Draft Human Medicines (Authorisation by Pharmacists and Supervision by Pharmacy Technicians) Order 2025

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 General Committees

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Human Medicines (Authorisation by Pharmacists and Supervision by Pharmacy Technicians) Order 2025.

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. The draft order, which was laid before Parliament on 17 July, broadly applies across the United Kingdom but, as I will explain, some of it does not, in practice, apply to Northern Ireland. It forms part of wider reform to modernise pharmacy regulation, cut red tape and make better use of the skill mix in pharmacy teams. The order has been developed with the Health Departments of the devolved Governments, and it has the support of the four chief pharmaceutical officers of the United Kingdom. I thank the sector and the profession for their input and engagement during the development of the legislation. These changes have been in development for some time, and I am pleased that we are making them a reality.

Before I go into the details of the draft order, I wish to recognise the importance of pharmacy services and the dedicated workforce across all settings, including hospitals, community pharmacy and care homes. Across the UK, there is a joint vision to fully realise the potential of pharmacy services to support better health outcomes and provide quicker access to care in our communities. All nations are committed to supporting the sector and the profession, and they have increased funding for these vital services against a backdrop of severe financial pressures.

In England, we have hit the ground running in delivering our 10-year health plan. The order is another immediate and tangible change that will mean that patients get better care closer to their homes. We have increased community pharmacy funding to more than £3 billion and enacted legislation to increase the efficiency of dispensing medicines, including the extension of hub and spoke dispensing. Last month we launched a consultation on proposals that would give pharmacists flexibility to dispense an alternative product where the prescribed item is not available. We have also introduced the national patient prescription tracking service to enable patients to access and track their prescriptions online through the NHS app. That reduces the burden on busy GP and pharmacy teams, and it avoids having a patient queue at a pharmacy only to find that their prescription is not ready.

I will now set out why this legislation is needed. In English community pharmacies alone, around 1.2 billion medicines are dispensed every year. Of those, around 75% to 80% are repeat prescriptions for long-term conditions. That number grows year on year, and we must continue to look at ways to make further efficiencies and remove legal barriers to modernising pharmacy practice.

The dispensing of a medicine covers a number of processes, including the receipt of a prescription, the clinical and accuracy checks, the sourcing of the products, the preparation, assembly and supply of medicines, and advising the patient to ensure that they know how and when to take the medicine. Many of those activities can and should be delegated to registered pharmacy technicians, who are competent and trained to take more of a leading role in the dispensing of medicines.

The draft order contains three core proposals. First, at the moment, a pharmacist must carry out or supervise all stages of the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale and supply of pharmacy and prescription-only medicines. Case law has led to restrictive practice and different interpretations of the law. Under our first proposal, we will allow pharmacists to authorise a registered pharmacy technician to undertake or supervise those activities. That will mean the pharmacist no longer has to supervise each transaction and can therefore spend more time with patients and delivering clinical services. The provision will not apply in Northern Ireland until pharmacy technician becomes a registered profession there. At that point, we will work with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to bring in these measures as soon as possible.

Secondly, at present, medicines that have been checked by a pharmacist and are ready to be dispensed to a patient cannot be handed to them if the pharmacist is off site or uninterruptable. This understandably causes frustration for patients. I, like many Members of this House, have received complaints from constituents venting that frustration and demanding that the Government act. Under this legislation, we will allow a pharmacist to authorise any suitable member of the pharmacy team—for example, a pharmacy technician or pharmacy counter assistant—to hand out prescriptions in the absence of the pharmacist. That will be very helpful for prescriptions that have been clinically checked by the pharmacist, and where no further consultation is required between the patient and the pharmacist. This proposal will apply across the UK.

Thirdly, and finally, the law currently states that hospital aseptic facilities can be run only by a pharmacist. However, pharmacists are not the only staff capable of running these facilities. They are highly specialised services delivering sterile medicines for cancer patients, premature babies and other vulnerable patients. It is incredibly important that those services are fully staffed to deliver high-quality products in an increasingly complex area of modern medicine.

Many of those facilities are staffed by highly educated and capable pharmacy technicians, but the law prevents NHS trusts from allowing those individuals to run such facilities. That is simply not right. We will enable suitably qualified and experienced registered pharmacy technicians to run those facilities. That will give the NHS and pharmacy contractors more flexibility in how they deploy their staff to deliver quality NHS pharmaceutical services.

That proposal, like the first one, will not apply in Northern Ireland until pharmacy technicians become a registered profession there. The proposed changes to the Medicines Act 1968 and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 will remove those legal restrictions and represent a seismic shift in how pharmacies can operate, updating the law for modern practice and improving services for patients. The changes are permissive, not prescriptive, recognising that every pharmacy is different, with different levels of staff, qualifications and experience. Pharmacies that are ready to embrace these changes can do so, and those that are not, or that do not want to change how they practise, can continue as they are—but they would, of course, forgo the benefits that these amendments present.

We propose a phased approach to implementation. The measures allowing checked and bagged items to be handed out in the absence of the pharmacist will enter into force 28 days after this legislation is made, which means that patients and pharmacies can benefit almost immediately. The remaining measures—enabling new delegation powers for pharmacists to allow pharmacy technicians to supervise dispensing processes, and allowing pharmacy technicians to take charge of hospital aseptic facilities—will come into force on a date that not has not yet been set in law, but we are working with the sector towards a date one year after the legislation is made. The transition period is to allow time for the pharmacy regulators and professional leadership bodies to implement professional regulations, standards and guidance to support the sector and the profession to implement the changes safely into practice.

I hope that I have given a clear explanation of the rationale behind amending the 2012 Regulations and the 1968 Act to enable pharmacists to authorise pharmacy technicians to supervise the dispensing and final supply of medicines, to enable greater flexibility in the final supply of medicines when a pharmacist is unavailable and to allow pharmacy technicians to run hospital aseptic facilities. I therefore commend the regulations to the Committee and hope that hon. Members will join me in supporting them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Kinnock]

I thank the shadow Minister for those questions. As he rightly pointed out, and as I mentioned in my opening remarks, the length of the transition has not been defined in the legislation, but our aim is for it to be no longer than 12 months. I will follow up with my officials to check precisely where we are with that timeframe and whether it has been nailed down, or whether something more specific may have been agreed in the intervening period. I would be happy to write to him to clarify that point, if he is okay with that.

The shadow Minister asked what happens in a pharmacy that does not have a technician. As I said, this legislation is not prescriptive; it is permissive. Frankly, this is something that those who have technicians can take advantage of, and those who do not will not be able to. Once the legislation is in place, however, they would be able to take advantage of it. Therefore, pharmacists who do not have technicians can perhaps aspire to do things in this way, whereas at present even those who have technicians cannot do so.

Pharmacy First is something we absolutely want to take forward. If we look at the 10-year plan and the three shifts, Pharmacy First supports the two key shifts from hospital to community and from sickness to prevention, in particular. Pharmacists are, in many ways, the front door of the NHS. They play a crucial role in people’s neighbourhoods and in the whole prevention agenda.

We are still working with the teams to finalise the financial envelope for pharmacy, coming out of the spending review announced in June, and of course we have to get the balance right. There are tremendous cost pressures, which we are looking to equal out, across what pharmacy does, going from the core business of dispensing through to the fee structure for Pharmacy First. There are some issues around Pharmacy First. The take-up has not been as good as we would have liked it to be, and I think that is because of some errors that the previous Government made in setting the fee structure to incentivise Pharmacy First and really push take-up forward. One thing we are looking at with Pharmacy First is how to incentivise it to make it more effective.

I understand from my officials that the discussions with Northern Ireland have gone well and are very positive. The Government there are very clear that they want to move in this direction, but certain hurdles still need to be crossed. I could perhaps add to the letter that I have already promised to write to the shadow Minister, to give him an update on where exactly the discussions with Northern Ireland are now.

Question put and agreed to.

Eating Disorders: Prevention of Deaths

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley) on securing today’s debate and speaking so bravely and movingly about his family. I pay tribute to his work in the all-party parliamentary group on eating disorders, and I know that he and many other hon. Members present have worked tirelessly to advocate for those with eating disorders.

Every death from an eating disorder is a tragedy. We have heard from hon. Members about the devastating effect of these conditions, both for patients and their loved ones. But we must be clear that eating disorders are not terminal illnesses. With the right treatment and support, recovery is possible. Many across the Chamber have made that point, and I pay tribute to everyone who has contributed so powerfully. I also congratulate Arek and Claudia, who I know made outstanding contributions to drafting the speech made by my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham and Penge (Liam Conlon).

Through the 10-year health plan, the Government will ensure that those living with eating disorders are given the support they need. We will cut waiting times and ensure that people can access treatment and support earlier. Improving eating disorder services is a priority for the Government, and a fundamental part of our work to transform mental health services. Last financial year, we provided £106 million in funding for children’s eating disorder services, an increase of £10 million since 2023-24. That increase in funding is helping our clinicians to support more people, and to change and save lives.

