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Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much her Department spent on the Healthy Start Scheme in the (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23 financial year.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The cost of operating the Healthy Start scheme was £78,148,555 in 2021/22 and £78,761,339 in 2022/23.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were eligible for Healthy Start vouchers in January (a) 2022 and (b) 2023.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The number of those eligible for Healthy Start in January 2022 was 553,601, and the number of those eligible in January 2023 was 578,067.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when her Department plans to respond to the correspondence of November 2023 to the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health from public healthcare professionals on the Healthy Start scheme.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has received the correspondence and will respond in due course. The Healthy Start scheme is an important nutritional safety net for families who need support and the interest from public healthcare professionals is welcomed.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary Care to the hon. Member for South Shields of December 2023, for what purpose her Department requested personal identifiable data from the Department for Work and Pensions on people who are eligible for Healthy Start.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care does not receive personal data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on those eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) runs the scheme on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. The Department is continuing to work closely with the NHS BSA and the DWP, in order for the NHS BSA to receive the personal data held by the DWP for those potentially eligible citizens, as soon as possible. The NHS BSA will use this data to reach out to those eligible, who are not currently in receipt of Healthy Start, to encourage them to apply for the Healthy Start scheme.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary Care to the hon. Member for South Shields of December 2023, whether her Department has received personal identifiable data from the Department for Work and Pensions on people who are eligible for Healthy Start.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care does not receive personal data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on those eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) runs the scheme on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. The Department is continuing to work closely with the NHS BSA and the DWP, in order for the NHS BSA to receive the personal data held by the DWP for those potentially eligible citizens, as soon as possible. The NHS BSA will use this data to reach out to those eligible, who are not currently in receipt of Healthy Start, to encourage them to apply for the Healthy Start scheme.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of automatically enrolling eligible people in the Healthy Start scheme.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no plans for specific discussions on this point. The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. The Healthy Start scheme has recently transitioned from paper vouchers to a prepaid card. All applicants to the Healthy Start scheme, where they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Healthy Start legislation, must accept the terms and conditions of the prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, the NHS Business Services Authority is not able to automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card.


Written Question
Cancer: Children and Young People
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of NHS England's publication entitled Cancer Under 16 Patient Experience Survey, published on 8 November 2023.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.

NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.

Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.

While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.

The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.

In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.

These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.

The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.


Written Question
Cancer: Children and Young People
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help improve cancer diagnosis services in primary healthcare settings for children and young people.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.

NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.

Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.

While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.

The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.

In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.

These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.

The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.


Written Question
Cancer: Children and Young People
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group report entitled The Children and Young People's Cancer Plan, published on 7 February 2023.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.

NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.

Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.

While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.

The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.

In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.

These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.

The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.


Written Question
Cancer: Children and Young People
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Major Conditions Strategy on the needs of children and young people that are diagnosed with cancer; and whether she plans to produce a bespoke strategy for them.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Cancer is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to take steps to demonstrate this. The Department is taking steps to better understand the landscape of childhood cancer with experts, aided by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers in children and young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to improve cancer diagnosis services in primary health care settings, supporting general practices (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity, and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.

NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long-Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.

Childhood, young people’s and young adults’ cancers are included within the Department’s work on developing a Major Conditions Strategy. Addressing cancer together with other groups of conditions in a joined-up strategy will allow us to focus on where there are similarities in approach and ensure care is better centered around the patient.

While the Department cannot pre-empt its outcomes or undertake a specific assessment at this stage, the Major Conditions Strategy’s final report will draw on previous work, including submissions from childhood, young people and young adults’ cancer charities and stakeholders in response to our calls for evidence on cancer and on major conditions. The emphasis is on earlier diagnosis, better support to manage conditions, and improved coordination of treatment and care. We are engaging with stakeholders representing babies, children and young people to ensure their views are considered in the development of the strategy.

The Department does not plan to insert any further additions into the strategy development for age appropriate and personalised care. The NHS Long Term Plan states that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.

In addition, the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, commissioned by NHS England, is now in its third year and aims to gather feedback from children and young people and their parents/carers on the cancer care and treatment received.

These surveys provide valuable findings, helping the National Health Service to understand what is good about children, young people’s and adults’ cancer care, and identifying areas for improvements. 75% of children aged between eight and 15 years old reported that they were looked after very well for their cancer or tumour by healthcare staff and 89% of parents/carers rated the overall experience of their child's care as eight or more out of 10. The answers are being used to improve children’s cancer care across England. NHS England is working to review and improve play facilities, including working with the Starlight Foundation Charity on improvements to guidance, and surveying all provision to identify areas for improvement. Work is also underway in improving food quality, including nine larger Children’s Hospital’s NHS Trusts currently piloting better food provision for resident parents.

The Government welcomed Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group’s Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the recommendations, given the significant amount of work ongoing across NHS England and the Department. Our priorities include improving early diagnosis, delivering more research, and driving progress in genomic medicine.