Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure patients with brain tumours treated at NHS trusts that are not members of the National Institute for Health and Care Research's Brain Tumour Research Consortium are able to access equivalent a) tumour tissue freezing, b) whole genome sequencing and c) clinical trial stratification pathways.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The NIHR funds research and research infrastructure across England which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including brain cancer trials. The NIHR also provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest.
In addition, the Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026. The act will make it easier for clinical trials on brain tumours to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.
The NIHR’s investments for capital equipment, technology, and modular buildings support National Health Service trusts across England to deliver high-quality research to improve the health of the population. These investments include cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets such as ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, to strengthen research capacity and improve access to samples for research.
Genomic testing in the NHS in England is delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) via seven regional Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). All seven GLHs deliver testing based on the National Genomic Test Directory, which outlines eligibility criteria for genomic testing. The Test Directory includes over 200 cancer indications for a range of genomic tests, including whole genome sequencing for neurological tumours, for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Seven NHS GMS Alliances also work to embed genomics into clinical pathways, raise awareness among clinicians and the public, and ensure equitable access to whole genome sequencing across all regions.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of children removed from local NHS ADHD waiting lists after accessing the Right to Choose pathway.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not collect data on the number of children removed from local National Health Service attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) waiting lists after accessing the Right to Choose pathway.
NHS England has worked with stakeholders to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, which was published in May 2025. The plan highlights the need to make use of and publish existing NHS England data in this area and to improve data quality, with further information available at the following link:
For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD prevalence and waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. This management data publication will be published quarterly going forward. Further information is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/november-2025
NHS England also issued technical guidance on 3 June 2025 for those who submit ADHD data, to improve recording of ADHD data with a view to improving the quality of data on ADHD waiting times and for publishing more localised data in the future.
NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation on 7 October 2025. This advice includes guidance on managing service provision, reviewing waiting lists and providing patient support.
NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to action 25 of the National Cancer Plan, what factors will be used to prioritise locations for new training places; and if he will consider the potential merits of using a formula to identify areas of greatest need for this purpose.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.
The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.
The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Action 25 of the National Cancer Plan, what steps he will take to incentivise medical graduates to accept specialty training posts in rural, coastal and remote areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.
The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.
The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has modelled the projected level of demand for consultant‑level cancer specialists in rural, coastal and remote regions over the next 10 years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.
The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.
The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to medication, paediatric support, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services follow-up for children diagnosed with ADHD through the Right to Choose pathway.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
NICE guidelines recommend that all medication for ADHD should only be initiated by a healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing and managing ADHD and after titration and dose stabilisation. Prescribing and monitoring of ADHD medication should be carried out under shared care protocol arrangements with primary care.
NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025. The work of the independent ADHD taskforce highlighted the need for coordinated action across health, education and public services to reform ADHD services and support.
On 4 December, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The independent review will build directly on the evidence and recommendations of the ADHD taskforce. The taskforce’s report provides a strong, evidence‑based foundation, and the review will consider its findings in full to ensure conclusions are aligned and complementary. In the meantime, we are working with NHS England to deliver some of the taskforce’s recommendations such as on data improvement, enhancing mental health support teams in schools, improved commissioning and better collaboration between mental health and primary care services.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide additional funding and workforce planning support to Integrated Care Boards to reduce waiting times for children with ADHD assessments and treatment.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards (ICBs). Funding for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessment services are included within NHS England’s financial allocations to ICBs.
The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years and that people of all ages, including children and young people, are experiencing delays accessing such assessments.
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support, including for children and young people, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Through the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.
NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.
Building on the work of the Independent ADHD Taskforce, on 4 December 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The review will inform our approach so that people with ADHD and autistic people have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government following the internal review of the upper limit for Disabled Facilities Grants.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, we continue to fund the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which is delivered by local authorities. This grant helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes to make them safe and suitable for their needs.
The upper limit for DFG grant awards is currently set at £30,000, however local authorities have a high degree of flexibility to fund adaptations above this amount where they judge it is appropriate. Following an internal review of the upper limit, we have been working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on next steps and hope to provide an update in the spring.
We have recently announced an additional £50 million for the DFG in 2025/26. This could fund approximately 5,000 additional home adaptations supporting older and disabled people to live more independently in their homes, and brings the total DFG amount this year to £761 million.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take following the internal review of the upper limit for Disabled Facilities Grants; and what his planned timetable is for further action.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, we continue to fund the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which is delivered by local authorities. This grant helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes to make them safe and suitable for their needs.
The upper limit for DFG grant awards is currently set at £30,000, however local authorities have a high degree of flexibility to fund adaptations above this amount where they judge it is appropriate. Following an internal review of the upper limit, we have been working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on next steps and hope to provide an update in the spring.
We have recently announced an additional £50 million for the DFG in 2025/26. This could fund approximately 5,000 additional home adaptations supporting older and disabled people to live more independently in their homes, and brings the total DFG amount this year to £761 million.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when will he announce the next phase of Modern Service Frameworks, and what consideration has been given to including musculoskeletal conditions in the next phase of the Modern Service Frameworks.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board will oversee the development of a new series of service frameworks. These modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery.
Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, sepsis, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. As advised by the National Quality Board, the Government will consider other conditions for future phases of modern service frameworks, and has recently announced a Modern Service Framework on Palliative and End of Life Care.
We are advancing modern service frameworks for those conditions where we can swiftly and significantly raise the quality of care and productivity. Future phases will address conditions that carry substantial health and economic consequences.
To support people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, we are working to deliver the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to reduce MSK community waiting times, which are the highest of all community waits, and improve data and metrics and referral pathways to wider support services.