Men’s Health Strategy for England
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(1 day, 4 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
Today marks the publication of England’s first-ever men’s health strategy.
It can be tough to be a man in today’s society. Mental ill health is on the rise, preventable killers such as heart disease and prostate cancer are being caught far too late, and tragically, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death of men under 50.
At the same time, lots of young men and boys—particularly those from working-class backgrounds—are being led astray by a proliferation of harmful influences and left feeling isolated and confused by the bombardment of conflicting messages about what it means to be a man.
Men can be less likely to seek help and more likely to suffer in silence. This, combined with a higher propensity to smoke, drink, gamble and use drugs, all adds up to a crisis in men’s health that ripples through families, workplaces and communities. This first-ever men’s health strategy for England is the Government’s response.
The strategy is designed to support men to take charge of their physical health and mental wellbeing. It is informed by the voices of experts, including men’s groups, charities, men’s health ambassadors, campaigners and partners. It supports men first by expanding access to support services; secondly, by ensuring that they are supported to take better care of themselves; and thirdly, by ensuring stigma is challenged and every man feels empowered to reach out for help.
The vision is simple yet bold: to improve the health of all men and boys in England. The strategy identifies six levers through which we will achieve this vision.
Improving access to healthcare services
To improve access, the Government will invest in community-based men’s health programmes, partner with organisations including the Premier League, develop digital health services, equip professionals to respond to men’s health needs, work with media experts and improve the evidence on men’s health literacy.
Supporting individual behaviours
The strategy includes targeted “stop smoking” and cocaine and alcohol-related interventions, alongside implementation of the new statutory levy on gambling operators, which will provide increased independent, sustainable funding to support system-wide improvements relating to the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms across Great Britain.
Developing healthy living and working conditions
Actions include workplace health initiatives, promoting NHS health checks for professional drivers, and campaigns to build resilience against online harms.
Fostering strong social, community, and family networks
The strategy harnesses the sports sector to build men and boys’ social connections and improves father inclusion in Best Start family hubs, and Healthy Babies. It also commits to strengthening the evidence base on the mental health of fathers during the perinatal period. For example, it explores commissioning research on the rate of all-cause mortality and suicide-specific mortality in fathers in the year after childbirth.
Addressing societal norms
The Government will challenge and change these norms by building the evidence base and identifying ways to build media literacy skills in men.
Tackling health challenges and conditions
Targeted actions include neighbourhood-based suicide prevention pilots and respiratory illness case-finding initiatives in former coalfield areas.
This strategy is a crucial first step, laying the foundation from which we can learn, iterate and grow. Recognising that men’s health issues cannot be solved by Government alone, the Government are committed to learning from, and working in partnership with, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, through the establishment of a new stakeholder group to inform implementation. The Government will also look to build a broader coalition, including with service providers, employers and important sectors such as media and sport.
The Government will also work with the newly established Men’s Health Academic Network, and fund research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research to build the evidence and inform future policy direction.
This strategy is not just a plan; it is a call to action to create a society where men and boys are supported to live longer, healthier and happier lives; where stigma is replaced by understanding; and where every man knows that his health matters.
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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(1 day, 4 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt) on securing this debate, and pay tribute to her for her continued advocacy on behalf of people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis. Her work has ensured that the voices of those affected are heard at the highest levels of Government, and I am happy to accept her invitation to meet her and stakeholders, and the invitation from my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt), the chair of the APPG.
I thank all hon. Members who have contributed today, and I particularly acknowledge all the constituents they have referred to. They all deserve the very best care from our NHS. I will endeavour to respond to as many of the issues raised as I possibly can. If I have not covered something, my officials will take notes and follow up in writing.
Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
I am really grateful to the Minister. We know that, at the heart of this, we need to ensure that all clinicians have a basis of training, and that is certainly missing at the moment. We see misdiagnosis, and we see some provision, including fatigue clinics, providing the wrong interventions. Will she ensure that there is a strategy around training clinicians and making it mandatory?
Ashley Dalton
I will come later in my remarks to the training that is being rolled out as part of the delivery plan.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis—better known as ME—and chronic fatigue syndrome, which I will refer to from now on as ME/CFS, is a condition that affects an estimated 390,000 people in the UK. Its symptoms can be profoundly debilitating, impacting every aspect of daily life, from work and education to family and social life. For those with severe or very severe ME/CFS, even basic tasks such as sitting up, eating or speaking can become impossible. We recognise the devastating impact this condition has on individuals and families. For too long, people with ME/CFS have faced stigma, misunderstanding, disbelief and inconsistent care.
Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)
The Minister is a passionate advocate for women’s health. Does she agree that the reason for this disease often being overlooked and for the stigma she has talked about is that women are five times more likely than men to get it? Will she support clear funding, accountability and deadlines within the welcome plan that has been delivered, and a service for very severe ME for all ICBs?
Ashley Dalton
I recognise my hon. Friend’s points, and I will cover some of them in my remarks. She will be aware that the women’s health strategy is currently being refreshed, so we hope to dovetail wherever possible.
I want to set out the steps that this Government are taking to change the misunderstanding, stigma and inconsistent care that patients have experienced. Through our ME/CFS final delivery plan, we will deliver better care, boost research and ensure that every person living with ME/CFS is treated with dignity and compassion.
First, let us acknowledge the reality. ME/CFS is a complex multi-system condition. Its fluctuating nature makes diagnosis and management challenging. Historically, services have been extremely varied, and in some cases patients have felt dismissed or rejected by the healthcare system. That is unacceptable. We have heard those concerns loud and clear through our extensive consultation on the interim delivery plan and through ongoing engagement with patients, carers, clinicians, researchers and charities. Last year’s prevention of future deaths report following the tragic death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill further highlighted the urgent need for reform, pointing to a lack of specialist beds and inadequate training for clinicians. We cannot and will not allow such failings to continue.
In July, we published the ME/CFS final delivery plan, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to improving lives. The plan is built around three core themes: boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and enhancing care and support. With a clear commitment to ensure that people with ME/CFS can live as independently as possible and see their overall quality of life enhanced, that plan will help us to take an important step towards achieving that, but we acknowledge that there is more to do. We will continue to build on the foundation of those actions well beyond the publication of the plan. It is the springboard—the beginning, not the end.
Although the final delivery plan does not include every suggestion received through the consultation responses or through the task and finish group, it does not mean that those proposals will not be considered in the future, subject to resource and funding. We look forward to continuing those conversations.
Dr Luke Evans
The Minister attended the task and finish group, as did I. Will it meet again to consider that?
Ashley Dalton
I will come to the task and finish group in my remarks.
Research is the key to unlocking better treatments and improving quality of life. As has been mentioned, we have seen progress through projects such as DecodeME, the world’s largest genetic study of ME/CFS, which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council. Preliminary findings from the study indicate genetic differences in eight areas linked to the immune and nervous systems in people with ME/CFS. That discovery of specific genetic signals may help us to understand the biological pathways involved in ME/CFS in the future.
However, we need to go further. That is why the plan includes a funding offer and a commitment to continue working with researchers, industry and patient groups. New awards announced this year include funding for repurposed treatments and £845,000 for a large infrastructure project called PRIME, or, to give it its full name, Building Infrastructure for Patients, Researchers and Industry for ME/CFS.
Together with the MRC, we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research. For example, earlier this month we co-hosted the research showcase event for post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. It brought together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians and funders to help to stimulate further research in this field. We are now considering the discussions that took place at the showcase to explore the next steps to stimulate further research. The output of that event will be circulated as soon as possible.
The final delivery plan also sets out actions to improve access to specialist services—to provide better support for children and young people, and their families, and to address employment challenges. It aligns with our 10-year health plan, which includes the roll-out of neighbourhood health services, bringing care closer to home and ensuring that multidisciplinary teams can support people with complex conditions such as ME/CFS.
Provision varies across the country and we are determined to reduce those inequalities. The final delivery plan includes actions to improve service mapping and workforce training so that every patient, regardless of postcode, can access the care they need. NHS England is working closely with the Department to support ICBs in commissioning equitable evidence-based services. Two of the most important actions in the plan are focused on NHS services. NHS England has already started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS.
Ashley Dalton
While NHSE is in the process of being dismantled, all its functions continue, and the new Department of Health and Social Care will continue all its work. None of that is being got rid of; it is simply being brought together into a more efficient, new Department of Health and Social Care. The Department will continue to meet a group of key stakeholders to move the work forward on mild and moderate ME/CFS in the coming weeks. Additionally, I confirm that the DHSC has already started conversations with NHS England to explore a specialised service prescribed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care for severe ME/CFS. That work will continue.
Changing attitudes is as important as changing services to many people with ME/CFS who have faced disbelief or stigma. As outlined in the plan, we will address that by launching a public awareness initiative to improve understanding of the condition and the support available. We will work with schools, employers and social care providers to ensure that children and adults with ME/CFS receive the information and support that they need.
Ashley Dalton
I will not, as time is short.