[Tom Gordon]

One of the great organisations that does a lot of work on the accountability of services, including eating disorder services, is Healthwatch. We know that these organisations are going to be scrapped. They have done loads of valuable work at local and regional levels. What levels of accountability will the new systems put in place for eating disorder services?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I agree that Healthwatch did some important work, but what we are doing is changing the culture of how our NHS works. As the hon. Gentleman will have seen, we are abolishing NHS England. That is of a piece with our belief that proper leadership, proper accountability and proper management of a complex system such as our NHS, and particularly its interaction with ICBs and trusts, is about having a clear line of accountability from the Secretary of State through Ministers into the system and those operating at the coalface. We believe that if more layers are put between, and cut across, those lines of accountability, that does not actually drive better outcomes—it drives poorer performance. That is the approach we are taking to the entire system.

[Wera Hobhouse]

As I said, I have been the chair of the APPG for six years, and nothing has changed and got better. I really trust that this Government will make a difference—I hope they will. This is about culture change, but eating disorders are a very complex illness. The APPG has therefore called repeatedly for a dedicated strategy on eating disorders. Will the Minister please look at that?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I will come on to talk about the guidance that is being produced. There is a risk that we can end up with a proliferation of documents, strategies and plans. Our view is that the more streamlined we are and the clearer the lines of accountability, the better the performance becomes. We are committed to the guidance, and I will talk a bit about that, but we are not convinced that having strategies alongside guidance, plans and other documents will help the process.

Members here will be well aware of the increase in the prevalence of mental health conditions, including eating disorders, since the pandemic. The increase in demand has placed significant pressure on services, but the extra funding is making a difference. The latest quarterly figures from NHS mental health services monthly statistics show that, between April and June 2025, 3,138 children successfully entered treatment in community eating disorder services. That is the highest figure on record since NHS England began collecting this data in 2021.

At the same time, waiting lists to begin routine eating disorder treatment have shortened by 20% from the year before. NHS England has also commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to carry out a national audit of eating disorders. That audit is collecting data on eating disorders across community and in-patient settings to drive improvements in the identification and treatment of eating disorders. The audit will monitor how services are performing against standards, and highlight any inequalities in access to care. That will help services to provide safe, effective, patient-centred, timely, efficient and equitable care.

In addition to improved services for the treatment of eating disorders, we are also working to tackle their underlying causes. In particular, we are deeply concerned about harmful online content that promotes negative body image, harmful eating behaviours, suicide or self-harm to those who are most vulnerable. The Online Safety Act 2023 has now come into force and delivers on our commitment to make the United Kingdom the safest place to be online. By now, all sites with a significant user base in this country are required to have conducted children’s access and risk assessments, and to follow the new children’s safety codes to prevent them from accessing harmful content, such as promotion of eating disorders. Ofcom now has the ability to investigate or carry out enforcement action against any site that will not abide by those codes.

Hon. Members today have raised the need for early intervention to lower the numbers of hospital admissions from eating disorders. We know that the earlier the treatment is provided, the better the chance of recovery, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone with an eating disorder can access specialist help. As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future, there is a critical need to shift the treatment of eating disorders from hospital to community, including children’s community eating disorder services, crisis care services and intensive day-hospital or home-treatment services. Improved care in the community will give young people early access to evidence-based treatment involving families and carers, thereby improving outcomes and preventing relapse. By preventing eating disorders from progressing into adulthood, we will build on our aim of raising the healthiest generation of children.

We have also committed to expanding mental health support teams to reach full coverage in England. To date, we have expanded MHSTs to 52% of pupils; they are working hard in schools to support staff and students alike in meeting the mental health needs of children.

[Dr Luke Evans]

I thank the Minister for giving way. I am pleased that his Government have continued the roll-out, because we share the aim of trying to deal with this early. On that point, there was mention of the updated guidance, and clearly these hubs are going to need that guidance if it is updated. Will he set out when that guidance will be brought forward?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I absolutely will; that is just coming up in my comments. I am not sure that the shadow Minister will be satisfied with the answer, but I will refer precisely to the question that he is asking.

The MHSTs will continue to provide assistance to school staff in raising staff understanding, recognition and awareness of eating disorders, ensuring that they can provide crucial early intervention for children at risk.

Early intervention is also a priority for adults with eating disorders, as set out in the NHS’s adult community mental health framework. NHS England has established 15 provider collaboratives focusing on adult eating disorders. Those collaboratives are working to redesign care pathways and focus resources on community services. By providing treatment earlier and closer to home, we will see better outcomes for adults with eating disorders and their families.

Turning to the guidance, which a number of hon. Members, including the shadow Minister, have raised, we are producing updated guidance to help services to implement those transformations. NHS England first published guidance in 2019 for adult eating disorder services to ensure that they are integrated with day-patient services or in-patient care. A new service specification for adult eating disorder in-patient provision has been through a public consultation and will progress to publication this year. So I can guarantee that it will be published before 1 January, but I cannot give the shadow Minister a precise date.

[Dr Evans]

Forgive me if I misheard, but the Minister said that that was for adults. Can he comment on children and schools?

[Stephen Kinnock]

Can I come back to the hon. Gentleman on that? I will double-check. My understanding was that this was for both. My notes do say “for adult eating disorder services”, but my understanding was that this was a holistic process that would include children and schools. I will come back to him to confirm that point, so apologies if that is not entirely clear. Actually, I am sorry—it is next in my comments. NHS England is also producing updated national guidance for eating disorders in children and young people. That will reflect the full range of eating disorders in children and young people, and the treatment options available to CYP and their families to address them. It will focus on early identification and intervention, community treatment and support, and it will highlight the importance of integrating schools, colleges and primary care to improve support. Before the hon. Gentleman intervenes, he will have noted, as I have, that there is no specific date for that, so I will come back to him on that. The adult one will be before 1 January.

I would like to address the very serious concerns that have been raised about reports of people with eating disorders being offered end-of-life care. Let me be absolutely clear: these reports are deeply troubling, and I acknowledge the distress that they will have caused to families and all those affected by eating disorders. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has been crystal clear that eating disorders are not terminal illnesses. It has updated its guidance to re-emphasise that important point, so that no person, nor their loved ones, should ever feel that treatment has reached a point of no return.

NHS England is clear that all those with severe, complex or long-standing eating disorders should have access to eating disorder services, including hospital care when needed. A personal recovery model, with a focus on harm minimisation, symptom management and quality of life, is well established in providing hope and opportunities for recovery for many people with eating disorders. English law provides a robust framework for safeguarding a patient’s best interests.

I assure hon. Members that we take these concerns very seriously. We will continue to work with clinicians, NHS England and families to ensure that the highest standards of care are upheld, and that every person is given hope and support in their recovery.

Hon. Members have raised how those with eating disorders are disproportionately at risk of self-harm or suicide. The national suicide prevention strategy has highlighted the increased risk, and is committed to working with policy, clinical and personal experience experts to explore bespoke suicide prevention activity when needed. Specialists in eating disorders must ensure that they take a holistic approach to eating disorder treatment, and ensure that they are not likely to inadvertently increase the risk of suicide.

Several hon. Members, as well as the APPG report published in January this year, have raised the creation of a national register for eating disorder deaths, and the holding of a confidential inquiry into all eating disorder deaths. I reassure colleagues that the Department of Health and Social Care is wholeheartedly committed to learning from deaths, in order to prevent future tragedies and to improve quality of care.

The Department receives and responds to prevention of future deaths—PFD—notices relating to eating disorders, and it uses that work to inform practice going forward. For example, the medical emergencies in eating disorders—MEED—guidance was created following a coroner’s report and has since been rolled out nationwide. This Government are determined to focus funding directly to frontline services, in order to best support those currently struggling with this deadly illness.

Similarly, we share the concerns that have been raised about eating disorder deaths not being accurately recorded. It is vital that the extent to which eating disorders have caused or contributed to deaths is properly known. That matter is currently being explored with the national medical examiner for England and Wales, the Office for National Statistics and the Coroners’ Society of England and Wales.

To draw my remarks to a close, I would like to thank all the hon. Members here today. The fact that the debate was so well attended reflects how important the issue is to all of us and our constituents. The service that we provide can often be a matter of life and death. We are all very conscious of the gravity of the responsibility that we hold in that context. I thank all those in attendance for advocating for their constituents and all those across the country who have been affected by an eating disorder.

“Learning from Lives and Deaths” Report: Learning Disabilities and Autism

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

Today I would like to acknowledge the publication of the eighth annual report “Learning from lives and deaths—People with a learning disability and autistic people” (LeDeR) produced by Kings College London. A copy will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. We know that families and stakeholders have been waiting for this report and it has been significantly delayed due to the need to resolve practical data issues.

It has been just over a year since I was appointed as the Minister of State for Care. I have felt privileged to fulfil this role and to hear from people with a learning disability, autistic people, their families and carers, and staff about their experiences, both good and bad. It is critical we continue to learn about what we need to do to address the clear health inequalities that continue to exist in our health and social care system. We must reduce these inequalities, and highlight the action needed to prevent avoidable deaths and understand how services can improve. To do this, it is crucial that we review the deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people.

The latest report shows that on average, people with a learning disability die 19.5 years younger than the general population and are almost twice as likely to die from an avoidable cause of death. This is unacceptable.

In 2022, LeDeR began reporting on the deaths of autistic people without a learning disability. The number of deaths reviewed this year remains small, although the findings are very concerning. It is crucial we improve our understanding of the deaths of autistic people. We expect that with increased awareness of the ability to report these deaths, we can then take specific action to address the issues raised.

