Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
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 Doctors who have had their license to practice removed overseas are unable to practice in the UK.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of all medical doctors, physician assistants, and physician assistants in anaesthesia, still legally known as anaesthesia associates and physician associates, practising in the United Kingdom. The GMC is very clear that all doctors applying for registration, as well as current registrants, must promptly inform the GMC if any professional or medical regulatory body in the world makes a finding against their registration. The GMC is committed to taking swift action where a doctor has failed to declare this information.
When doctors who have been working overseas apply for registration with the GMC, the GMC seeks a Certificate of Good Standing from the regulator of every country where the doctor has practised in the previous five years. This shows whether the doctor is registered with the relevant regulator and if there are any restrictions or sanctions on their practice. The GMC is also implementing additional assurance measures, which include checks via the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Physician Data Centre in the United States.
For doctors already registered, the GMC routinely receives information from overseas regulators, including through the Physician Information Exchange. The GMC has written again to European regulators asking that they proactively share information about registrants.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of Hospital Trust permit men to be cared for on women-only wards.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is longstanding National Health Service policy that men should not be cared for on women-only wards.
NHS organisations submit data on the number of occurrences of unjustified mixing in relation to sleeping accommodation. This data is published monthly and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/mixed-sex-accommodation/
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
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 merits of the rare disease framework.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Rare Diseases Framework was published following the National Conversation on Rare Diseases, which received nearly 6,300 responses. This helped identify the four priorities of the framework in tackling rare diseases: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs. We have commissioned a portfolio level evaluation of England’s rare diseases action plans with input from the rare disease community on the design of metrics, which is due to complete in 2026.
The Government remains committed to improving the lives of those living with rare conditions and will be publishing the next England Rare Diseases Action Plan for rare disease day in 2026, as in previous years. We recognise that despite the progress that has been made there remains considerable unmet need for people living with rare conditions. We are carefully considering the future of the UK Rare Disease Framework and will be announcing our intentions at a later date.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
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 tackle obesity in children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is shocking that the latest data from the National Child Measurement Programme showed the highest prevalence of obesity seen in reception age children in England since the programme began, excluding the 2020/21 pandemic peak.
We recognise that prevention is almost always better, and cheaper, than a cure. As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the childhood obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.
We are also restricting junk food advertising targeted at children, banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years of age, and ensuring the Soft Drinks Industry Levy remains fit for purpose. We are working closely with the Department for Education to update school food standards. To support families, we are expanding free school meals to all children with a parent in receipt of universal credit. The Healthy Start scheme, which aims to support those in greatest need, will have the value of its weekly payments uplifted by 10% from April 2026, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most.
In a world first, we will introduce mandatory healthy food sales reporting for large food businesses. We will set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
Our current promotion and advertising restrictions on less healthy food and drinks use the 2004/05 Nutrient Profile Model to determine which foods are ‘less healthy’. This is plainly out of date. We intend to update the standards applied to these restrictions and will consult on implementation in 2026.
We are also working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to develop their cross-Government Food Strategy, which will work to provide healthier, more easily accessible food to help both adults and children live longer, healthier lives.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria his Department uses to measure the success of (a) vaccination and (b) immunisation programmes; and what assessment he has made of the (i) maternity, (ii) neonatal and (iii) adult rsv programmes against this criteria.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published quality criteria for an effective immunisation programme in June 2025 which includes accessibility of clinics, communication, training, and storage. A copy of the quality criteria is attached. These criteria are for National Health Service organisations and local health systems to use. In addition, the NICE guideline NG218 also covers the vaccine uptake recommendation and audit processes, and is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng218/chapter/Recommendations
For respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine uptake, key performance indicators are included in the NHS public health functions agreement published by the Department on 4 June 2025, and available at the following link:
The maternal and older adult RSV programmes were introduced on 1 September 2024. Pregnant women are eligible from 28 weeks, as are older adults who are turning 75 years old, and a catch-up is available for those who were aged 75 to 79 years old at programme launch. The UKHSA monitors vaccine coverage in the maternal programme for infant protection as well as the older adults programme, with further information on both available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-maternal-vaccination-coverage-in-england
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-older-adults-vaccination-coverage-in-england
In the most recent monthly reports, 53.7% of June births were protected by antenatal vaccination, and 65.7% of older adults in catch-up cohorts had been vaccinated, an increase of 0.9% from the previous month.