To support healthcare professionals in diagnosis, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for all healthcare professionals. The aim is to support staff so that they can provide better care and improve patient outcomes.
The plan was not developed in isolation. It reflects thousands of consultation responses and the input of the cross-sector task and finish groups. We repurposed the task and finish groups into a new post-publication stakeholder engagement group, and we look forward to working closely with it during the all-important implementation phase.
I recognise that some stakeholders feel that the plan does not go far enough, but let me be clear: this is not the end of the journey; this is simply the foundations. Our work does not stand alone; it stands on the broader ambition to transform the NHS from a sickness service into a health service. We are working with the DWP and the Department for Education to ensure that all the issues raised are considered, in particular during the Timms review.
ME/CFS has been overlooked for far too long. We are determined to change that. To everyone living with ME/CFS and to your families and carers, I say this: we hear you; we value you; we believe you; and we are committed to making the system work better for you and with you. Together, we can build a future where everyone receives the care, respect and support that they deserve.
David Mundell (in the Chair)
Tessa Munt, you have one minute to wind up the debate.
Pandemic Preparedness: Exercise PEGASUS
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(2 weeks, 2 days ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
Exercise Pegasus, the Tier T pandemic preparedness exercise led by the Department of Health and Social Care with the UK Health Security Agency, will conclude live participation on 5 November 2025.
Exercise Pegasus has been the largest simulation of a pandemic in UK history, involving every Government Department, the devolved governments, representation from arm’s length bodies, local resilience fora, and the engagement of businesses, academics, and external stakeholders.
Across three core exercise days, held on 18 September, 9 October and 30 October, participants were challenged to respond across the key phases of a pandemic—emergence, containment and mitigation.
Exercise Pegasus was based on a novel enterovirus originating from a fictional island. Enteroviruses are a group of viruses that usually cause mild illnesses but can lead to serious conditions such as meningitis or acute flaccid paralysis. While the exercise used a single disease to drive the scenario, learning will be applicable across a range of diseases and modes of transmission. The Government continue to plan and prepare for a range of pandemic and emerging infectious disease scenarios.
Although live participation in Exercise Pegasus has now concluded, critical work continues. A fourth phase—recovery—is planned to be exercised in 2026. Findings will be published as part of the Government’s commitment to transparency.
[HCWS1015]
Moles: Histological Testing
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(3 weeks ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley) for this important debate and all hon. Members who have contributed. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Neath and Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) for raising the report by the APPG for beauty and wellbeing; I look forward to considering it in the new year. I thank the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson), for raising the issues of sun damage and sunbeds. I am exploring options with respect to those issues and will report to Parliament as necessary.
Let me say how sorry I was to hear about the heartbreaking circumstances of Zoe’s story. My sympathies are with her family. I was honoured to meet them and hear their story at first hand earlier this month, and I am glad to see some of them in the Public Gallery today. I commend their campaigning in Zoe’s name.
I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the personal experience of my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) with stage 2C malignant melanoma. I commend his courageous efforts to share Zoe’s story alongside his own. From awareness-raising, better regulation and improved diagnostics, all the way through to fundamentally reforming the NHS, we will seize every opportunity to learn from preventable and unnecessary tragedies like Zoe’s, to help to save the lives of others.
The last time that I checked, the petition for Zoe’s law had received almost 40,000 signatures and many more people will have seen Zoe’s story in the news. Just a couple of weeks ago, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister paid tribute to Zoe’s family for their work. I commend all those who have raised awareness of skin cancers through Zoe’s story, because the faster and earlier that people are diagnosed with skin cancer, the faster they can begin treatment and the more effective that treatment can be.
The Government are taking steps to promote awareness of signs and symptoms through the NHS’s “Help Us Help You” campaigns, which aim to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and encourage body awareness, helping people to spot symptoms earlier. Let me also take this opportunity to further promote the NHS’s clear and accessible information about how to check moles. That guidance is available to everyone on the NHS website and makes it easier for people to recognise when they should seek medical advice.
Most importantly, however, Zoe’s story demonstrates that even when someone does the right thing and raises concerns with their GP, accurate referrals to cancer services need to be in place. Let me stress that every patient should receive the thorough, compassionate and safe care that they deserve. Our GPs also need support to catch potentially deadly illnesses, including skin cancer, sooner. That is why, as a number of hon. Members mentioned, we recently introduced Jess’s rule, a new patient safety initiative designed to support GPs in making timely diagnoses. In practice, it means that if a patient returns to their GP three times with symptoms that are either worsening or still undiagnosed satisfactorily, GPs are asked to reflect, review and rethink. The aim is to make sure that no warning sign is missed and that every patient receives the attention they deserve.
