Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to ensure that new housing developments do not overwhelm local pharmacies in growing market towns.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authority Health and Wellbeing Boards are required to assess both current and future need for pharmaceutical services through their Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments (PNAs). This includes considering the effects of planned housing developments and population growth. PNAs must identify where future pharmaceutical services may be required and are kept under review, with new assessments required where significant changes in local need arise. Integrated care boards must have regard to these assessments when considering applications for new pharmacy premises. The Shropshire PNA 2025 to 2028 was published in September 2025, and the new assessment is due to be published in 2028.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential need for additional pharmacies in North Shropshire.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authority Health and Wellbeing Boards are required to assess both current and future need for pharmaceutical services through their Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments (PNAs). This includes considering the effects of planned housing developments and population growth. PNAs must identify where future pharmaceutical services may be required and are kept under review, with new assessments required where significant changes in local need arise. Integrated care boards must have regard to these assessments when considering applications for new pharmacy premises. The Shropshire PNA 2025 to 2028 was published in September 2025, and the new assessment is due to be published in 2028.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of all bone fractures in menopausal women triggering an immediate osteoporosis assessment.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published in April, recognises that the symptoms and health impacts of menopause are often overlooked and poorly understood, and commits to improving information so women can ensure their symptoms are effectively managed, including through evidence-based treatments.
We are introducing specific content on menopause into the NHS Health Check for eligible women aged 40 to 55 years old, helping women to recognise common symptoms and access trusted information and support, including information about the wider health impacts of menopause. The list of useful resources to which women will be signposted includes information on the links between bone health and the menopause.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the risk assessment of osteoporosis recommends that fragility fracture risk should be assessed in all women who have experienced menopause and have had a previous fragility fracture. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng259
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 need for better awareness around menopause-related health complications, such as osteoporosis.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published in April, recognises that the symptoms and health impacts of menopause are often overlooked and poorly understood, and commits to improving information so women can ensure their symptoms are effectively managed, including through evidence-based treatments.
We are introducing specific content on menopause into the NHS Health Check for eligible women aged 40 to 55 years old, helping women to recognise common symptoms and access trusted information and support, including information about the wider health impacts of menopause. The list of useful resources to which women will be signposted includes information on the links between bone health and the menopause.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the risk assessment of osteoporosis recommends that fragility fracture risk should be assessed in all women who have experienced menopause and have had a previous fragility fracture. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng259
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to help ensure that young women are aware of the impact of menopause on bone density.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published in April, recognises that the symptoms and health impacts of menopause are often overlooked and poorly understood, and commits to improving information so women can ensure their symptoms are effectively managed, including through evidence-based treatments.
We are introducing specific content on menopause into the NHS Health Check for eligible women aged 40 to 55 years old, helping women to recognise common symptoms and access trusted information and support, including information about the wider health impacts of menopause. The list of useful resources to which women will be signposted includes information on the links between bone health and the menopause.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the risk assessment of osteoporosis recommends that fragility fracture risk should be assessed in all women who have experienced menopause and have had a previous fragility fracture. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng259
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps have been taken to ensure those with complex regional pain syndrome have access to novel treatments.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to consider Scrambler Therapy or any other novel treatments for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Decisions on whether a topic should be prioritised for the development of NICE guidance are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework.
The prioritisation board considered Scrambler therapy for CPRS in January 2026 and concluded that it should not be prioritised for guidance development as it does not have regulatory approval and the evidence base is very limited. NICE’s prioritisation board will reconsider this decision if a technology receives regulatory approval and new evidence emerges.
National Institute for Health and Care Research funded research on CRPS aims to improve how the condition is managed, understand its biological and genetic causes, and test possible treatments. Current research is working to make care more consistent and identify people who may be at risk at an early stage. This work aims to make this rare, long-term pain condition easier to diagnose and treat in both specialist and general healthcare settings.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of allowing the use of Scrambler Therapy.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to consider Scrambler Therapy or any other novel treatments for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Decisions on whether a topic should be prioritised for the development of NICE guidance are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework.
The prioritisation board considered Scrambler therapy for CPRS in January 2026 and concluded that it should not be prioritised for guidance development as it does not have regulatory approval and the evidence base is very limited. NICE’s prioritisation board will reconsider this decision if a technology receives regulatory approval and new evidence emerges.
National Institute for Health and Care Research funded research on CRPS aims to improve how the condition is managed, understand its biological and genetic causes, and test possible treatments. Current research is working to make care more consistent and identify people who may be at risk at an early stage. This work aims to make this rare, long-term pain condition easier to diagnose and treat in both specialist and general healthcare settings.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has estimated the cost to the public purse of improving the standard of the maternity and neonatal estate classed as condition category C in NHS England's Maternity and Neonatal Infrastructure Review, published on 11 September 2025, to condition category B.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No estimate has been made of the specific costs requested by the Hon. Member. However, we have announced the investment of an initial £271 million through the Estates Safety Fund to be used for resolving urgent safety issues in the maternity and neonatal estate, as part of a £6.75 billion investment over nine years to tackle the poorest-quality facilities within the National Health Service estate and ensure safe environments for healthcare delivery.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has estimated the cost to the public purse of improving the standard of the maternity and neonatal estate classed as condition category D in NHS England's Maternity and Neonatal Infrastructure Review, published on 11 September 2025, to condition category B.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No estimate has been made of the specific costs requested by the Hon. Member. However, we have announced the investment of an initial £271 million through the Estates Safety Fund to be used for resolving urgent safety issues in the maternity and neonatal estate, as part of a £6.75 billion investment over nine years to tackle the poorest-quality facilities within the National Health Service estate and ensure safe environments for healthcare delivery.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps have been taken to help ensure that waiting times for ophthalmic services are not causing people to seek private emergency eye care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
On the general issue of waiting times for ophthalmic National Health Services, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 11 September in the House of Lords in response to Question HL2582.
Information on NHS waiting times broken down by provider and region is published on a monthly basis at the following link:
https://data.england.nhs.uk/dashboard/rtt