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 number of UK citizens have obtained a primary medical degree outside the UK by country in each of the last five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold the data requested. Data is available that shows the scale of doctors employed in National Health Service trusts in England who qualified outside the United Kingdom and who declare a UK nationality. The data is not available by year of graduation, but an indication of annual numbers is possible by using the year of first General Medical Council (GMC) registration.
Within NHS trusts in England, an average of 473 UK nationals who qualified outside the UK had registered with the GMC annually in the latest five years of available data, from 2019 to 2023. This will not count doctors who do not work in NHS trusts in England, and may include international medical graduates who gained UK citizenship after graduation or UK employment. The table attached presents the total number of doctors employed in NHS trusts in England who qualified outside the UK and who declare a UK nationality, and the ten largest countries of qualification for the years 2019 to 2023.
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 (a) home students and (b) non-home students who graduated from the UK with a primary medical degree from 2010 to 2020 remain working in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold the data requested. The Department does though hold data from internal analysis that may give wider context to the question tabled and this is included below.
This analysis shows that of United Kingdom medical school students graduating in approximately 2012 to 2020, 93% of UK domiciled and 78% of non-UK domiciled students had entered the Foundation Programme year 2, as of 2024. Approximately 73% of UK and 55% of non-UK domiciled students had entered core/specialty training by 2024, though this number may rise further with time due to the level of competition to enter specialty medical training.
The following table shows the entrants to UK medical school from 2007 to 2015, tracked to registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and entry to initial stages of NHS training, by domicile at entry to medical school:
| Headcount | Percentage of initial medical school cohort | ||
Domicile at entry to medical school: | UK | Non-UK | UK | Non-UK |
Cohort stage |
|
|
|
|
Entrants to UK medical schools | 60,890 | 7,980 | 100% | 100% |
of which seen on the GMC register | 57,145 | 7,225 | 94% | 91% |
of which entered Foundation year 1 | 56,600 | 6,185 | 93% | 78% |
of which entered Foundation year 2 | 55,890 | 5,725 | 92% | 72% |
of which entered level 1 of core/specialty training | 44,635 | 4,410 | 73% | 55% |
Source: the Department of Health and Social Care’s analysis of UK Medical Education Database, Higher Education Statistics Agency, and General Medical Council data, may not match other sources.
Notes:
The table above shows the entrants to UK medical schools between 2007 and 2015 by their domicile status at entry to medical school and the proportion who are then seen on the GMC register of doctors, those who have entered year one of foundation medical training, those who have entered year two of foundation medical training, and those who have entered the first level of core/specialty medical training. This analysis tracks medical students’ progress though NHS medical training up to 2024.
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 staff responsible for UK Foundation programme allocation process are (a) NHS employees, (b) civil servants and (c) people involved in direct clinical care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) facilitates the operation and continuing development of the Foundation Programme. It is jointly funded and governed by NHS England and the four United Kingdom health departments.
All of the UKFPO’s administrative team are employees of the National Health Service, none are civil servants. Many of the team have wider experience of working in hospital settings directly with foundation doctors, or of working in foundation and medical education settings.
The UKFPO's National Clinical Director is a clinician, and the role of the Clinical Advisor for Recruitment is shared by two foundation school directors who are also both clinicians. The team is also directly responsible to medical directors in the four nation statutory education bodies (SEBs).
The UKFPO has a Foundation Recruitment Group which oversees its recruitment and allocation activity and processes. This group includes stakeholders like the Medical Schools Council, the British Medical Association, and medical school representatives, as well as the four nation SEBs.
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 additional medical places are funded in start in 2026 compared with 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the Office for Students (OfS) sets the maximum fundable limit for medical school places on an annual basis. For the 2025/26 academic year, the OfS has published the maximum fundable limit at 8,126 for medical school places, with further information avaiable at the following link:
OfS will publish the limit for the 2026/27 academic year in due course.
There are currently approximately 9,500 specialty training places. We set out in the 10-Year Health Plan for England that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts, with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.
The Government is committed to training the staff we need, including doctors, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.
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 data he holds on the number of bedrooms available for parents with a baby on the neonatal unit by (a) Trust and (b) neonatal units.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The results from NHS England’s Maternity and Neonatal Infrastructure Review, commissioned in 2023, showed that there are 747 parental accommodation rooms within neonatal units nationally. NHS England does not hold data on the standard of these rooms. However, there is undoubtedly variation in the provision of parental accommodation at neonatal units across England and we know that not all maternity hospitals are currently able to offer adequate accommodation for families due to the historic undercapitalisation across the National Health Service. A summary of the findings report is available at the following link:
Data on the number of parental accommodation rooms is attached.