It is promising to see from the latest report that, since 2021, LeDeR reviews that identified good practice in care of people with a learning disability have increased by over 10%. While such improvements are encouraging, the findings about health outcomes and how care can be improved to prevent premature mortality highlight that there is much work for us to do. We are committed to maintaining LeDeR going forward as we integrate NHS England and the Department and we are taking action to drive tangible improvements to our health and care services.

In July, we launched the 10-year health plan which will drive a shift to care in the community, rather than in hospitals, to preventing sickness, rather than just treating it, and to harnessing digital opportunities. Neighbourhood health services will work in partnership with other local services to provide more holistic, ongoing support including for people with a learning disability and autistic people.



To support this, we have been rolling out the Oliver McGowan mandatory training programme to ensure health and care staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide effective care.

We set out in our manifesto a commitment to modernise mental health legislation. Our Mental Health Bill, currently before Parliament, will limit the scope to detain people with a learning disability and autistic people and introduce a package of measures to improve community support. We want to see this legislation implemented as soon as possible so that people with a learning disability and autistic people get the support they need in the community, improving care and keeping people out of hospitals.

Alongside the legislation, action is being taken now to reduce reliance on in-patient care. NHS operational planning guidance for 2025-26 sets an objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health in-patient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

Patients and their families, carers and advocates have a critical part to play in their care and can be uniquely placed to identify acute illness or deterioration in their or their loved ones’ condition, including where that may indicate a need to change their treatment or care. Martha’s rule is a major patient safety initiative in hospitals encouraging patients, families and carers to speak to the care team if they notice changes in someone’s condition and providing them with a way to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one’s condition deteriorates, and they are concerned this is not being responded to. Martha’s rule is being rolled out in 143 acute in-patient pilot sites, as announced in February 2024. In addition, NHS England is working toward roll-out in further acute hospital sites that were not part of the original 143 sites.

NHS England has published its action from learning report 2023-24, highlighting actions across the country to improve care and reduce avoidable and preventable deaths of autistic people and people with a learning disability.

People with a learning disability aged over 14 who are on a GP learning disability register are eligible for a learning disability annual health check. At March 2025, 80% of eligible people had received a learning disability annual health check and 79% had a health action plan. NHS England has also developed an autism-specific health check, currently being tested in primary care.

Further work is under way to ensure people with a learning disability and autistic people access the right support at the right time in the right place. NHS England is working with people with lived experience, clinical professionals and commissioners to produce a quality framework for the learning disability annual health check. This will set out expectations for the annual health check and the accompanying health action plan. Both should make it easier for GPs to add people to their learning disability register so that more people can access appropriate care and support more easily. NHS England is also working to co-develop standards of practice for appropriate interventions for adults and children in a range of settings.

Roll-out of the reasonable adjustment digital flag is progressing, which enables health and publicly funded care professionals to record, share and view details of the reasonable adjustments that individuals need to support their care and treatment. NHS England has also recently published guidance for frontline staff in acute hospitals about how to implement the Mental Capacity Act 2005 for people with a learning disability, helping to ensure that people’s human rights are upheld.

Together with NHS England and partners, we are committed to driving further improvements, implementing our 10-year health plan and working towards healthcare that is equitable and provides the quality of care that people with a learning disability and autistic people should rightly expect.

[HCWS901]

NRS Healthcare: Insolvency

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Monday 1st September 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

I would like to inform the House about an important issue concerning NRS Healthcare—also known as Nottingham Rehab Ltd —a supplier of integrated community equipment services, which became insolvent on 1st August 2025.

NRS Healthcare provided essential services and equipment such as wheelchairs, hoists, and technology that supported disabled and older people to live independently at home. This helped avoid admissions to hospitals or care homes and assisted people in returning home after leaving hospital.

Local authorities have statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014 to arrange for the provision of disability aids and community equipment to meet the assessed needs of individuals in their area. While some local authorities provide these services themselves, many have contracts with external suppliers, such as NRS Healthcare. Customers of these services also include the NHS, private customers, pharmacies, and other adult social care and healthcare settings.

Before their insolvency, 44 local authorities had contracts with NRS Healthcare and relied on their services. NRS Healthcare supplied around 50% of hospitals with equipment used in adult social care across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Since the company filed for insolvency, the court has appointed an official receiver as the liquidator, supported by special managers, who are overseeing the wind-down of operations, managing the company's assets, and ensuring that statutory duties and obligations to creditors and people who draw on these services are met. The official receiver is an independent officer of the court required by law to carry out these duties.

As part of the liquidation process, the Government have made available short-term funding to the official receiver to cover the essential operating costs of NRS Healthcare and its affiliated companies. This funding has ensured that trading was able to continue for a limited time, to minimise disruption by providing crucial time for local authorities to put alternative supply in place. The use of this funding, should it be necessary, will be subject to robust scrutiny and governance by the Government and the insolvency office holders. The final cost to HM Government will be known when the insolvency process is complete. Costs will be reported in the DHSC annual report and accounts.

The Government have also provided the official receiver with a legal indemnity to protect them against financial loss or legal claims incurred while carrying out their duties. This indemnity is unlimited and will remain in place until the official receiver’s services are no longer required. The indemnity is a standard mechanism in high-risk or complex insolvencies where appointees are expected to act in the national interest without undue risk to the appointees. Crystallisation is expected to be limited.

Without the Government providing the above support, there was a risk that the official receiver would have had no choice but to close services immediately following their appointment, in line with their statutory duties. This could have had an immediate and significant impact on hospital flow and the safety of people in the community who relied on NRS Healthcare’s services.

These measures were therefore essential to enable the official receiver to discharge their duties for the benefits of creditors and protect public spending by avoiding additional hospital admissions or preventing discharge to care settings, while minimising risk to vulnerable people who previously relied on NRS Healthcare’s services. If the liability is called, provision for any payment will be sought through the normal supply procedure. The Treasury has approved this arrangement.

My officials in the Department of Health and Social Care are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will continue to do so until its conclusion.

We would like to acknowledge and thank all colleagues, particularly those in HMT, UKGI, MHCLG, NHS England, and Partners in Care and Health—a sector support programme funded by DHSC—for their efforts throughout this challenging period. Their support leading up to, and following the insolvency in brokering discussions, sharing vital information, and helping local authorities prepare and respond has been invaluable in minimising disruption and protecting those who rely on these essential services.

[HCWS896]

Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)]

4. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of siting a neighbourhood health centre in Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, as part of the 10-year health plan for England.

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

This Government aim to establish a neighbourhood health centre in every community by 2035. We are starting in areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels. Planning work has already begun. The hon. Gentleman will know that I updated colleagues yesterday in a “dear colleague” letter around integrated care boards and local authorities being invited to apply to participate in the national neighbourhood health implementation programme.

[Greg Smith]

I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. He will have heard me put the case for Long Crendon many times over many years, and given the proposals for neighbourhood health centres in the 10-year plan, Long Crendon offers a very quick win. The community has the land, the planning permission and a GP practice willing to serve there; it just does not have the funds for the bricks and mortar to build it. Can I ask the Minister to meet me and the members of Long Crendon parish council who are leading on this, so that the Government can get a quick win on neighbourhood health centres?

[Stephen Kinnock]

The hon. Member is clearly a doughty campaigner—I am sure that will mean something good will happen for him in the reshuffle that we are all watching with bated breath. I am happy to have that discussion with him. As I said, the neighbourhood health process will be driven primarily by identifying areas where healthy life expectancy is lowest and deprivation is highest. Clearly, he makes a case for his area, and I would be happy to have that discussion with him.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)]

5. What recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of mental health research funding allocated to eating disorders.

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is committed to finding new ways of tackling eating disorders through research. We are supporting research projects, including the eating disorders genetics initiative—one of the largest studies of its kind—and have a £4.25 million collaboration with other UK research funders to build new partnerships in eating disorder research. We are also strengthening support for people with eating disorders by recruiting more mental health workers, expanding mental health support in schools and embedding it in young futures hubs.

[Mr Quigley]

Eating disorders cost the UK an estimated £9 billion each year, yet research into these serious conditions receives just 1% of all mental health research funding. That is despite eating disorders affecting around 9% of people with mental health conditions, the consequences of which are delayed diagnosis and treatment and often lengthy hospital admissions. Will the Minister agree to meet me and the eating disorder charity Beat to discuss how the Government can break this cycle and ensure that eating disorder research receives the attention and investment that it urgently needs?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I know that this subject is close to my hon. Friend’s heart, and I pay tribute to him for his work on it. We recognise the devastating impact that an eating disorder can have, and the earlier the treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. The Department continues to work closely with NHS England, which is now refreshing guidance on children and young people’s eating disorders. I commend the work of Beat, and I would be happy to discuss this further with my hon. Friend.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

The eating disorder issue is escalating, as the Minister rightly points out. Will he agree to hold discussions and consultations with the devolved structures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, so this issue goes to the top of the list of issues that have not really been dealt with in the past but need dealing with now?

