across 48 local authorities until 31 May 2025.

We are committed to ensuring that fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers, including from cardiovascular disease (CVD). That is why, in our Health Mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we have committed to reducing premature deaths from heart disease and strokes by 25% in the next 10 years.

The NHS Health Check programme, England’s CVD prevention programme, engages over 1.4 million people a year and, through behavioural and clinical interventions, prevents approximately 300 premature deaths, and 500 heart attacks or strokes a year. Data reported by local authorities shows that between April 2013 and December 2024, over 13.6 million NHS Health Checks have been delivered.

To improve access to the NHS Health Check, we are developing a new NHS Health Check Online service, which people can use at a time and place convenient to them, to understand and act on their risk of CVD.

For the 2025/26 contract year we have also brought in changes to shift care from sickness to prevention by incentivising general practitioners to focus on the most common killers, such as heart disease. Knowing that prevention is better than treatment, we have raised the upper threshold of CVD indicators in order to stimulate performance gains and improve CVD care for patients.

The Government is committed to tackling the biggest killers, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Improving early detection and diagnosis of the key risk factors for CVD, including high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels, is vital to deliver on this commitment.

The Government continues to support the NHS Health Check, England’s CVD prevention programme. For every 1.4 million NHS Health Checks delivered annually, there are 343,000 cases of high blood pressure identified, resulting in 40,000 diagnoses of hypertension, as well as 900,000 people identified with raised cholesterol levels.

To improve access to the NHS Health Check, we are developing a new NHS Health Check Online service, which people can use at a time and place convenient to them, to understand and act on their risk of CVD.

Subject to the outcomes of the NHS Health Check Online pilot, starting in spring 2025, the aim is to roll it out nationally from spring 2026, delivering approximately one million checks in the first four years.

The Department is also piloting a new programme to deliver up to 130,000 lifesaving heart health checks in the workplace. These checks can be completed quickly and easily by people at work across 48 local authorities until 31 May 2025.

For the 2025/26 contract year we have also brought in changes to shift care from sickness to prevention by incentivising general practitioners to focus on the most common killers, such as heart disease. Knowing that prevention is better than treatment, we have raised the upper threshold of CVD indicators in order to stimulate performance gains and improve CVD care for patients.

We remain committed to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases, such as primary biliary cholangitis. One of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework is increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals.  Our fourth England action plan, published in February 2025, reports on progress.

GeNotes is an online resource for clinicians, providing educational information as needed. This year the specialty of gastro-hepatology was launched in GeNotes, and includes resources for clinicians on primary biliary cholangitis.

NHS England, through the Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Clinical Reference Group, is working with partners to raise awareness and understanding of primary biliary cholangitis and its treatments. Plans include production of a treatment algorithm for use by emergency departments, which may also be helpful for general practitioners.

We remain committed to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases, such as primary biliary cholangitis. One of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework is increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals. Our fourth England action plan, published in February 2025, reports on progress.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has a holistic curriculum of training, with a specific section on women’s health, including menopause. To support practicing general practitioners, the RCGP has developed a Women’s Health Library with educational resources and guidelines on women’s health, which includes a specific section on menopause.

Primary biliary cholangitis has a set of commonly found symptoms, and work is underway to raise awareness of them. NHS England, through the Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Clinical Reference Group, is working closely with partners to raise awareness and understanding of primary biliary cholangitis and its treatments. Plans include the production of a treatment algorithm for use by emergency departments, which may also be helpful for general practitioners.