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 UK primary medical degree graduates were (a) British and (b) non-British by country in each of the last five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (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.
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 adequacy of training for people performing (a) newborn hearing tests and (b) audiology testing in children.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Newborn Hearing Screening in England for babies before the age of 12 weeks is part of the nationally approved commissioned screening services. The services are monitored by the Screening Quality Assurance Service (SQAS) to ensure they meet national standards. The SQAS undertakes a continuous improvement cycle of pathway reviews and onsite quality assurance visits to identify areas for improvement across antenatal and newborn screening programmes where a concern is identified, involving appropriate professional clinical advisors from each screening discipline to support the process. Continuous performance data monitoring of services and representation at screening governance boards by the SQAS and commissioners supports this process and there is ongoing targeted work with services identified as needing improvements.
There are no nationally approved screening hearing services for children over 12 weeks of age.
For clinical referrals, integrated care board commissioners are responsible for ensuring NHS Audiology services meet the needs of patients and that they are delivered to the appropriate quality.
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned the recently published, independent Kingdon review of children’s hearing services in England. Twelve recommendations were made, including focus on commissioning, governance, data and training amongst others. No assessment has yet been made of the potential implications on policies for the recommendations. We are progressing an early analysis of implementation requirements for the recommendations, including resource.
Staff working in newborn hearing screening services are required to achieve the training standards set out in national guidance, and regional commissioners work with services to assure compliance with both minimum staffing levels and training requirements.
Audiologist training is supported via pathways including the Scientist Training Programme and Higher Specialist Scientific Training programmes. NHS England has undertaken a skills survey across services to assess current capacity and training needs. Support has been put in place for training to ensure practitioners meet nationally agreed standards. This work will provide targeted support to strengthen delivery, and ensure safe, consistent care for children and families.
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 improve audiology screening for (a) children and (b) newborns.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Newborn Hearing Screening in England for babies before the age of 12 weeks is part of the nationally approved commissioned screening services. The services are monitored by the Screening Quality Assurance Service (SQAS) to ensure they meet national standards. The SQAS undertakes a continuous improvement cycle of pathway reviews and onsite quality assurance visits to identify areas for improvement across antenatal and newborn screening programmes where a concern is identified, involving appropriate professional clinical advisors from each screening discipline to support the process. Continuous performance data monitoring of services and representation at screening governance boards by the SQAS and commissioners supports this process and there is ongoing targeted work with services identified as needing improvements.
There are no nationally approved screening hearing services for children over 12 weeks of age.
For clinical referrals, integrated care board commissioners are responsible for ensuring NHS Audiology services meet the needs of patients and that they are delivered to the appropriate quality.
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned the recently published, independent Kingdon review of children’s hearing services in England. Twelve recommendations were made, including focus on commissioning, governance, data and training amongst others. No assessment has yet been made of the potential implications on policies for the recommendations. We are progressing an early analysis of implementation requirements for the recommendations, including resource.
Staff working in newborn hearing screening services are required to achieve the training standards set out in national guidance, and regional commissioners work with services to assure compliance with both minimum staffing levels and training requirements.
Audiologist training is supported via pathways including the Scientist Training Programme and Higher Specialist Scientific Training programmes. NHS England has undertaken a skills survey across services to assess current capacity and training needs. Support has been put in place for training to ensure practitioners meet nationally agreed standards. This work will provide targeted support to strengthen delivery, and ensure safe, consistent care for children and families.
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, whether he plans to inform families of his plans for (a) interim and (b) main payment compensation before the second anniversary of the publication of the Hughes Report.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh.
This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. Since taking up my post, I have met with the patient safety commissioner to discuss her recommendations and discussed how we may respond in the near term to recommendations regarding improving the outcomes and lives of people harmed by Valproate and Pelvic mesh. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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 impact of the severity modifier on recent NICE recommendations on blood cancer treatments.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since the introduction of the severity modifier, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has approved 27 out of 28 blood cancer medicines it evaluated, reflecting an approval rate of 96%. Of these topics, a severity weighting was applied in nine topics.