[Stephen Kinnock]

We remain in close contact with all our colleagues in all the devolved Administrations. I will certainly be following up with officials as we develop the research programmes that we are working on, and as we integrate eating disorders into the broader work we are doing around mental health. Getting 8,500 more mental health workers and creating Young Futures hubs and mental health crisis centres is just some of the work that this Government are doing on this important issue.

[Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)]

6. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of urgent eyecare in east Yorkshire.

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

The right hon. Member’s constituents can access urgent eyecare services from Hull University teaching hospitals NHS trust 24 hours a day, seven days a week and from a range of high-street optical practices locally. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eyecare services to meet local need. As part of our 10-year plan, we are keen to explore how we can make best use of our primary eyecare workforce as we consider shifting more healthcare into the community.

[Graham Stuart]

Would it was so. My constituent Scott Young, a 34-year-old father-to-be from Beverley, was left permanently blind in one eye after NHS failures, including a two-month delay to urgent surgery following a diabetic haemorrhage, which the trust now blames on admin mistakes. When the same issue threatened his remaining sight, identical delays occurred until I intervened. Yet the Hull University teaching hospitals NHS trust response contained factual errors, including claiming that a heart condition delayed surgery even though it had not been diagnosed when the delay occurred. Does the Minister agree that such failings demand accountability, and what steps can he take to improve the administrative processes within our hospitals?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I am very sorry to hear of Scott’s experience. What the right hon. Gentleman has outlined is clearly unacceptable. I will absolutely follow up on that issue with officials and report back to him. We cannot allow that sort of poor performance to exist, and those responsible must be held to account.

[Gareth Snell (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to improve electronic patient record systems in the NHS.

--- Later in debate ---

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

T4. My ADHD—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—diagnosis in May this year helped to answer questions about my life and to put support in place to improve it, but we know that over 300,000 children are waiting for an assessment and that untreated ADHD affects educational attainment, employment prospects and health outcomes. Will the Secretary of State set out the Department’s plans to improve access to assessments and treatment for ADHD? Will he work across Government to develop a long-term, joined-up approach to ADHD care?

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

I commend my hon. Friend for bringing his personal experience to bear on this important matter. NHS England’s independent ADHD taskforce is looking at how to provide support for people with ADHD and how to improve it. We are considering the taskforce’s interim report and look forward to the final report later this year. The taskforce is joined up with expert groups established across Government to provide advice on meeting the needs of neurodivergent children and young people in education, and on boosting neurodiversity inclusion at work.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

T7.   Will the Minister confirm what steps the Department will take to build neighbourhood health services in partnership with charities, such as Macmillan, that have a proven track record of designing and delivering community-based services for people with long-term conditions? How can we ensure that this is a UK-wide service, and not a postcode lottery for cancer services?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)]

T8. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am so delighted to have two questions on health this week that I am not even going to mention ferries!As my hon. Friend will know, the process for securing an education, health and care plan is complex and can lead to delays in accessing vital support. That can have a serious impact on the health and wellbeing of young people and children. What steps is the Minister taking to improve the health element of EHCPs for families navigating the process, including those in my constituency?

[Stephen Kinnock]

We have inherited a system that is utterly failing to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. This Government are reforming the SEND system, ensuring that there is joined-up support across education and healthcare. We are also supporting inclusive environments and earlier intervention for children through the early language support for every child programme, or ELSEC, and the partnership for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools programme, or PINS.

[Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)]

Eight years ago, Weybridge community hospital burned down. After a long journey, the replacement finally received planning consent last week; all it needs now is for the Secretary of State to sign the cheque on the dotted line. Will he do so as soon as possible?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I call the Minister.

[Stephen Kinnock]

Our 10-year plan will boost support for family carers via digital tools such as My Carer and include them in care planning and shared decision-making processes. We have raised the carer’s allowance earnings limit to £196 a week—the biggest increase since 1976—and we have launched the independent commission into adult social care, which will look at unpaid carers’ needs. The hon. Member raises an important point about respite care; I am chairing a cross-ministerial group on our carers strategy, and I would be happy to update him outside the Chamber.

[John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)]

Last autumn, there was not a single NHS dental practice in Derbyshire Dales accepting new adult patients other than those referred for specialist care. The lack of NHS dentistry has led many of my constituents to experience severe economic hardship, with one telling me he had to spend £100 to have a single tooth fixed and another spending £2,000 on dentures. Will the Government provide increased funding for NHS dentistry to ensure that more people in rural areas like Derbyshire Dales can access NHS dentists?

[Stephen Kinnock]

The mess we inherited from the previous Government beggars belief, with 14 million adults with an unmet dental need, while for children between five and nine years old, the most common reason for hospital admission was to have their rotten teeth removed. This Government are determined to get NHS dentistry back on its feet. We are targeting the areas most in need, including rural areas, by delivering 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments, and reforming the dental contract. Our consultation is under way, and I encourage my hon. Friend to participate.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

I was really disappointed that there was not one mention of eating disorders in the NHS 10-year plan, which is particularly troubling given that some of the proposed measures to reduce obesity may inadvertently harm those affected by eating disorders. When will the Government finally commit to an eating disorder strategy, as recommended by the eating disorders all-party parliamentary group?

[Stephen Kinnock]

This Government are investing an extra £688 million this year to improve access to mental health services. We are transforming our mental health services with 24/7 neighbourhood health centres; I was very pleased last week to visit the centre we are launching in Bethnal Green. I would gently say to the hon. Lady that she is part of the political party that propped up the Tories in government—this lot opposite—which led to some of the desperate situations we see across mental health today.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Lab)]

Parkrun is a global public health phenomenon. Will the Minister meet me and the new Parkrun chief executive to talk about future collaboration?

--- Later in debate ---

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Data published last week shows that despite the Government’s initial action, the proportion of dentists working in the NHS in Norfolk and Waveney continues to drop. I am pleased to hear about the Government’s work on the dental contract, but the Public Accounts Committee is clear that this will work only if it is backed by sustainable funding. I will give the Minister another chance to answer the question: will the Government ensure that the extra funding that has been put into the Department is actually reflected in extra funding for NHS dentistry?

[Stephen Kinnock]

One thing that I made clear to officials when I came into this post was that every penny that is allocated to NHS dentistry must be spent on NHS dentistry. We are in a crazy situation where demand for NHS dentistry is going through the roof, yet we have had underspends. That needs to stop. We will focus the spending on where it is most needed, including areas that are under-served, such as the hon. Gentleman’s constituency.

[Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab)]

My constituents Marie Brewis and Denise Coates are bravely using their own experience of breast cancer treatment to campaign for a dedicated cancer support centre in Luton. Does the Minister agree that Luton could benefit from the wraparound care of a cancer support centre locally, and will she meet me to discuss this?

Rare Cancers Bill

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Report stage
Friday 11th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) for bringing this Bill before the House, and I congratulate him on getting it to Report. Amendment 1 allows amendment 2 to be inserted into the Bill. Amendment 2 would require the Secretary of State, having carried out the review described in clause 1, to set out a timetable for implementing changes to the law recommended by the review. However, it would not be appropriate to presume the outcome of the review of orphan drug regulations that is outlined in clause 1. Amendment 2 presupposes that the review will recommend changing the law, and that there are changes the Secretary of State would be willing to support, following a legal consultation. That is not considered appropriate at this stage.

Amendment 3 is unnecessarily restrictive, introducing wording that confines the review unnecessarily. We want to ensure that a thorough review is conducted, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Secondary Care will be working with her officials to ensure that that happens. For amendment 4, the three-year timeframe to prepare and publish the review and the necessary resourcing requirements have been discussed with officials in my Department and at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. I remind Members that the text in the Bill reflects the statutory deadline, but we will endeavour to publish a report ahead of the three-year timeframe, which has been put forward to be consistent with the MHRA’s overall workplan.

On amendment 5, there are different definitions of a rare cancer, and we worked with my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West to agree the definition in the Bill as a cancer that affects not more than one in 2,000 people in the UK. However, a level of discretion for the Secretary of State is required over what falls within that definition, since the facts underlying and the data on diagnoses are constantly changing. The amendment would make it difficult to implement the clause in practical and operational terms.

Amendment 6 would remove the ability of the Secretary of State to exercise discretion as to how their duty would be discharged. This is not considered appropriate, since it makes the operation of clause 2 less workable in practice, and would lack the Government’s assessment of what in all the circumstances would be the most appropriate manner of implementation. Amendment 7 would introduce a specific timeframe—just six months—to allow the appointment of the specialty lead. Although I agree that we will need to appoint the specialty lead promptly, introducing a statutory timeframe is not considered workable for practical reasons. There could be unforeseen delays; for example, recruitment processes might delay the appointment beyond six months.

On amendment 8, as mentioned previously there are different definitions for a rare cancer. That is because the data on cancer diagnoses is constantly changing, and decisions on whether the criteria for a rare cancer are met will inevitably involve an element of judgment. The amendment would make it difficult to implement the clause in practical and operational terms.

I turn finally to amendment 9. It is essential that information relating to people’s health and care is shared appropriately, lawfully, and in line with their reasonable expectations. Amendment 9 would remove the provision confirming that any sharing of information pursuant to the powers created by the Bill, and under NHS England’s existing powers, must be in accordance with data protection legislation. That includes compliance with key principles such as lawfulness and fairness. That layer of assurance is essential for the protection of patients, and clause 3 is a standard provision that makes that explicit.

