Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the rate of community pharmacy closures in England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has been clear that community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, bringing healthcare to the heart of the high street, as set out in our 10-Year Health Plan.
There are over 10,400 pharmacies in England. Despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies, access to pharmacies remains good. Over 80% of the population live within one mile of a pharmacy and there are twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived areas. In some rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the over 400 National Health Service online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver medicines they dispense free of charge to patients.
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
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 help support the long-term (a) financial and (b) operational sustainability of community pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has been clear that community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, bringing healthcare to the heart of the high street, as set out in our 10-Year Health Plan.
There are over 10,400 pharmacies in England. Despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies, access to pharmacies remains good. Over 80% of the population live within one mile of a pharmacy and there are twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived areas. In some rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the over 400 National Health Service online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver medicines they dispense free of charge to patients.
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that patients have timely access to pharmacy services in areas where community pharmacies have closed.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has been clear that community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, bringing healthcare to the heart of the high street, as set out in our 10-Year Health Plan.
There are over 10,400 pharmacies in England. Despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies, access to pharmacies remains good. Over 80% of the population live within one mile of a pharmacy and there are twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived areas. In some rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the over 400 National Health Service online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver medicines they dispense free of charge to patients.
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the manner in which NICE considers carer-related quality of life in its assessments of treatments for (a) rare, (b) progressive and (c) paediatric diseases.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process allows its independent committees to take societal benefits, such as health-related quality-of-life for carers and impacts on personal social services, into account. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health technology evaluations manual, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg36
Evaluations should consider all health effects for patients, and, when relevant, carers. When presenting health effects for carers, evidence should show when the condition is associated with a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life and how the technology affects carers. This applies for all therapies, including therapies for rare diseases. NICE appraisals specifically consider health-related quality of life, for both patients and carers, rather than quality of life as a whole.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the potential impact on carers is taken into account in NICE’s health technology appraisal decisions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process allows its independent committees to take societal benefits, such as health-related quality-of-life for carers and impacts on personal social services, into account. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health technology evaluations manual, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg36
Evaluations should consider all health effects for patients, and, when relevant, carers. When presenting health effects for carers, evidence should show when the condition is associated with a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life and how the technology affects carers. This applies for all therapies, including therapies for rare diseases. NICE appraisals specifically consider health-related quality of life, for both patients and carers, rather than quality of life as a whole.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that NICE appraisal decisions for (a) progressive and (b) degenerative diseases are taken in a timely manner. .
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. To enable rapid access for NHS patients to effective new treatments, NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.
In line with commitments set out in the Regulation Action Plan, NICE is continuing to transform its technology appraisal process and is aiming for 60% of technology appraisals to be completed in 240 working days after the start of the appraisal. NICE is also working to align its processes with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, supported by information sharing and joint scientific advice, to speed up decision making and reduce the administrative burden for the system and industry, allowing new and innovative technologies to get to patients faster.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NHS England on the potential merits of funding research on using AI based on the knowledge of expert cardiologists to help interpret ECGs for the diagnosis of young people with cardiac conditions in (a) primary and (b) secondary care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service has set an ambitious goal in its new 10-Year Plan that by 2035, artificial intelligence (AI) should be seamlessly integrated into most clinical pathways, with tools like generative AI being widely adopted and continuously improved. The aim is for the NHS to become a global leader in the ethical use of AI.
One promising area is the use of AI to interpret electrocardiograms (ECGs). While AI is not yet routinely used for ECG interpretation in NHS practice, it is being actively developed and tested in research and pilot settings. Major funders such as the British Heart Foundation, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and the Medical Research Council are supporting this work to improve the speed, accuracy, and accessibility of ECG analysis.
However, there are still important challenges to overcome. Different studies use different types of ECG recordings and data preparation methods, making it difficult to compare results or identify best practices. AI models also need further refinement to ensure they work well across diverse patient groups, including young people. Importantly, these tools must be thoroughly validated, clinicians must be trained to use them, and appropriate legal and ethical frameworks must be in place before they can be safely adopted into routine care.
Research teams are working to address these barriers. For example, NHS trials are planned to begin in late 2025 at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. These trials will test whether an AI model can accurately predict long-term health risks from routine ECGs.
