Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has for reducing waiting times (a) in GP practices and (b) for accessing routine diagnostic tests, especially for people with aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, sets out a national ambition to improve access to primary care and reduce unwarranted variation. This includes ensuring that 90% of clinically urgent patients, such as those with aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions, are dealt with on the same day.
NHS England is driving the transformation of diagnostics services across the National Health Service. These services will grow their digital capability and become more efficient. They will have new and replacement equipment that will make tests quicker and increase the numbers of patients that get faster access to a test.
NHS England is also expanding community diagnostics centres (CDCs) and other community-based diagnostic services, so more patients can benefit from the increasing numbers of diagnostic services and gain access closer to home and via their general practitioner. CDCs are equipped to provide diagnostic tests for aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to review the Appliance Prescription Management Service.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through NHS England, the Department is currently reviewing the provision of stoma and continence products and services. This includes provision through an Appliance Prescription Management Service. The aim is to improve patient outcomes, support informed choice, and ensure people are receiving the most appropriate products and care throughout their lives.
I also refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 September in response to Question 25179.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
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 provide adequate funding to help ensure the the timely detection and treatment of ADHD and autism.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards (ICBs). Funding for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism services are included within NHS England’s financial allocations to ICBs.
It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to timely ADHD services and autism assessment services.
Through the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reinstate Covid-safe measures in healthcare settings, including FFP3 masks, improved ventilation and HEPA filtration.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 requires all health and social care facilities to have systems in place to prevent and control infection by undertaking risk assessments, and by implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) policies appropriate to the risks in their services. The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England provides guidance for National Health Service settings. The manual is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/national-infection-prevention-and-control-manual-nipcm-for-england/
Existing guidance on the use of respiratory protective equipment, including FFP3, ventilation assessments, air-cleaning technologies, including HEPA filtration, fit testing, and other engineering or administrative controls allows decisions on their use to be made through local risk assessment rather than through blanket national requirements.
Rather than reinstating specific COVID-19 measures, NHS England maintains a comprehensive, evidence-based IPC framework. This enables providers to assess risks and implement proportionate controls to protect patients, staff, and visitors from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases while supporting the continued delivery of safe and effective care across the healthcare system.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if there will be a resumption of Covid surveillance by UKHSA and devolved health authorities as a result of the Covid enquiry.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Since 2023, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) COVID‑19 surveillance has shifted from intensive, pandemic‑specific systems to a more streamlined and routine model.
Surveillance is now integrated into UKHSA’s broader respiratory monitoring. COVID‑19 is tracked alongside influenza and other viruses through weekly national surveillance reports that draw on laboratory data, general practice consultations, and hospital activity.
The UKHSA publishes the National influenza (flu) and COVID-19 report, monitoring COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu, and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, which is available at the following link:
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if there is ring-fenced dedicated funding for Long Covid services and renewed, adequately funded research in to Long Covid.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Since April 2024, in line with the National Health Service operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, the commissioning of services to support patients with Long Covid has been the responsibility of integrated care boards. Where local Long Covid services are not available, people with Long Covid symptoms should see their general practitioner, who will be able to refer them to alternative existing services depending on their clinical needs and symptoms.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is committed to funding high-quality research into the causes and treatments of Long Covid, and research funding is available. For example, two projects have recently received funding to investigate the feasibility of a new clinical trial that tests multiple interventions for the treatment of post-acute infection syndromes, including Long Covid.
The Department’s approach is to ensure research funding is allocated based on scientific excellence and competitive peer review rather than pre-determined allocations. This ensures that resources are directed to the most promising proposals across all health conditions, including Long Covid, and maintains fairness and transparency in the system. Ring-fencing could inadvertently limit innovation by excluding high-quality research that falls outside a fixed remit.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if there are any plans for a public health messaging campaign to publicise the fact that Long Covid exists and, at the last count, 1.9 million people in the UK are still suffering.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government recognises that Long Covid is a complex multi-system disease which can have a debilitating impact on people’s physical and mental health. We understand the scale of the issue at hand and the Government is committed to improving the lives of people living with the condition.
Information on Long Covid is widely available from the National Health Service and the Government in a variety of formats. Detailed information for all age groups on symptoms and the healthcare support that is available for long Covid remains available on NHS England’s website.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, why the current level of funding for research into kidney disease is so low, particularly in comparison with that available for cancer research.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Department funds research primarily through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR does not generally allocate funding to specific conditions and funds research through open and fair competition and peer review, to ensure that the highest-quality proposals most likely to deliver real impact for patients are funded, without imposing financial targets or limits. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome high-quality research proposals across all areas, including kidney disease, so that patients can benefit from advances in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what ‘more dynamic’ solutions his Department plans to replace public governors and staff governors with.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The removal of the councils of governors from National Health Service foundation trusts (FTs) forms part of the wider 10-Year Health Plan’s aim to ensure hospitals put patient experiences and outcomes at the heart of their decision-making. This will require primary legislation, which the Government will bring forward when parliamentary time allows, and the will of Parliament. Until then, FT governors will remain in post with their statutory powers unchanged.
While governors have provided helpful advice and oversight for some FTs, we now need to move to a more dynamic model, drawing on patient, staff, and stakeholder insight. For example, approaches to engagement that better reflect local demographics and geography rather than a ‘one size fits all’ governor model, as well as supporting an increased focus on the outcomes of the engagement, including the evidence that local people are involved in key decisions about how care is provided and their voices are listened to.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department’s has plans to remove of hospitals, public governors and staff governors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The removal of the councils of governors from National Health Service foundation trusts (FTs) forms part of the wider 10-Year Health Plan’s aim to ensure hospitals put patient experiences and outcomes at the heart of their decision-making. This will require primary legislation, which the Government will bring forward when parliamentary time allows, and the will of Parliament. Until then, FT governors will remain in post with their statutory powers unchanged.
While governors have provided helpful advice and oversight for some FTs, we now need to move to a more dynamic model, drawing on patient, staff, and stakeholder insight. For example, approaches to engagement that better reflect local demographics and geography rather than a ‘one size fits all’ governor model, as well as supporting an increased focus on the outcomes of the engagement, including the evidence that local people are involved in key decisions about how care is provided and their voices are listened to.