For those reasons, I ask the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) to withdraw all nine of his amendments.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Sir Christopher, is it your pleasure that amendment 1 be withdrawn?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Kinnock]

I again congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur). It is a huge achievement for a colleague who has only served in this place for just over a year to have got a Bill this far. I thank hon. Members across the House who have spoken in the debate so powerfully and movingly, as well as all those who sat on the Bill Committee. We welcome effective scrutiny from Committees, and we value the vital role that Parliament plays in holding us to account. I pay tribute to the charities that are backing the Bill, many of which we are engaging with on the development of our national cancer plan.

The Government want to go further for everyone diagnosed with a rare cancer, and the Bill will act to incentivise the recruitment to, oversight of and accessibility of rare cancer research, so that NHS patients are at the front of the queue for cutting-edge treatments. We know the benefits of embedding clinical research across the NHS and beyond. It leads to better care for patients and more opportunities for our workforce, and it provides a huge economic benefit for our health and care system.

On 3 July, we published our 10-year health plan, which sets out the vision to distribute power to patients and revitalise our NHS, making it fit for the future. The plan will deliver three shifts in care to ensure that the health service can tackle the problems of today and tomorrow, all of which will be key to tackling cancer. Through the 10-year health plan we will ensure that patients receive the most cutting-edge treatment, and that everyone can search for research studies through the Be Part of Research service on the NHS app.

That is why we welcome the Bill, which is aligned with our commitments. It raises the profile of rare cancer research, ensures our international regulatory competitiveness, and allows rare cancer patients to be contacted as quickly as possible about research opportunities. That innovation will be delivered through Be Part of Research, our flagship research registry delivered through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which allows people from all walks of life to sign up and get involved in research across the UK. I urge everyone watching this debate, and Members in the Chamber who are interested, to sign up to Be Part of Research, and see what research opportunities are relevant to them.

The Government want to give all rare cancer patients access to clinical trials, and greater choice and control over their healthcare. That is why we are delighted to pledge Government support for the Bill. As we set out in our manifesto, the Government are committed to ensuring that the clinical research ecosystem is more efficient, competitive and accessible, and the provisions in the Bill align with that. We want the UK to lead the world in this space as the prime destination for clinical research.

The Government also want to give patients greater choice and control over their healthcare, and rare cancer patients should have access to vital research if they choose to. Once again, I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West for presenting the Bill, and those Members who served on the Committee. I pay tribute to all the charities that are backing this important Bill. The Government support the Bill, and I look forward to working with Members across the House to improve outcomes for rare cancer patients across our country.

Glaucoma Awareness

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Wednesday 9th July 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

Thank you, Mr Pritchard. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship.

I thank the hon. Member for Leicester South (Shockat Adam) for securing this important debate to raise awareness of glaucoma. I enjoyed our meeting some time ago, when we discussed this and other related issues at length. I am keen to ensure that we keep that dialogue going, and not just in this Chamber. This is a timely debate as it follows Glaucoma Awareness Week, which ran from 30 June to 6 July.

Losing one’s eyesight can be devastating, and I pay tribute to the charities that do so much to help people live with glaucoma or to research a cure, such as Glaucoma UK, the Glaucoma Foundation and the Royal National Institute of Blind People, to name just a few.

Last week, the Prime Minister set out our plan to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. Underpinning our plan are three big shifts: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention. The plan was developed through extensive engagement with the public, patients and staff, including the eye care sector. All three shifts are relevant to preventing and managing conditions such as glaucoma in all parts of the country. More tests and scans delivered in the community, and better joint working between services, will support the management of conditions, including glaucoma, closer to home.

I turn to glaucoma detection. This Government take glaucoma very seriously, as it is one of the main causes of sight loss. It is a time-sensitive condition, and early detection and treatment can help to slow down or prevent vision loss. I acknowledge the vital role played by community optometry in protecting people’s eye health across the country. That includes the hon. Member for Leicester South, who of course is an optometrist and has significant expertise in this sector. I also pay tribute to all the hon. Members who have contributed to this debate with such passion and conviction.

Sight tests play a vital role in the early detection of glaucoma. Most glaucoma patients are identified through routine sight tests. It is not possible to “feel” glaucoma; it does not cause any symptoms and the eye pressure does not always cause pain. That is why regular sight tests are so essential, so that conditions such as glaucoma can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

It is recommended that everyone should have a sight test every two years, and more often if it is considered clinically necessary. The NHS invests over £600 million annually in the provision of sight tests and optical vouchers, and high street opticians deliver more than 13 million NHS sight tests annually, which are free of charge for eligible patients. NHS sight tests are widely available across the country for millions of people and those who are entitled to receive them include children, individuals over the age of 60, individuals on income-related benefits and individuals diagnosed with glaucoma or considered to be at risk of glaucoma.

We understand that some people might not prioritise sight tests, compared with other healthcare, or they might not know that sight tests are recommended every two years. That is why we always look for opportunities to remind the public through social media. I was pleased that the Department supported Glaucoma Awareness Week and highlighted the importance of regular sight tests through our social media platform last week. I will also take this opportunity to urge anyone who might be watching or reading this debate, “Visit your optician if you have not had a sight test in the last two years. Please check on the NHS website to see whether you are eligible for any help in paying for a test.” NHS sight test providers in the high street also display information about NHS sight test eligibility.

Some high street optical practices are also being commissioned by integrated care boards to provide glaucoma referral refinement services. Moving more care into the community is one of the key priorities in our 10-year plan; we want to see care happening as locally as possible for patients. Where a patient has been identified as having raised eye pressure, local glaucoma referral refinement schemes provide additional tests to confirm whether a referral into secondary care is absolutely necessary. These schemes can save patients time and worry, and reduce unnecessary referrals, while freeing up space for others who need specialist attention in hospital. More than 70% of ICBs currently have some coverage of referral refinement in place.

For those patients who do need to be seen in secondary care, it is vital that they have access to timely diagnosis and any clinically necessary treatment. We have wasted no time in getting to work on cutting NHS waiting lists and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care. We promised change and we have delivered early, with a reduction in the list of over 230,000 pathways, including ophthalmology. The waiting list has been reduced by over 24,000 patients since July 2024; it has fallen from 606,819 to 582,385 as of February 2025. In addition, we have exceeded our pledge to deliver an additional 2 million operations, scans and appointments, having now delivered over 4 million additional appointments.

[Dr Luke Evans]

The Minister will probably be aware of the Full Fact and Sky News report that examined the speed at which appointments are being delivered. The Government have indeed delivered 4 million appointments, but under the last Conservative Government there were 5 million appointments within a similar time period, so we are actually seeing a slowdown in appointments. How will that affect people with eye conditions or other health conditions?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. In our manifesto, we of course set a target of 2 million additional appointments within the first year of a Labour Government, and we have delivered 4 million. The key thing is to ensure that we get people off the waiting list. Regarding the figure of 5 million that he referred to, I do not know whether there was more activity, but somehow it was not helping to reduce the waiting lists, because we saw the waiting lists rise consistently. The key metric is, of course, the waiting list being reduced, and I am very pleased to say that, when it comes to eyecare, a reduction of 24,000 patients has been delivered since July 2024.

That marks a vital first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the NHS constitutional standard, by March 2029.

In addition to making progress on reducing waiting lists, we recognise the challenges facing ophthalmology services as one of the largest out-patient specialities in the NHS, and demand is set only to increase due to the ageing population. NHS England has worked with 11 ICBs to test a new way of delivering eyecare that aims to reduce pressure on hospital eye services.

The new model is emblematic of our shift from analogue to digital, as it uses IT connectivity between primary and secondary care services to improve the referral and triage of patients, with patient data and images being assessed by clinicians to determine whether patients need a secondary care appointment. It is called the single point of access approach. The SPOA approach reduces unnecessary hospital appointments, reduces the time from referral to treatment and allows more patients to be managed in the community. The ICBs testing the SPOA model have consistently demonstrated a reduction in unnecessary secondary care appointments and a significant reduction in wait times, both in time to treatment and to follow-up care. NHS England is continuing to share the learning from the accelerator sites for the SPOA with ICBs.

I want to see more ICBs adopting that approach for the benefit of patients, including those with suspected or diagnosed glaucoma. I believe that the SPOA has tremendous unharnessed potential and is a great example of how, by harnessing technology, we can improve the way the overall system works and facilitate the interface between primary and secondary care that we know is at the heart of so many of the challenges that we face across our health and care system.

Looking at the shift from sickness to prevention, although glaucoma cannot be cured, if it is caught early, treatment can prevent sight loss. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence plays a crucial role in evaluating new medicines, medical devices and other technologies to determine their clinical and cost-effectiveness before recommending them for NHS use. NICE has published guidelines on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. It has also published guidance on interventional procedures that provide recommendations on whether glaucoma-related procedures are safe and effective enough for wider use in the NHS.

A number of treatments are available for glaucoma, including eye drops, laser treatment or surgery, aiming to lower eye pressure and prevent or slow down optic nerve damage to reduce the risk of sight loss. Although there are treatments for glaucoma, it is a lifelong condition that requires regular monitoring. Historically, that has taken place in hospital but, in line with our aim to move more care from hospital to the community, there is no reason why, when clinically appropriate, that activity could not be undertaken outside of hospital. We know that some ICBs are already commissioning glaucoma monitoring in the community.