I want to reassure hon. Members and others that the Government are committed to ensuring the highest standard of patient care by equipping healthcare professionals with the latest best practice clinical guidance. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides evidence-based guidance for the NHS on best practice. NICE has published several guidelines that include recommendations related to the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of skin cancer, including a guideline on referrals for suspected cancer, which was updated in May.
Our commitment to best practice means that histological testing on excised moles is already routine practice in the NHS. There is not NICE guidance for the cosmetic industry, because it is not NHS-funded, but I know that the safety of the cosmetic sector is of significant interest to colleagues. Many Members will no doubt be all too aware of the devastating consequences of a wide range of unsafe cosmetic practices. Since I met Zoe’s family, my office has written to colleagues at the Department for Business and Trade to get a better sense of practice and to explore what it is possible for us to do in this space.
My Department will also consider whether Zoe’s story can be incorporated into action that we are taking to improve the safety of the cosmetic sector as a whole. We are prioritising developing legal restrictions on high-risk cosmetic procedures, to ensure that they can be performed only by suitably qualified and regulated healthcare professionals who are working for providers registered with the Care Quality Commission. Additionally, we will introduce a local authority licensing scheme in England for lower-risk cosmetic procedures. Licensing will enable us to embed rigorous safety training and insurance standards in the sector, and enable action to be taken against practitioners who fail to comply with the requirements. These measures will allow people to be confident that the practitioner they choose to perform their procedure has the skills to do so safely.
It is important to note that for the majority of skin cancer patients, diagnosis and treatment occur in a timely manner. To ensure that we continue to improve our strong performance and survival rates, we are spending £600 million of capital funding this year on diagnostics. That sum includes, for the first time, funding for the automation of histopathology laboratories to improve productivity. Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, we exceeded the faster diagnosis standard for skin cancer in August, when more than 80% of patients received an all-clear or a cancer diagnosis within 28 days. The 62-day cancer waiting time for skin cancer was 84.9%—the standard is 85%, so it was just shy—and the five-year survival rate for melanoma is now around 92%.
However, we know there is more to be done. In the longer term, as part of our 10-year health plan, we are ensuring that the NHS is able to harness the power of technological innovation to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all cancers, including skin cancer. By using innovative technologies such as teledermatology, in which a high-resolution photograph is taken of the skin and sent directly to a dermatologist, we are increasing diagnostic productivity and reducing waiting times for skin cancer patients. We will ensure that no one waits longer than they should.
Wera Hobhouse
I called for teledermatology on another occasion because it absolutely works. Does the Minister have any figures on how many GPs are using that as the basis of their diagnosis? My husband recently went to our GP and he was still referred to the hospital, so I am not confident that a lot of GPs are making use of it.
Ashley Dalton
The majority of those services are provided through community diagnostic centres. I do not have any figures to hand but I am more than happy to write to the hon. Member with whatever figures we have available.
Within those services, we have recently begun testing AI-based platforms to triage patients following referral from primary care. I have seen at first hand how useful AI can be in flagging potentially risky images so that the consultant can prioritise and explore them. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk takes a keen interest in those developments. Further roll-out of AI in the NHS for this purpose will be subject to assessments of clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, which are ongoing, but I can say from first-hand experience that it offers a very exciting opportunity and falls distinctly within our ambition for the shift from analogue to digital.
Although immediate action is essential, we recognise that bold reform is needed if we are to rise to the growing challenge that cancers of all types present. We will publish the national cancer plan in the new year to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years. We have received over 11,000 responses to our call for evidence from individuals, professionals and organisations, and we are reviewing the submissions from skin cancer partners. Publication has been delayed by about six weeks to ensure that all the responses are properly considered in the plan. Our expansive engagement will allow the national cancer plan to have patients at its heart. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care.
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West again for bringing this important matter to the House, and I thank all Members who have contributed. I am pleased to assure them that we are undertaking immediate actions to learn from Zoe’s story. Combined with our bold reforms to create a health service that is fit for the future, we will reduce the number of lives lost to the biggest killers, including skin cancer.
Oral Answers to Questions
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(4 weeks, 2 days ago)
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Mr Peter Bedford (Mid Leicestershire) (Con)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
I reiterate my deepest sympathies to all those who have experienced harm following vaccination and to their families. I recognise many of the concerns that campaigners have raised regarding the vaccine damage payment scheme. Their input will shape our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme and I will keep Parliament updated as appropriate.