The RSV selective immunisation programme for high risk and very preterm infants, using long-acting monoclonal antibodies, began in September 2025 and no coverage assessment has been made.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for disabled candidates standing for election.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is this government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office. We have been clear that we will champion disabled people’s rights and work closely with them so that disabled people’s views and voices are at the heart of decision-making.
A new fund is currently being developed to assist with the additional disability-related costs of contesting elected office. More information about the fund will be announced in due course.
Additionally, as part of the current MHCLG-funded sector support programme, the Local Government Association (LGA) delivers the Be a Councillor campaign - which aims to attract people who reflect the communities they serve to put themselves forward for local election. The LGA programme also supports disabled people in local politics, through a disabled local councillors leadership programme and a disability champions network across local authorities.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS has recovered from patients who were not entitled to free NHS in each of the last three years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
For this answer, we have taken ‘patients who were not entitled’ to mean chargeable overseas visitors.
The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England as part of the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts. The cash payments received by the National Health Service from overseas visitors are also published annually in the consolidated NHS provider accounts. The following table shows the aggregate income identified, and cash payments received by the NHS in England, from overseas visitors over the last three years:
Year | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
Aggregate income identified | £67,000,000 | £100,000,000 | £123,000,000 |
Cash payments received in-year | £25,000,000 | £32,000,000 | £42,000,000 |
Source: The Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts and Consolidated NHS provider accounts.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) head count and (b) number of full time equivalent employees was in (i) NHS England and (ii) his Department in each month since February 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This data is published monthly and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dhsc-workforce-management-information#2025
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
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 implement the Getting It Right First Time recommendations on improving the (a) access to and (b) quality of dermatology care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that by March 2029 we return to the standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people, and across all services, including dermatology.
One of the ways we are improving access to services, including dermatology, is through NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, which runs a Further Faster programme to deliver rapid clinical transformation with the aim of reducing 52-week waits. It brings together hospital trust clinicians and operational teams to transform patient pathways, helping to reduce waiting lists despite the increase in dermatology demand. It focuses on increasing the use of Advice and Guidance and technology such as teledermatology alongside reducing non-attendance in clinics and unnecessary follow-up appointments.
GIRFT has developed a number of practices to ensure high quality care, such as the standardised best practice pathways for dermatological conditions, to ensure that patients have the shortest route to see the right person the first time. GIRFT provides resources so general practitioners can manage patients in community care without needing to wait for hospital referral, and offers direct, targeted support, working with trusts and integrated care boards who have approached GIRFT for support. Further information on the standardised best practice pathways for dermatological conditions is available at the following link:
https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/medical_specialties/dermatology/#dermatology
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve access to dermatology services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that by March 2029 we return to the standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people, and across all services, including dermatology.
One of the ways we are improving access to services, including dermatology, is through NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, which runs a Further Faster programme to deliver rapid clinical transformation with the aim of reducing 52-week waits. It brings together hospital trust clinicians and operational teams to transform patient pathways, helping to reduce waiting lists despite the increase in dermatology demand. It focuses on increasing the use of Advice and Guidance and technology such as teledermatology alongside reducing non-attendance in clinics and unnecessary follow-up appointments.
GIRFT has developed a number of practices to ensure high quality care, such as the standardised best practice pathways for dermatological conditions, to ensure that patients have the shortest route to see the right person the first time. GIRFT provides resources so general practitioners can manage patients in community care without needing to wait for hospital referral, and offers direct, targeted support, working with trusts and integrated care boards who have approached GIRFT for support. Further information on the standardised best practice pathways for dermatological conditions is available at the following link:
https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/medical_specialties/dermatology/#dermatology