We must also recognise that, if diagnosed late, glaucoma can sadly lead to irreversible sight loss. The hon. Member for Leicester South spoke passionately from clinical experience about the significant impact that sight loss can have on an individual. Emotional support is therefore vital. There are various resources that aim to improve the support, including mental health support, available to patients through their sight loss journey. That includes NHS England’s patient support toolkit for commissioners and providers and the RNIB’s 2023 patient support pathway. Those sit alongside talking therapies and psychological therapies, which are widely available and to which patients can refer themselves directly. We are also taking steps to update the form for certificates of visual impairment to improve the signposting of patients to local support services.

Finally, I recognise the potential for research and innovation to help us to understand sight loss and to develop new treatments, including for glaucoma. The Department for Health and Social Care funds eyecare research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. NIHR infrastructure funding provides investment in research expertise, specialist facilities, a research workforce and services that help to support and deliver research studies through a range of clinical areas, including eyecare research. That includes the NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, which received funding of almost £22 million for five years from 1 December 2022, and is solely dedicated to eyecare research. The Moorfields BRC has been key in advancing research through a range of studies and clinical innovations in the glaucoma field. One of its flagship projects is a large-scale trial investigating the use of vitamin B3 to slow the progression of glaucoma. Recruitment for that study is ongoing at multiple sites across England.

As I have set out, the Government take glaucoma extremely seriously. Community optometry continues to play a vital role in preventing glaucoma. We are committed to improving eyecare services and patient outcomes, to reducing avoidable sight loss and, in particular, to harnessing the power of technology to drive those improvements forward. I also hope that this debate has further helped to raise awareness and may prompt a few more sight tests as a result. Once again, I congratulate the hon. Member for Leicester South on securing this important debate.

NHS Dental Contract Reforms: Consultation

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

As set out in the 10-year health plan, the Government are launching a public consultation on a package of reforms to improve the current NHS dental contract, representing the next step towards delivering a dentistry service fit for the future.

Satisfaction with NHS dentistry has fallen to a record low, from 85% in 2019 to 69% in 2024 and the British Dental Association estimates that 13 million adults—over 1 in 4—are struggling to find NHS care. Poor oral health can have a devastating impact on individuals, yet is largely preventable. We inherited a broken NHS dental system, and we are committed to fixing it, so we can deliver more care to those who need it.

Our plan to stabilise NHS dentistry is already under way. From April 2025, integrated care boards started making available the 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments that we promised in our manifesto. As set out in the 10-year health plan, training a dentist costs the taxpayer up to £200,000 and we believe it is fair to expect graduate dentists to invest their skills and expertise in the NHS in return. Having consulted on the principle, we will now make it a requirement for all newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period. We intend this minimum period to be at least three years. That will mean more NHS dentists, more NHS appointments and better oral health.

We are today launching a public consultation, running until 19 August 2025, on a package of reforms to improve the current NHS dental contract and improve the experience of NHS dentistry for patients. From 2026-27 the proposals are intended to:

Make it easier for those who need dental care and treatment to get it by requiring all practices to provide an agreed amount of urgent and unscheduled care which is accessible to all who need it, irrespective of whether they have been to the practice before.

Deliver improvements in the clinical care and treatment received by people with complex care needs. We will do this by introducing new care pathways which integrate prevention and treatment, with fairer payment arrangements for the professionals treating them, and without fear of excessive charges for patients.

Deliver improvements in preventive oral care for children, including through the promotion of fluoride varnish treatment.

Reduce the number of people in good oral health being recalled to the dentist too frequently and the costs to patients associated with that. Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence states that people with healthy teeth and gums should be seen every 12 to 24 months. Making this a reality will enable practices to provide better care to those patients who are most in need.

Make dental staff feel valued members of the wider NHS and able to focus on quality of care. We will do this by developing minimum terms of engagement for dental associates, supporting performance evaluation through appraisals, and extending eligibility for discretionary support payments.

This consultation is an important step towards the fundamental reform to the dental contract that we committed to in our manifesto, for which the process will begin this year. We want a contract that matches resources to need, improves access, promotes prevention and rewards dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability.

We will also deliver a step change in prevention, which is key to good oral health.

On 7 March 2025, we announced £11.4 million to implement the manifesto commitment for a national, targeted supervised toothbrushing scheme for three to five-year-olds. In addition to this investment, we have secured an innovative partnership with Colgate, which has generously committed to donate over 23 million toothbrushes and toothpastes over the next five years. Together we will reach up to 600,000 children, with the first donations being made before the school holidays.

Following public consultation, we also announced the expansion of community water fluoridation across the north-east of England, which will reach an additional 1.6 million people.

Taken together, these reforms represent vital steps in our plan to build an NHS dental service fit for the future.

[HCWS794]

Down’s Syndrome Regression Disorder

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Jeremy. I thank and pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft) for securing this important debate. I commend her for the work she is doing to raise such an important issue, and for sharing her personal experiences in a moving and powerful way, as a parent of a child with Down’s syndrome. I also pay tribute to all the hon. Members who have spoken so powerfully and movingly in this debate.

Last week, we launched our 10-year health plan for the NHS, which creates a new model of care, fit for the future. The neighbourhood health service will help to improve life outcomes for disabled people, including people with Down’s syndrome, by providing access to holistic, ongoing support that is closer to home. Through local commissioning, we will ensure that neighbourhood health services work in partnership with family hubs, schools, nurseries and colleges to offer timely support to children, young people and their families, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

We have heard powerful testimonies about the challenges associated with Down’s syndrome regression disorder, both for people with Down’s syndrome and for their families and carers. As we have heard, regression describes the loss of previously acquired cognitive and developmental skills in an individual. Down’s syndrome regression disorder is a specific, rare type of regression, which usually presents in adolescence or early adulthood.

People with Down’s syndrome can live full lives pursuing their personal interests, taking up employment, and living independently. However, regression can have a devastating impact for people with Down’s syndrome; the loss of developmental skills can affect daily living, language, motor abilities or social interaction. We know that symptoms can often be overlooked, or misdiagnosed as dementia. We have heard that further awareness and understanding of the disorder is needed. Like with other support for people with Down’s syndrome, it is important that care for regression disorder is personalised and takes into account the specific needs of the individual.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock so clearly explained, there is currently limited understanding of Down’s syndrome regression disorder. We know that experts in the field have looked into regression and developed a position statement on regression in adolescence and early adulthood experienced by people who have Down’s syndrome. This includes recommended healthcare actions for people with Down’s syndrome who show signs of loss of skills or cognitive decline.

There has been some academic research into regression, but there is still much to learn about this disorder and why it happens to some people. We understand that many factors may come into play in causing regression, but the specific underlying cause of Down’s syndrome regression disorder is still unclear. Through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department of Health and Social Care welcomes high-quality funding applications from researchers seeking to better understand this condition, and to inform enhanced management and care.

More broadly, patients will receive the most cutting-edge treatment years earlier than planned under the Government’s 10-year health plan, which will speed up clinical trials so that the UK becomes a hotbed of innovation. Millions of people will now be able to search for and sign up to life-changing clinical trials via the NIHR Be Part of Research service on the NHS app, allowing patients to browse and find the trials best suited to their interests and needs.

The Government are committed to improving life outcomes for people with Down’s syndrome, including those who have regression disorder. In order to achieve this, it is vital that we raise awareness of the needs of people with Down’s syndrome. We know that despite many positive developments, such as increased life expectancy, people with Down’s syndrome do not always receive the care and support they need to lead the lives they want to lead in their communities.

[Ayoub Khan]

First, I apologise to the hon. Member for Thurrock for using clumsy language—I meant no discourtesy. We have been discussing PIP and how it could impact many people who require care. Regression can happen very suddenly for people with Down’s syndrome, which is concerning because we are still looking at research and the methods for getting a final determination. Will the Government incorporate something, such as financial care packages and so forth, to deal with the additional care required by those individuals?

[Stephen Kinnock]

As the Government have made clear throughout the debate on reforming the welfare system, those who need to be supported and protected will be supported and protected, so I can reassure the hon. Gentleman on that point. There is clearly a lot of work to do through the review that will be led by the Minister for Social Security and Disability, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Sir Stephen Timms). This will be an important part of his work.

Through the implementation of the Down Syndrome Act 2022, we will improve awareness and understanding of the needs of people with Down’s syndrome and how to meet them. The Act requires the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to give guidance to relevant authorities, including local authorities, education and housing services, on the appropriate steps they should be taking to meet the needs of people with Down’s syndrome in exercising their relevant functions.

Work to develop the statutory guidance under the Act is being taken forward as a priority, with a view to issuing it for consultation in the autumn. The shadow Minister, the right hon. Member for Melton and Syston (Edward Argar), asked about that. We looked at publishing it over the summer, but we received feedback from stakeholder groups that parents in particular are often busy with their kids over the summer, so it is better to wait until the autumn. That is what we are doing, and we will be publishing it as soon as the school holidays are over.