Mr Bedford
My constituent Kelly Hatfield sadly lost her father Ken Purnell as a result of the covid-19 vaccination. The family received a vaccine damage payment, yet the sum, which has not increased since 2007, falls short of the loss, trauma and long-term financial impact on these families. Will the Minister explain why that one-off payment has not been inflation-adjusted and will she commit to reviewing its adequacy and fairness?
Ashley Dalton
The vaccine damage payment scheme is not a compensation scheme but a one-off payment. It is important to state that. As I have said, we recognise that there are concerns, which campaigners have raised, and their input is shaping our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme. All vaccines in the UK are authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which is an independent body recognised globally for its high safety standards. This Labour Government base our decisions on scientific fact, unlike Reform, which has still not apologised for platforming dangerous anti-vax conspiracy theories. I can only assume that it is less interested in protecting people than it is in alarming folk for political advantage.
Shaun Davies (Telford) (Lab)
Dr Lauren Sullivan (Gravesham) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
This Government are investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS, opening up community diagnostic centres at evenings and weekends and delivering 5 million more appointments to catch cancer earlier. We are making progress: 135,000 more patients have already had cancer diagnosed or ruled out within the 28-day target compared with the previous year—a lot done, and a lot more to do.
Dr Sullivan
A local teacher went to her GP with clear symptoms of a facial tumour but was told it was simply the effects of age. It took almost two years to receive a confirmed diagnosis, including eight months lost in the system after an urgent referral. Does the Minister agree that reducing times for cancer diagnosis must start with strengthening systems to support early recognition and follow-up, so that no one is left waiting? I wish the Minister well with her own cancer battle and thank her for bravely sharing her experience of living with cancer.
Ashley Dalton
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and her well wishes. We are taking cancer detection seriously in general practice, and there is work to do. It is why we have recently launched Jess’s rule, which is a patient safety initiative that means when patients return three times with worsening or undiagnosed symptoms, GPs must reflect, review and rethink. That could include a second opinion, episodic continuity of care or ordering additional tests. I wish her constituent the very best and offer her my sympathies in her diagnosis.
Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)
The Government claim that they wish to reduce NHS waiting times, but I have written confirmation from the Government that they have slashed funding for community diagnostic centres. The consequences of Labour’s funding cuts mean that brand new facilities, such as those at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup, for which I secured £9.6 million of funding from the last Conservative Government, can now open only two days per week. Will the Minister urgently review that funding cut, so that more patients in Bexley and across the UK can get their diagnostics quicker?
Ashley Dalton
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, but I think he might be mistaken. We are opening more CDCs than ever before—I have lost count of the amount of CDCs we have been invited to open—and we are making sure that people have access to diagnostics in their community, from hospital to community, with the most access that there has been for some years.
Katie Lam (Weald of Kent) (Con)
Sir Gavin Williamson (Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge) (Con)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
This Government are committed to improving survival for blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukaemia. We are raising awareness, delivering more research, and improving early diagnosis. Blood cancer is the third biggest cancer killer, and the fifth most common cancer in the UK. That is why we are committed to developing a national cancer plan, with patients at its heart, covering the cancer plan from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, I confirm that that plan will be published early in the new year.
Sir Gavin Williamson
I thank the Minister for her response. My constituent Ruth Wake, who lives in Brewood, was tragically diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in January last year. She has gone through chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, and while she has made good process and is in remission, sadly the stem cell transplant has failed after nine and a half months. Under the current rules, if it fails in under a year she cannot have a second stem cell transplant. I know the pressures that the Minister is under in terms of her time, but my constituent has so little time. Could she look at this particular case, and also look at guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which were written over 12 years ago? Science and treatment have moved so rapidly, and I wonder if the Minister could look at both those points.
Ashley Dalton
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question and offer my best wishes to his constituent Ruth in her treatment. I thank him for bringing her story to my attention. I really do appreciate—perhaps more than most—the urgency of the matter. Although I am unable to comment on individual cases, I understand that one of my ministerial colleagues will be writing to the right hon. Gentleman directly on this matter in the very near future.
Peter Prinsley (Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket) (Lab)
This week we learned about the incredible results of the Galleri trials, which allow the early identification of many tumours by looking at DNA circulating in the blood. Indeed, I was a volunteer in this trial. Will the Secretary of State join me in recognising the central importance of medical research?
Ashley Dalton
Absolutely. The new progress, particularly around circulating tumour DNA, is really interesting, and we are moving forward with more investment in research so that we can bring forward more such treatment.
