Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve data sharing between GP practices and Integrated Care Boards to support the early identification of risks to patient safety and access to care.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking forward digital services to help improve the sharing of patient data, which have the improvement of care and the identification and management of risks as key objectives. The Single Patient Record will bring together a patient’s health information in one, secure, easy-to-access place for use by those delivering care.
The NHS Federated Data Platform connects information across the National Health Service, and can help co-ordinate care, and provide tools to analyse connected data, to identify actions for improvement.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what barriers have been identified to effective data sharing between primary care providers and Integrated Care Boards; and what steps her Department is taking to address them.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking forward digital services to help improve the sharing of patient data, which have the improvement of care and the identification and management of risks as key objectives. The Single Patient Record will bring together a patient’s health information in one, secure, easy-to-access place for use by those delivering care.
The NHS Federated Data Platform connects information across the National Health Service, and can help co-ordinate care, and provide tools to analyse connected data, to identify actions for improvement.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has plans to introduce routine screening for Pelvic Radiation Disease symptoms following pelvic radiotherapy.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of routine screening for Pelvic Radiation Disease symptoms or of the potential implications of the disease on people who have received cancer treatment. The Hon. Member can find details of the Government’s strategy to support people with ongoing symptoms who have previously had treatment in Chapter 4 of the National Cancer Plan for England, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cancer-plan-for-england
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the department has made of the potential implications of Pelvic Radiation Disease on people who have received cancer treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of routine screening for Pelvic Radiation Disease symptoms or of the potential implications of the disease on people who have received cancer treatment. The Hon. Member can find details of the Government’s strategy to support people with ongoing symptoms who have previously had treatment in Chapter 4 of the National Cancer Plan for England, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cancer-plan-for-england
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what treatments are available on the NHS for people suffering from Pelvic Radiation Disease.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made of routine screening for Pelvic Radiation Disease symptoms or of the potential implications of the disease on people who have received cancer treatment. The Hon. Member can find details of the Government’s strategy to support people with ongoing symptoms who have previously had treatment in Chapter 4 of the National Cancer Plan for England, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cancer-plan-for-england
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 implications for his Department’s policies of the report by Action on Smoking and Health entitled At risk? Tobacco dependence treatment in the NHS, published on 28 August 2025.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
As set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, the Government remains committed to ensuring that all hospitals integrate ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care. This is an important part of our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom. We assess that continued investment into National Health Service tobacco dependence services at a local level is important to realise this ambition. We note the risks highlighted in this report and we will continue to monitor investment of NHS tobacco dependence services.
Integrated care boards have access to funding to support the rollout of tobacco dependency treatment services in hospital settings, including acute and mental health inpatient settings and maternity services, within their 2025/26 allocations. Future funding decisions, including any decision to expand tobacco dependency treatment services to additional settings beyond routine care, are subject to the Spending Review process.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish his Department's final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
We aim to publish our myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan by the end of June 2025.
The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of the people with this debilitating disease. The responses to the interim delivery plan consultation, along with continued close engagement with other parts of the Government, the National Health Service, and external stakeholders, will inform the development of the final ME/CFS delivery plan.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the number of people in Hertfordshire who do not have access to an NHS dentist on patient wellbeing.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, and we want to make sure that everyone who needs a National Health Service dentist can get one. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Hemel Hempstead constituency, this is the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 the NHS Find a Dentist webpage is up-to-date with showing dentists who have available places for NHS patients in Hertfordshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
It is a contractual requirement for National Health Service dentists to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards can review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period, and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to continue to fund the financial incentives scheme for pregnant smokers.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The settlement for the National Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme will be confirmed in due course.