Officials have considered a range of evidence and engaged extensively with sector partners to inform the development of the guidance. This includes a national call for evidence, which received more than 1,500 responses. A summary report of its findings will be published ahead of, or alongside, issuing the draft guidance for consultation. Based on what we were told during the call for evidence and our subsequent engagement with sector partners and experts, a needs profile has been developed setting out the different needs of people with Down’s syndrome, including people with Down’s syndrome regression disorder. We intend to publish the needs profile paper alongside the draft guidance this autumn to ensure full transparency.

The guidance itself will raise awareness of the specific needs of people with Down’s syndrome, including health needs such as unexplained regression. The guidance will also set out practical steps that relevant authorities should take to meet the needs of people with Down’s syndrome.

We have made significant progress in developing the guidance. We are working closely with relevant Government Departments and sector partners to ensure that it is helpful, accurate and fully reflective of the latest developments in Government policy. Crucially, that engagement has involved people with lived experience of Down’s syndrome, as well as organisations that support people with Down’s syndrome, other conditions and/or a learning disability.

On 4 June, I met the all-party parliamentary group on Down syndrome and provided an update on the latest progress on the guidance. We discussed how we can ensure that the guidance is as effective and impactful as possible. The latest version of the draft guidance, which has had input from all relevant Government Departments, was also shared with sector partners in June for their feedback.

Officials are reviewing that feedback ahead of issuing the guidance for consultation this autumn, which will provide a further opportunity for individuals and organisations to share their views. We remain committed to delivering high-quality guidance that supports improved outcomes for people with Down’s syndrome, while bringing wider benefit where possible. To support implementation of the guidance, NHS England published statutory guidance on 9 May 2023 requiring that every integrated care board must have a named leader for Down’s syndrome.

The 10-year health plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. We want disabled people’s access to and experience of healthcare services to be equitable, effective and responsive to their needs. Significant engagement took place as part of the 10-year health plan’s development, and informed the final plan. That engagement included a roundtable on learning disability, at which we heard directly from people with Down’s syndrome about their experience of the NHS. We also received contributions from organisations that support and advocate for Down’s syndrome across the health and social care sector.

The 10-year health plan sets the vision for what good, joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including people with Down’s syndrome regression disorder or other disabilities. The neighbourhood health service will support disabled people to be more active in the delivery and management of their own care. That includes increasing uptake of personal health budgets, which provide individuals with greater choice and flexibility on how their assessed wellbeing needs are met. We know that there are many disabled people, including people with Down’s syndrome, who want to work. The 10-year plan will break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment.

A number of hon. Members raised questions about training. The guidance will raise awareness of the specific needs of people with Down’s syndrome, including people with regression disorder. We understand that training is an important part of that picture. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, providers registered with the Care Quality Commission must ensure that staff receive appropriate professional development necessary for them to carry out their duties. Specific training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to the staff member’s role, is also mandated under the Health and Care Act 2022. We expect that providers should consider whether specific training on Down’s syndrome is required for their staff.

Members also raised questions about funding research into regression disorder. The Department funds health and social care research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Down’s syndrome regression disorder. Such applications are subject to peer review and are judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and to health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. That enables maximum flexibility, both in the amount of research funding that can be awarded to a particular area, and in the type of research that can be funded.

The NIHR works closely with other Government funders—including UK Research and Innovation, which is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and includes the Medical Research Council—to fund research to improve care and prevent poor health outcomes for people with Down’s syndrome.

The shadow Minister asked a couple of specific questions. I think he mentioned Down’s Syndrome Association-supported research by Cambridge University, and the trials in the United States of America. If it is okay, I will write to him on those points. I am not in a position to address them today.

I hope I have addressed the points raised by hon. Members in this debate. I end by thanking all those who have committed so much time and effort to supporting the development of the guidance under the Down Syndrome Act. We are grateful for the invaluable input that individuals and organisations continue to provide on the draft guidance. Their feedback has been, and is, instrumental in helping us to ensure that the final guidance has maximum benefit. Officials will continue to work with sector partners to ensure that the communities they represent are aware of the forthcoming consultation and can share their views.

I once again thank my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock for securing this important debate, and for all the incredibly important work that she is doing in this area. I also thank all hon. Members for their contributions.

GP Funding: South-west England

Stephen Kinnock Excerpts

Wednesday 25th June 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)]

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dame Siobhain. I thank the hon. Member for Newton Abbot (Martin Wrigley) for securing this debate and raising this important issue. I pay tribute to every hon. Member who has taken part in the debate for their insightful contributions.

The health and wellbeing of constituents across the south-west remains a top priority for us all; I welcome the opportunity to address the concerns that have been raised today. The issue strikes at the very heart of the NHS and its ability to serve our communities effectively. General practitioners are the cornerstone of the NHS. They provide the first point of contact for millions of patients, enabling access to specialist services, managing long-term and chronic conditions, and delivering preventive care.

The south-west is a unique part of our country with a population that faces distinct challenges, from its rural geography and dispersed communities to an ageing demographic and areas of health inequality. The dedication of GPs and primary care teams, often working under difficult conditions, is a testament to the NHS’s commitment to accessible healthcare. I thank those professionals for their invaluable service.

I was pleased to see the fantastic interest and engagement that we had from the south-west in our 10-year health plan consultation. The hon. Member for Newton Abbot and his colleagues from the area will be pleased to note that the south-west had a higher than average response rate compared with the rest of the country on our change.nhs.uk platform. We also saw that 126 community-led events were run in the south-west using our “workshop in a box” toolkit, which demonstrates just how important reforming the NHS is to people in the region.

The Government recognise that GP practices in rural and remote areas face specific pressures, including recruitment difficulties and population fluctuations due to tourism. We also acknowledge the demographic reality. The south-west has a higher proportion of older residents, which increases the demand on primary care for managing complex, long-term conditions. These challenges require tailored and effective responses.

Since taking office, the Government have made primary care a central pillar of NHS reform. We have committed to strengthening GP services nationwide through a series of measures designed to increase funding, support workforce growth and improve patient access. These measures support progress towards a neighbourhood health service, with more care delivered locally to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer.

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

The Minister mentions the ageing demographic of the south-west. I do not know if it is actually a fact, but one of my favourite things that I have ever been told about the population of West Dorset is that if we were a country, we would have an older population than Japan—we would be the oldest country in the world. The only things older than our population are some of our GP buildings; about one in five predates the NHS itself. Can the Minister outline how the Government intend to help GP surgeries to upgrade their facilities?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention and for that fun fact. I will come on to it a bit later in my speech, but the £102 million primary care utilisation fund will make a major contribution to upgrading the creaking primary care estate. He is right to identify that as a major challenge. It is also major drain on productivity. We must ensure that our GPs have the tools at their disposal to do the work they need to do.

[Adam Dance]

Will the Minister visit Ariel Healthcare in Chard in Somerset, where the building is really not fit for purpose, and meet the GPs to talk about their concerns?

[Stephen Kinnock]

I am impressed by the way the hon. Gentleman did that and I congratulate him on it. If he would care to write to me to set that out, I will have a look at it and get back to him.

I want to take this opportunity to briefly outline what we have done since July 2024, and what we intend to do, to ensure that GP funding and services in the south-west are fit for purpose and capable of meeting the needs of the local population. In February, we concluded the annual consultation between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association. For the first time in four years, GPC England voted in favour of the GP contract package, which illustrates the progress we are making to rebuild our relationship with the profession.

The 2025-26 contract is already improving services for patients and making progress towards the Government’s health mission. It supports the three key shifts the Government want to achieve: from analogue to digital; from sickness to prevention; and from hospital to community care. Patients across the country can expect online GP services to be available throughout the day, and better continuity of care for those who would benefit most. Patients can also expect a stronger focus on prevention, in particular to tackle the biggest killers, such as cardiovascular disease.

In 2025-26, we are investing an additional £889 million into the core GP contract to fix the front door of the NHS. Despite the difficult financial situation this nation faces, we are backing our health workers with above-inflation pay rises for the second year running. We are accepting the Doctors and Dentists Review Body’s recommendation of a 4% uplift to the pay element of the GP contract on a consolidated basis.

[Dr Luke Evans]

The Minister talks about contracts, which is an appropriate point to question him again on his Government’s position on the GP partnership model. It is not clear what that looks like from any of the documentation, so I would be grateful to understand that or, if the Secretary of State is considering new models, what they are and when we can see them.

[Stephen Kinnock]

We recognise that the partnership model has many strengths. It is a very important part of the system, and it helps to drive efficiency, innovation and a kind of go-getting approach to general practice. That is what we want to see—innovative approaches.

We are committed to substantive GP contract reform. We see the partnership model as a really important part of that, but we also recognise that fewer GPs are interested in going into partnership. The partnership model is not the only model delivering general practice; GP practices can and do choose to organise themselves in different ways. Many practices cite evidence of good outcomes on staff engagement and patient experience through the partnership model. I do not think it is right to say that there are any specific plans to change the partnership model, but we recognise that there are a number of other ways, and we will always keep the way in which the contract is delivered under review.

[Vikki Slade]

For some leasehold properties, there is a requirement that practices have partners. How is the Minister ensuring that such practices can be taken on, either by the ICB or the DHSC? Somebody has to take responsibility for those practices, and if we are moving to a model of having more salaried people, who will do that?