Adam Thompson (Erewash) (Lab)
As a migraine sufferer, I am afflicted about once a week by debilitating symptoms, which always include partial blindness, and sometimes include numbness in my fingers, nausea, brain fog, sensitivity to light and sound, a pounding headache and even an inability to speak—heartbreaking for a politician. I am very lucky, though, that my migraines generally only last half an hour; other people’s can be much worse and last days. What steps is the Minister taking to improve support for migraine sufferers like me?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
At national level, a number of initiatives support service improvement and better care for patients with migraine. The Getting It Right First Time neurology programme published a national specialty report that made several recommendations to improve recognition and diagnosis of migraine by GPs. Additionally, the RightCare toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, including correct identification and diagnosis, and NHS England has established a multi-year, clinically led neurology transformation programme—so, lots.
Several hon. Members rose—
Helena Dollimore (Hastings and Rye) (Lab/Co-op)
Jules Fielder is a young woman from Hastings who has tragically been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer after doctors repeatedly missed the early symptoms. Jules is now channelling her personal tragedy into action and campaigning to raise awareness of early symptoms, and she wants shops like Boots and Superdrug to use their shelf space to raise awareness. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to Jules’s amazing campaigning work?
Ashley Dalton
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue, and I offer my sympathy and best wishes to Jules and her family. Of course, I commend her awareness-raising work, which is really important. Her experience is one of the reasons why we are rolling out targeted lung screening and starting to use artificial intelligence to detect discrepancies in screening.
Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)
Children in Runnymede and Weybridge are waiting on average two years to get a diagnosis of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS foundation trust. The trust is deviating from national guidance on new developmental pathways, and waiting times are even greater if children need medication. Does the Secretary of State share my concerns, and will he investigate the trust and make sure that children and families get the support that they need?
Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment: Reclassification
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(1 month ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
COM’s members serve on a voluntary basis and are not remunerated. Their highly valuable independent expert advice informs policy decisions across Government on appropriate safeguards on health risks from mutagenic compounds in consumer products, for example restrictions or regulations on contaminants in food packaging.
Earlier this year, the Cabinet Office undertook a review of arm’s length bodies in line with the aims of the plan for change as set out by the Government. As part of the outputs of this review, COM will be reclassified as a departmental expert committee.
COM will continue to maintain the current remit, secretariat and membership to allow the continuity of its work and secure its critical functions with no disruption to its operations or expert advice.
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Postural Tachycardia Syndrome
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(1 month ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
It is a pleasure, as always, to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Cat Smith) for bringing forward this important issue.
This place is vastly enriched by our experiences, and it is nothing short of inspiring how my hon. Friend’s diagnosis has led her to become a passionate advocate for the PoTS community, raising awareness and holding the Government to account. I thank her for sharing her story and Elise’s case with me. I assure my hon. Friend and Elise that tackling health inequalities is my No. 1 priority as the Minister for Public Health and Prevention.
I also thank many hon. Members for their interventions and for sharing their constituents’ stories. Given this short debate, there is not time to respond to each intervention—I will not even attempt to do so—but I assure hon. Members that their points have been noted and that their presence today is testament to the importance of the issue for hon. Members on both sides of the House. I recognise that people with PoTS wake up and confront every day through sheer willpower, and that showering, cooking and walking to the corner shop each become small expeditions that need endless rest and planning. We are determined to help improve their lives.
Postural tachycardia syndrome, more commonly known as PoTS, is not a rare condition. It affects around 120,000 people in the UK. It is a debilitating, multi-system disorder that can significantly impact someone’s quality of life. As my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre points out, the path to a PoTS diagnosis is often a long and arduous one, filled with frustration and misdiagnosis as patients fight to be heard. Even after a diagnosis is made, patients may struggle to access the services that they need due to a lack of specialist care and limited understanding among health professionals. That results in long delays in treatment, often leaving those affected unable to work or live their lives.
I turn to the specific issues raised by my hon. Friend, starting with guidance. For too long, patients have faced systemic barriers to care and an unacceptable postcode lottery for support. It cannot be right that in modern Britain, where someone happens to be born determines the care that they receive. She rightly points out that that inequality is rooted in the lack of clear national guidance for healthcare professionals. Without guidance from bodies such as NICE, clinicians often lack the confidence and know-how to identify and manage this complex condition effectively.
There are some reasons for the difficulty in providing such guidance, including the amount of available evidence, the fact that PoTS is often managed with lifestyle changes, and the overlap with other conditions such as long covid and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, which can bring similar debilitating symptoms. All those issues can make the development of clearcut guidelines challenging. However, in its clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, NICE sets out in black and white a clear definition of PoTS with the right tests to diagnose it, and symptom-based management. NICE has also published guidance that mentions PoTS in relation to other conditions, such as its guideline on ME/CFS, which acknowledges the overlap between these syndromes. Several other organisations, including PoTS UK and the international Heart Rhythm Society, provide information too.
