Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to integrated care boards on costs that may be excluded from costs associated with a self-funded course of treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Where a patient opts to pay for private care, their entitlement to National Health Services remains and may not be withdrawn. However, the NHS should not subsidise private care. Therefore, it is important that there is as clear a distinction as possible between private care and NHS-funded care.
In 2009, the Department published guidance on NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care, setting out the interaction between NHS care and private care. Local systems are expected to uphold this when caring for patients who have used private healthcare, including self-paying for their care.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 27053 on Cancer: Health Services, how much funding his Department (a) has allocated and (b) plans to allocate to increase maximise radiotherapy productivity through AI.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to support productivity and efficiency in radiotherapy services, for example by assisting clinicians with aspects of treatment planning such as contouring. The Department has not allocated ring‑fenced funding specifically for the purpose of increasing radiotherapy productivity through AI. Decisions on the adoption of AI technologies in radiotherapy are taken locally by National Health Service organisations, which may choose to invest in products that meet clinical safety, regulatory, and value‑for‑money requirements.
Nationally, the Department and NHS England have focused AI investment on priority areas such as diagnostics, including cancer imaging, where there is clear evidence of benefit to patient pathways. Any future funding decisions for AI in health and care, including potential investment related to radiotherapy, will be considered as part of Spending Review processes.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on (a) the number of and (b) participation rates in sporting events for (i) athletes with medical needs and (ii) athletes who require 1:1 care from volunteers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Manchester Arena Inquiry recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and under temporary arrangements at sporting and cultural events to ensure public safety.
The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed.
A link to the explanatory memorandum for the proposed changes in regulation and the de minimis assessment is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348279955/resources
Due to the unregulated nature of the treatment of disease, disorder, and injury at these types of events, monitoring and reporting of those with medical needs and conditions at such events is currently challenging to access. The CQC will be consulting in May which will provide opportunities for further consideration around the appropriate implementation of the regulation to sectors such as individual clinicians and volunteers.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's 54th Report's chapter on Instruments on Interest, what assessment has his Department made of the adequacy of the Care Quality Commission to register the potential 1000 providers in scope of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 between 7 September 2026 and 6 December 2027.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department, in consultation with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has agreed that there will be a phased approach to implementing the updated regulations. This is so:
The CQC will produce guidance that sets out the date that providers would have to apply to be registered by. This aims to prevent a backlog caused by last-minute applications.
For applications received on or by this date that are fully complete at the time of submission to allow for validation, the CQC will take all reasonable steps to undertake assessment and advise providers of the outcome of their application on or before December 2027.
Following the Penny Dash Review, the CQC accepted the high‑level recommendations, including stabilising its regulatory platform and improving the registration experience for providers. The Department meets the CQC regularly to discuss the progress of its improvements.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish an impact assessment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on the number of sporting and cultural events; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The de minimis assessment for the regulation amendment was published alongside the draft statutory instrument and explanatory memorandum, and is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348279955/resources
House debates on the statutory instrument are expected to commence soon.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what definition his Department uses for a sporting or cultural event as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Sports and cultural events can cover a variety of activities, sizes, and attendee numbers, so there is no one specific definition within the Care Quality Commission’s regulation. However, where treatment of disease, disorder, or injury (TDDI) care is deemed necessary, the amendment will mean an event organiser is safe in the knowledge that the TDDI care acquired through a provider is regulated.
This activity covers a treatment that is provided by, or under the supervision of, a defined list of healthcare professionals or by a multi-disciplinary team that includes a listed healthcare professional, or is provided by, or under the supervision of, a social worker where the treatment is for a mental disorder, or by a multi-disciplinary team that includes a social worker where the treatment is for a mental disorder, for a disease, disorder, or injury. TDDI covers a wide range of treatments. It includes examples such as:
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what size by attendance of sporting or cultural events are within the scope of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
For providers of treatment of disease, disorder, or injury (TDDI), regulatory obligations do not vary by event type or the number of attendees. Restricting Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulation to larger events would risk unregulated providers operating at events where attendance is higher than anticipated and would create gaps in oversight at smaller events that may also require TDDI services.
The level of risk associated with an event cannot be determined by attendance figures alone. Event organisers are expected to draw on risk assessments, advice from Statutory Advisory Groups, and sector guidance such as the Purple and Green Guides to identify the appropriate level of event healthcare provision.
If, following this process, an organiser determines that first aid is sufficient for a small event, this position is unaffected. First aid does not fall within the definition of TDDI and will remain outside CQC regulation.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the exemption for temporary cultural and sporting events from laws mandating that medical providers be CQC registered for sporting events on the finances of that organisation.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2026 to Question 120609.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes removing exemptions for temporary cultural and sporting events from laws mandating that medical providers be CQC registered on the number of cultural and sporting events in England.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Manchester Arena Inquiry recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums, and under temporary arrangements, at sporting and cultural events to ensure public safety.
The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed. This considered the impacts the changes in regulation would have, including costs.
A link to the explanatory memorandum for the proposed changes in regulation and de minimis assessment is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348279955/resources
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is responsible for reforming the regulation of funeral directors.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.