[Stephen Kinnock]

In debates about how we deliver health and care in our country, the question often comes up about the balance between the role of the DHSC at the centre, the role of ICBs and the role of those who are at the coalface delivering services. I do not think there is a single answer to that question. What is important is that we commit to devolution and to empowering those who are closest to their communities, because they are in the best position to make the decisions that work for their communities.

It is vital that we at the centre agree on and set desired outcomes for health, access and quality that the entire system is expected to meet. We have to set a framework, and it is then up to those at the coalface to decide how best to deliver it. It would not be right for me to say, on specific leasehold cases for example, that case A should go this way and case B should go that way; to try to dictate that from the centre would be a recipe for disaster. We do need to hold the system to account, however, and the system needs to hold us to account. That is the way to deliver true political and strategic leadership.

[Jess Brown-Fuller]

It is interesting that the Minister mentioned devolution, because the effect of the cuts to ICBs has meant that Sussex ICB is now having conversations with Surrey ICB about a merger. The cuts are therefore achieving the exact opposite of devolution, because such a merger would move power further away from communities. Does he have any thoughts on that?

[Stephen Kinnock]

Integrated care boards in the south-west have received almost £1.3 billion in their primary medical care allocation for ’25-26, which is an increase of nearly 13% compared with ’24-25, so I am not quite sure where the hon. Lady is getting her figures. For me, a 13% increase is not a cut.

That growth in local resources includes the south-west’s share of the additional £889 million agreed for the GP contract, as well as the transfer of some additional roles reimbursement scheme funding that had previously been held centrally by NHS England. Those funding allocations will be further uplifted to fund in full the pay recommendations of the DDRB and the NHS Pay Review Body.

[Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead) (LD)]

I appreciate that recruitment, including of GPs, is extraordinarily difficult in the south-west. In Minehead, there is one GP practice and just one doctor. He is outstanding, and everybody knows him—to that extent, he fits the named GP pledge—but he serves 11,000 people. Rural premium or not, would the Minister agree that that is simply unacceptable and unsustainable, irrespective of where in the country one might be?

[Stephen Kinnock]

That is an extraordinary statistic. There are clearly major imbalances in the way the system works and general practice is funded in our country. A little later I will come to the Carr-Hill formula; I am sure hon. Members will have seen announcements trailed in the media today about what my right hon. Friend the Health Secretary will say shortly in a speech in Blackpool. The issue raised by the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead (Rachel Gilmour) is directly pertinent to the work we are doing around the formula for funding GPs, to ensure that it is needs based, unlike the current, deeply anachronistic and dysfunctional funding system.

On funding, general practices are funded through a range of streams, the majority from core payments known as global sum payments. The rest is made up of incentive schemes, premises payments and enhanced and additional services. The Carr-Hill formula is applied as a weighting of 50% to 60% of GP funding allocated through the core contract, and is a workload-based formula designed to reimburse practices for their expected workloads.

The formula takes into consideration patient demographics, such as age and gender, and factors such as morbidity, mortality, patient turnover and geographical location. I am truly proud that today my right hon. Friend the Health Secretary is in Blackpool to announce that we are reviewing the Carr-Hill formula, which is outdated and not fit for purpose. Currently, GP surgeries that serve working-class areas receive on average 10% less funding per patient than practices in more affluent areas, and that needs to change.

Politics is about choices. For 14 years, the Conservatives —propped up for five years by the Liberal Democrats, I am afraid to say—chose to favour the richest. Who can forget the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak) boasting about how he had deliberately redirected funding from deprived urban areas to leafy suburbs? This Labour Government are reversing that ethos. Our decision to reform the Carr-Hill formula is a clear example of how we are putting our Labour values into practice.

We recognise the importance of ensuring funding for core services is distributed equitably between practices across the country. In our upcoming 10-year health plan, that is what we will do, through our review and reform of the Carr-Hill formula. Alongside that work, the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation—ACRA—will be asked to advise on how the setting of ICB allocations can better support the reduction of health inequalities, to ensure that resources are targeted where they are most needed.

On workforce and recruitment, we recognise the difficult situation whereby patients have been unable to get GP appointments and recently qualified doctors have been unable to find jobs. That is why, in August last year, we announced £82 million in ringfenced funding, allowing primary care networks to recruit newly qualified GPs through the additional roles reimbursement scheme. More than 1,700 GPs have now been recruited through that scheme.

As part of the 2025-26 GP contract package, we made the additional roles reimbursement scheme more flexible, to allow PCNs to accommodate local workforce needs better. That includes removing restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses. When I took up my ministerial responsibilities in July, I was astonished to find that it was not possible to recruit GPs through the ARRS. We have bulldozed that red tape, which has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of GPs on the frontline.

[Dr Luke Evans]

On that point, what would the Minister say to junior doctors, now coming to be registrars, who will be looking for a job? Should they look to the ARRS as the way forward when they qualify? What will he say to them if they do not get a job? Should that be the route they look to? Is it an expansion he is asking for? What are the alternatives for those graduating in August?

[Stephen Kinnock]

We have been really pleased with the take-up under the ARRS. It is a rapid and clear way of recruiting, particularly because it has the ringfence and the reimbursement system underpinning it. We absolutely encourage newly graduating GPs to take up opportunities through the ARRS; it is an important tool for bringing more GPs on to the frontline. The challenge is not so much the number of qualifying and graduating GPs in the pipeline, but getting them to the parts of the country that need them most. That variation in provision is the No. 1 priority. The review of the Carr-Hill formula will also have important synergy with the issue of recruitment and workforce.

[Dr Luke Evans]

It seems pertinent to ask this question now: the Australian scheme I mentioned is one way that another country has dealt with the issue. Would the Government consider placing overseas doctors in the areas of most need? Is that something under consideration?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Kinnock]

The hon. Member raises an interesting point. We are thinking strategically about the whole way that recruitment and workforce function. Similarly, on another part of my portfolio, we have several thousand international dentists who are waiting to do the overseas registration exam. We need to get that sorted out, because we have issues with capacity and there are ways of addressing them. We are absolutely committed to prioritising the training and appointment of our home-grown talent, but we also need to look at other options and solutions. We are going into this with eyes open, and I thank the hon. Member for that suggestion; it is definitely something we are looking at.

In addition, the newly launched £102 million primary care utilisation and modernisation fund will help create much-needed additional clinical space in more than 1,000 GP practices across England. The investment responds directly to findings from Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS, which highlighted how outdated, inefficient premises can hinder the delivery of high-quality patient care and negatively impact staff productivity and morale. This is the first dedicated national capital funding stream for primary care since 2020, and a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to strengthening primary and community care infrastructure.

Once again, I thank the hon. Member for Newton Abbot for securing this debate and thank all Members who have spoken for their passionate and insightful contributions. The Government remain fully committed to ensuring that GP funding in the south-west reflects the region’s particular challenges and needs. Through investment in the workforce and infrastructure, we aim to deliver a sustainable, high-quality primary care service for all. We also remain committed to delivering a neighbourhood health service that will improve people’s experience of health and social care and will increase their agency in managing their own care, health and wellbeing.

As we get our NHS back on its feet, and as we build an NHS fit for the future, we need more care closer to people’s homes and in people’s homes. For too long, NHS resources have been tilted towards hospitals and away from communities. The result is poorer services for patients who would benefit from care closer to home and in their communities. Moving care from hospitals into the community will be at the heart of the 10-year health plan, which will set out how we will continue to transform the NHS into a neighbourhood health service. The full vision will be set out in the plan, which we will publish very shortly.

We recognise the pressures on GPs and the impact on patients, and I assure hon. Members that addressing those challenges is a top priority for the Government. The NHS is evolving, but its founding principle remains: healthcare free at the point of use, accessible to everyone, everywhere.

[Martin Wrigley]

I am not quite sure what to say now that the Minister has actually said that my prime ask will be delivered. That is fantastic, and shows the emphasis of these debates.

I thank colleagues from across the House for their contributions. We all agree on the importance of GPs and the need to fix their funding. It is vital to recognise the many good things that GPs and GP practices have been doing in what have been difficult circumstances for a good number of years.

It has been delightful to hear that MPs have been interacting with their local GP practices to understand the problems with the funding formula. Delighted as I am to hear the Minister announce changes to the Carr-Hill formula, GP funding is still complex. I tried to show how complex it is by focusing on just on two of its elements, but we have heard from other hon. Members that the extra funds are even more complex. The fact that the 7% increase is eaten up by the 6% increase in wages, NICs and so on shows that it is not simple.

I thank the Minister for being here—

[Stephen Kinnock]

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

[Martin Wrigley]

I have never been interrupted by a Minister before—I would be delighted.

[Stephen Kinnock]

I do not even know whether an intervention is allowed here, Dame Siobhain—this is a revolutionary step—but the hon. Gentleman raised some concerns about the quality and outcomes framework, and I wanted to say that we have retired 32 out of the 76 quality and outcomes framework indicators, reflecting the fact that we agree with him: it was way too complex and there were too many indicators. By retiring those, we freed up £298 million, £100 million of which will go into the global sum, maximising the flexibility for practices to do what is right for their patients. The remaining £198 million will be repurposed to target cardiovascular disease prevention.