Services for long-term conditions such as PoTS are commissioned locally through integrated care boards. That approach gives local clinicians the flexibility that they need to tailor services to the specific needs of their communities. Providing a PoTS specialist service is a fundamental part of the ICBs’ statutory role in planning and delivering health to the people they serve, and when an ICB fails to meet its statutory functions, NHS England has a range of proportionate enforcement powers. Let me be clear: we expect NHS England to hold ICBs to account by demanding that they provide clear assurance on how they are meeting their responsibilities, and where they are failing people with PoTS—let me say this very clearly, publicly, now—we expect them to rectify it.
Ashley Dalton
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. As we know, guidelines are only as strong as the evidence and research that they are based on. We need systematic, robust data to determine which treatments and interventions are most effective.
While we are backing our life sciences sector to come up with tomorrow’s treatments for long-term conditions, we are also directly funding research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The NIHR is currently backing a study, known as the LOCOMOTION study, with more than £3 million to examine the connection between long covid and autonomic nervous system disorders, especially PoTS. The NIHR funds research proposals through open competition, based on their scientific quality, value for money and impact on patients. The NIHR welcomes research proposals, and I appeal to any researchers to apply with proposals for PoTS-related research that this Government could fund. We want to see proposals and fund those that can be brought forward. Those researchers’ work could be life-changing for thousands of people across our country.
Locally developed care pathways are clearly important for supporting people with PoTS, because they help to address the condition’s unique challenges.
Rachael Maskell
There are very few PoTS specialists across the country. Will the Minister meet those specialists to hear why they are facing barriers, and work with them to ensure that they can practise the medicine they know works?
Ashley Dalton
The hon. Member pre-empts the end of my speech, where I was going to say that I would be more than happy to meet specialists in this area to discuss how we can move forward. It is important that today’s debate is the beginning of our conversation, not the end of it.
The Government are focused on standardising and co-ordinating care across different settings so that local pathways can address systemic challenges, especially the inconsistent referrals that many people with PoTS face, as has been raised today.
Cameron Thomas
Between young people unable to finish education and adults unable to cope with the strains of the workplace, the economic impact of PoTS is undeniable. The Minister speaks clearly about the pressure her Department will put on NHS England, but will she also put pressure on the Treasury with regards to its economic obligations?
Ashley Dalton
As the hon. Member is probably aware, the Government are working hard to develop policies to support people, particularly people with health conditions, into work. These issues are being raised through the “Get Britain Working” plan, which my right hon. and hon. Friends in the Department for Work and Pensions are bringing forward. Working to support people with any long-term health condition, including PoTS, is a crucial part of the Government’s effort to improve the economy and get Britain working. The hon. Member’s comments are noted.
We are determined to improve patient outcomes and ensure more tailored and efficient care that acknowledges the complexity of PoTS, beyond just a single specialty. The Government’s 10-year plan for health not only deals with prevention, but offers potential for people with PoTS through the increased focus on community-based rather than hospital care, through the better integration of services, and through our analogue to digital shift and improvement of digital tools. Given that PoTS is frequently co-morbid with ME/CFS, the final delivery plan for ME/CFS, which the Government published this summer, will have a positive impact for many PoTS patients too.
I again thank my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre for securing the debate. As I said, I hope that this is the beginning of our conversation, and that we can continue to discuss how we can ensure we are delivering for people with PoTS as we work towards building an NHS that is fit for the future.
Question put and agreed to.
Pandemic Preparedness: Exercise Pegasus
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(2 months ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
I am today confirming that, on 18 September, Exercise Pegasus, the national tier 1 pandemic preparedness exercise set to assess the UK’s ability to respond to a pandemic, will commence.
A pandemic remains the top risk of the UK’s national risk register, and experts are clear that it is a case of when, not if, the UK will experience another pandemic. We cannot be prepared if we do not actively look for opportunities to test the country’s capabilities, plans, protocols and procedures in the event of another major pandemic. Exercise Pegasus is a prime opportunity to do just that.
Exercise Pegasus will be the largest ever simulation of a pandemic in UK history and will involve participation from every Department, the devolved Governments and representation from arm’s length bodies and local resilience fora.