At the same time, United Kingdom health regulators are developing the rules and safety checks needed to ensure that AI tools are accurate, fair, and safe for patients.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made on ensuring that (a) patients and (b) families affected by brain aneurysms receive adequate (i) screening, (ii) treatment, (iii) care, (iv) long-term monitoring and (v) rehabilitation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with brain aneurysms, as they are best placed to make decisions according to local need. The process of commissioning services should take into account best practice guidance, including that published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Nationally, there are several initiatives that are supporting improvements to neurological services more generally. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Neurology Programme aims to reduce unwarranted variation and improve efficiency across neurological services, through data-driven analysis and best practice sharing. Additionally, NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme is supporting integrated care systems to transform neurology services by promoting integrated care, prevention, and early intervention.
NICE is currently developing the guidance Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September 2025. The guideline covers rehabilitation in all settings for children, young people, and adults with a chronic neurological disorder, neurological impairment, or disabling neurological symptoms resulting from acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury or peripheral nerve disorder, progressive neurological disease, or functional neurological disorder. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181
NICE has also published the guidance Subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm: diagnosis and management. The guideline focuses on the diagnosis and management of individuals who are suspected of having a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) caused by ruptured aneurysm and includes recommendations on follow-up care and support for patients, their families, and carers.
This guidance also covers familial aneurysms in the context of SAH and recommends that that individuals with two or more first-degree relatives who have had a SAH may be offered screening to detect potential aneurysms. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng228
The Government expects the healthcare system and commissioners to take NICE guidelines fully into account when designing services for their local population, and to work towards their implementation over time.
Our 10-year health plan will make the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be prepared for future challenges, from hospital to community care, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. We are committed to expanding community-based access to tests and scans, promoting a more collaborative service delivery, and enhancing the use of apps and wearable technology. These changes will help people manage their long-term conditions, including brain aneurysms, more effectively and closer to their homes. Earlier diagnosis will play a key role in preventing disease progression and improving outcomes.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that brain aneurysms are (a) recognised and (b) dealt with (i) in the NHS ten-year plan and (ii) by his Department.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with brain aneurysms, as they are best placed to make decisions according to local need. The process of commissioning services should take into account best practice guidance, including that published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Nationally, there are several initiatives that are supporting improvements to neurological services more generally. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Neurology Programme aims to reduce unwarranted variation and improve efficiency across neurological services, through data-driven analysis and best practice sharing. Additionally, NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme is supporting integrated care systems to transform neurology services by promoting integrated care, prevention, and early intervention.
NICE is currently developing the guidance Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September 2025. The guideline covers rehabilitation in all settings for children, young people, and adults with a chronic neurological disorder, neurological impairment, or disabling neurological symptoms resulting from acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury or peripheral nerve disorder, progressive neurological disease, or functional neurological disorder. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181
NICE has also published the guidance Subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm: diagnosis and management. The guideline focuses on the diagnosis and management of individuals who are suspected of having a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) caused by ruptured aneurysm and includes recommendations on follow-up care and support for patients, their families, and carers.
This guidance also covers familial aneurysms in the context of SAH and recommends that that individuals with two or more first-degree relatives who have had a SAH may be offered screening to detect potential aneurysms. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng228
The Government expects the healthcare system and commissioners to take NICE guidelines fully into account when designing services for their local population, and to work towards their implementation over time.
Our 10-year health plan will make the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be prepared for future challenges, from hospital to community care, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. We are committed to expanding community-based access to tests and scans, promoting a more collaborative service delivery, and enhancing the use of apps and wearable technology. These changes will help people manage their long-term conditions, including brain aneurysms, more effectively and closer to their homes. Earlier diagnosis will play a key role in preventing disease progression and improving outcomes.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
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 that NHS trusts are prepared to deliver new therapies once they enter routine commissioning.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether all new medicines, and significant licence extensions for existing medicines, should be routinely funded by the NHS in England based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.
NHS England takes the necessary action to ensure that the treatments recommended by NICE are available for the services for which it has commissioning responsibility. It has a dedicated team to support the adoption of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) that are recommended by NICE. NHS England works with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely patient access to ATMPs that are on NICE’s technology appraisal and highly specialised technology workplan.
The collaboration platform for the health and care sector in England, Futures NHS, includes information to support NHS organisations in England to plan, implement, and budget for new medicines, once they are recommended by NICE.