Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the level of workforce understanding of endometriosis.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it can have on their lives, relationships, education, and participation in the workforce. We also recognise the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are appropriately trained and informed about women’s health conditions, including endometriosis.
The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis.
Women’s health is also included within the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the health care needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.
The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidance on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, supporting healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date care for their patients. The RCGP has worked with partners, including Endometriosis UK, to develop educational resources relating to endometriosis to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care for women, based on the latest evidence.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals in providing care for women with endometriosis.
Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department intends to respond to the Patient Safety Commissioner's call for a decision on a compensation scheme for patients harmed by pelvic mesh and sodium valproate by 16th July 2026.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Patient Safety Commissioner wrote to the Prime Minister on 16 June, requesting information regarding internal and cross-Government discussions in relation to the Hughes Report, actions that have been taken beyond the Department, and the future plans regarding the implementation of its recommendations and a timetable for a full response.
The Department will provide any information required to support a timely response.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
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 adding metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) to the NHS newborn blood spot screening programme.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Members of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) have agreed that metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) would be a good candidate for the inclusion in a multi-condition in-service evaluation (ISE) within the United Kingdom’s newborn blood spot (NBS) screening programme. The aim of this ISE would be to answer policy-relevant research questions that will allow the UK NSC to make recommendations on adding new conditions to the NBS programme where it is safe to do so.
The UK NSC is using the multi condition ISE in its work with experts and partner organisations to look at how to make it easier to develop the evidence needed to make robust recommendations on adding more rare diseases, such as MLD, to the National Health Service newborn blood spot screening programme.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
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 continued support for stroke prevention, rehabilitation, and primary care integration in Surrey and East Berkshire in the absence of Integrated Stroke Delivery Network funding.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
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 on health inequalities of withdrawing funding for Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks in the South East.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the withdrawal of funding for Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks aligns with the objectives of the forthcoming Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
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 contribution of the Frimley and Surrey Heartlands Integrated Stroke Delivery Network to improvements in thrombolysis and thrombectomy rates in its region.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks in improving stroke outcomes since their establishment in 2021.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England regarding regional variation in funding decisions affecting stroke clinical networks.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
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 funding for the Frimley and Surrey Heartlands Integrated Stroke Delivery Network.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.