The exercise is due to take place from September to November 2025, led by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered with the UK Health Security Agency. Core exercise days have been confirmed for 18 September, 9 October and 30 October, simulating the first phases of a pandemic: emergence, containment, and mitigation. A fourth phase—recovery—is also planned for 2026. The UK Government have committed to communicating the findings and lessons of the exercise as recommended by the covid-19 inquiry and a post-exercise report will be delivered in due course.
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Less Healthy Food and Drink: Advertising Restrictions
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(2 months, 1 week ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
This Government have set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and that includes tackling the childhood obesity crisis. As part of this, we committed in our manifesto to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on TV and online.
I updated the House on 16 July, when launching a consultation on the draft regulations to provide an explicit exemption for brand advertising from the advertising restrictions. The consultation, which closed on 6 August 2025, reconfirmed the Government’s policy position that brand advertising that does not identify a less healthy food or drink product is out of scope of the restrictions. This was set out in my previous statements to the House and was understood by Parliament during the passage of the primary legislation—the Health and Care Act 2022, which amended the Communications Act 2003. The consultation sought views on the drafting of the regulations to ensure that they are clear and fit for purpose in achieving this.
We have carefully considered the responses, many of which were submitted on behalf of organisations from a range of sectors. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport also engaged with stakeholders throughout the consultation period to understand a broad range of views.
I am delighted to inform the House that the Government are today laying before Parliament the Advertising (Less Healthy Food and Drink) (Brand Advertising Exemption) Regulations 2025, and an explanatory memorandum. The Government will also be publishing our response to the consultation on gov.uk.
We have been careful to protect the primary policy objective by ensuring that the regulations set robust and objective criteria to permit only brand advertising that does not identify specific less healthy food or drink products. This means we are being tough on junk food advertising but not pigeon-holing brands as “less healthy”; instead, we are incentivising them to reformulate and promote their healthier products. The regulations will enable the regulators to provide clear guidance on how they will enforce the restrictions. They will also allow industry to invest in advertising campaigns with confidence that they will be compliant.
Laying this legislation today demonstrates our rapid progress towards implementing the advertising restrictions, which will take legal effect on 5 January 2026. As I set out in my previous written ministerial statement—[Official Report, 22 May 2025; Vol. 767, c. 51WS.]—we have secured a unique commitment from advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms, to voluntarily comply with the restrictions from 1 October 2025. We welcome this co-operation.
We will now work closely with Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority as they finalise their implementation guidance. I am delighted that, in taking this action, we are tackling childhood obesity head-on by removing up to 7.2 billion calories from UK children’s diets each year.
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High-caffeine Energy Drinks
Ashley Dalton Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)
The Government committed in the King’s Speech to banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children in England. This action will help raise the healthiest generation of children ever, providing them with a better and more prosperous future. It is a key part of the Government plan for change to break down barriers to opportunity and shift the NHS from sickness to prevention.
I am pleased to update the House that today, the Department of Health and Social Care published a consultation on proposals to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years.
Public health research has found that these drinks have little to no nutritional benefit. There is clear and increasing evidence that consuming high-caffeine energy drinks is associated with a range of negative outcomes for children’s physical and mental health. These include reduced sleep quality, increased headaches and emotional difficulties such as stress, anxiety and depression. Research also suggests possible impacts on children’s educational outcomes and increased likelihood of engagement with other harmful behaviours, such as smoking and vaping, and alcohol and other substance abuse.
In addition to being high in caffeine, these drinks can contain high levels of sugar, which is known to be linked with obesity and dental decay. Based on our estimates, detailed in our impact assessment published alongside the consultation, the proposed ban could reduce childhood obesity rates by the equivalent of about 40,000 children, and, over future years, deliver health benefits worth £7.7 billion through improved health outcomes, as well as NHS savings and increased economic productivity.
We estimate that around 100,000 children consume high-caffeine energy drinks at least daily in England. Of particular concern is the fact that research highlights that children living in more deprived areas and households are more likely to consume these drinks. This means the possible negative outcomes on health and education are likely to be felt unequally across society.
The consultation has been published on gov.uk and asks the public, professionals and organisations for their views on our proposals, including:
the minimum age of sale
the products and businesses in scope of the ban
how the ban will apply to vending machines
the length of time that businesses and local authorities need to implement the ban.
In addition, we ask local enforcement authorities and retailers for their views on our proposals for enforcing the ban.
The consultation will be open for 12 weeks. We encourage all interested stakeholders and members of the public to respond. An impact assessment has been published alongside the consultation, with further detail.
Following the consultation, we will review the next steps required to protect children in England from the reported harms of high-caffeine energy drinks.
I will update Parliament following the consultation.
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