Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the powers of NHS Trusts and the General Medical Council to conduct disciplinary procedures in the case of a resident doctor who has been found to have dishonestly claimed to be neurodivergent or have learning disabilities.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service organisations, as independent employers, have their own internal grievance and disciplinary procedures which should comply with employment law and relevant Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service codes and guidance. Any allegations of dishonesty would be considered to be a conduct issue and investigated in accordance with the employer’s disciplinary policy and procedures.

Maintaining High Professional Standards provides a national framework for the handling of concerns about doctors and dentists in the NHS. NHS trusts may also report any concerns about doctors to the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC is independent of Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is a statutory committee of the GMC. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.

In cases relating to dishonesty, the GMC’s Guidance for MPTS tribunals notes that, whilst a range of behaviour can be seen, the nature of the departure from the standards expected may mean that a concern or allegation relating to dishonesty falls at the high end of the spectrum of seriousness. Sanctions for dishonesty range from suspension to erasure, depending on the seriousness of the case.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether NHS Trusts and the General Medical Council have sufficient powers to conduct disciplinary procedures in the case of a resident doctor who has been found to have dishonestly claimed to be neurodivergent or have learning disabilities.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service organisations, as independent employers, have their own internal grievance and disciplinary procedures which should comply with employment law and relevant Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service codes and guidance. Any allegations of dishonesty would be considered to be a conduct issue and investigated in accordance with the employer’s disciplinary policy and procedures.

Maintaining High Professional Standards provides a national framework for the handling of concerns about doctors and dentists in the NHS. NHS trusts may also report any concerns about doctors to the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC is independent of Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is a statutory committee of the GMC. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.

In cases relating to dishonesty, the GMC’s Guidance for MPTS tribunals notes that, whilst a range of behaviour can be seen, the nature of the departure from the standards expected may mean that a concern or allegation relating to dishonesty falls at the high end of the spectrum of seriousness. Sanctions for dishonesty range from suspension to erasure, depending on the seriousness of the case.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of delays in access to elective treatment for heart valve disease.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

No specific assessment of delays in access to elective treatment for heart valve disease has been made.

The Government is committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients are treated within 18 weeks of referral to consultant-led care, including cardiology services and cardiothoracic surgery, by March 2029. As of January 2026, there were 388,626 incomplete cardiology pathways, and 63.9% of patients on cardiology service waiting lists were seen within 18 weeks, up from 60.2% in January 2025. For cardiothoracic surgery services, 72.1% of patients were seen within 18 weeks as of January 2026, up from 68.5% in January 2025.

The Government has made commitments to improve outcomes of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our commitment to achieve a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to CVD and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework is currently in development and will be published in 2026. In 2025 The Getting It Right First Time programme published new and revised cardiology pathways​ to support evidence-based, efficient, and consistent care across primary and secondary settings, including for aortic stenosis. This supports early recognition of high-risk features, fast-track referral for those with severe symptomatic disease, and coordinated multidisciplinary evaluation. ​