Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the government is taking to increase the delivery of osteoporosis clinics within the East Midlands.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In Lincolnshire, investment has been made to increase access to osteoporosis diagnosis and secondary fracture prevention. There are three dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanners serving the county, and an additional scanner at Grantham, operational since March 2024, which has helped to reduce waiting times across the county by supporting patients to typically be seen within two to three weeks.
Alongside increased diagnostic capacity, the local service plans to provide bone mineral density scanning, bone health advice, therapy-compliance support, and bone health and falls assessments. With ongoing service development, the fracture liaison element aims to support patients by telephone or through outpatient clinics, with the aim of identifying people at risk following a fragility fracture and reducing the likelihood of further fractures.
At the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB), osteoporosis care is provided through the Osteoporosis and Fracture Liaison Service. The service is delivered by a multidisciplinary team comprising four consultant specialists and 3.9 whole-time equivalent clinical nurse specialists, who run both consultant-led and nurse-led clinics. Referrals are accepted from general practices, hospital specialties, and orthopaedic fracture clinics, ensuring patients can access specialist assessment following a fracture or where osteoporosis is suspected. Dedicated clinics are provided across the trust, including a monthly clinic at Queen's Hospital Burton.
The service offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment pathways, with DEXA bone density scanners available at multiple sites to support timely diagnosis. Once diagnosed, patients can access osteoporosis treatments through medical day case units at both hospital sites. When staffing allows, the team also delivers patient education sessions in community settings to help people better understand their condition and reduce their risk of future fractures.
UHDB has recently strengthened its diagnostic capability through the Department’s funding for a new state-of-the-art DEXA scanner for Queen's Hospital Burton. The trust has recently strengthened diagnostic capacity through the installation of a new DEXA scanner as part of the community diagnostic centre (CDC) phase 2 programme at Walton Hospital. This additional capacity is helping to improve access to diagnostic testing and support earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Performance data for July 2026 showed that 89% of patients received their DEXA scan within six weeks, helping ensure timely assessment and reducing waiting times for patients requiring investigation of osteoporosis and bone health conditions.
There is a hospital service for Mid-Nottinghamshire provided by Sherwood Forest Hospitals. This provides the diagnosis and initial treatment following fragility fracture and the more complex ongoing treatment, with primary care providing less complex ongoing treatment. In the city and south, Nottingham University Hospitals provide the initial diagnosis following a fragility fracture, and the more complex treatment is provided by Nottingham CityCare in the community, with primary care providing a service for less complex care.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 existing arrangements, or to develop new policy and funding mechanisms, to support the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department will invest approximately ÂŁ1.8 billion in 2026/27 through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which funds and supports high-quality health, public health, and social care research across the National Health Service, academia, and industry through open, competitive funding and independent expert review.
The Department is continuing to strengthen the NIHR’s contribution to the Government’s Health and Growth Missions, the 10-Year Health Plan, and the Life Sciences Sector Plan by supporting research into prevention and long-term conditions, accelerating innovation adoption, improving commercial clinical trial delivery, and strengthening research delivery capacity across the health and care system.
Recent developments include the introduction of the NIHR Innovation Catalyst, a new national Research Delivery Network funding model, and the establishment of the NIHR Council to provide independent advice and assurance. The Department also continues to oversee the NIHR’s performance, delivery, and value for money through established governance and contractual arrangements, while the OneNIHR agenda is improving coordination, consistency, and efficiency across the organisation to ensure it remains well placed to deliver against Government priorities.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 compatibility of IT systems used by primary care providers with the NHS App and systems used in secondary care; and what steps his Department is taking to improve interoperability between these systems.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS App is able to integrate with all general practice core clinical systems, most online consultation solutions, and the majority of patient messaging platforms. It is also integrated with all but two acute trusts, all specialist trusts, and several mental health and community trust solutions for appointment management. As part of delivering the 10-Year Health Plan, NHS England is reviewing the standards and capabilities required across primary and secondary care digital solutions to support more joined-up care through the NHS App as a single point of access.
NHS England has launched a Digital Pathways Registry, which will raise the baseline standards expected of digital solutions in primary care. This includes strengthened requirements for interoperability, common data standards, and integration with national services such as the NHS App, supporting a more consistent and connected digital experience for patients and professionals.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress her Department is making on measuring and reporting progress against commitments with regard to people with rare and less common cancers.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving outcomes for cancer patients is a priority for the Government. The National Cancer Plan sets out a clear ambition to improve early diagnosis and survival across all cancer types, including leukaemia and other blood cancers.
The National Cancer Plan recognises that blood cancers are harder to measure through traditional early diagnosis metrics because they cannot be staged in the same way as other cancers. As a result, NHS England will publish regular data on cancers diagnosed through emergency presentations as a proxy measure for late diagnosis. This will help identify variation and encourage systems to focus on earlier diagnosis of blood cancers, including leukaemia, and other rarer cancers.
In addition, the Department and NHS England are supporting development of a suspected haematological cancer timed diagnostic pathway being led by Leukaemia UK, Lymphoma Action, and Myeloma UK. This guidance is intended to support National Health Service organisations to reduce diagnostic delays, improve consistency of care, and help more patients receive a diagnosis within 28 days of referral under the Faster Diagnosis Standard. Publication is expected later this year.
Progress against the National Cancer Plan's commitments for rare and less common cancers will be overseen through the National Cancer Board, which is responsible for tracking delivery and monitoring impact. To strengthen accountability, the Government will appoint a National Clinical Lead for Rare Cancers who will provide independent clinical advice and support monitoring of progress against the plan's commitments. The Department will continue to publish cancer performance and outcomes data, and ministers will provide regular updates on delivery of the plan.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 ensure that blood cancers, including lymphoma, are prioritised along with other rare and less common cancers.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving outcomes for cancer patients is a priority for the Government. The National Cancer Plan sets out a clear ambition to improve early diagnosis and survival across all cancer types, including leukaemia and other blood cancers.
The National Cancer Plan recognises that blood cancers are harder to measure through traditional early diagnosis metrics because they cannot be staged in the same way as other cancers. As a result, NHS England will publish regular data on cancers diagnosed through emergency presentations as a proxy measure for late diagnosis. This will help identify variation and encourage systems to focus on earlier diagnosis of blood cancers, including leukaemia, and other rarer cancers.
In addition, the Department and NHS England are supporting development of a suspected haematological cancer timed diagnostic pathway being led by Leukaemia UK, Lymphoma Action, and Myeloma UK. This guidance is intended to support National Health Service organisations to reduce diagnostic delays, improve consistency of care, and help more patients receive a diagnosis within 28 days of referral under the Faster Diagnosis Standard. Publication is expected later this year.
Progress against the National Cancer Plan's commitments for rare and less common cancers will be overseen through the National Cancer Board, which is responsible for tracking delivery and monitoring impact. To strengthen accountability, the Government will appoint a National Clinical Lead for Rare Cancers who will provide independent clinical advice and support monitoring of progress against the plan's commitments. The Department will continue to publish cancer performance and outcomes data, and ministers will provide regular updates on delivery of the plan.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 prioritise access to special treatment for patients with rare cancers such as lymphoma and expand access to specialist expertise.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 July 2026 in response to Question 18279.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to ensure integrated care boards commission high-quality audiology services for deaf children across England, in line with the 2019 guidance produced jointly with the National Deaf Children's Society.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer of 4 March in response to Question 114118, the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme has had a particular focus on improving the quality, outcomes and governance of paediatric audiology services, working alongside National Health Service regions and integrated care boards. Further information is available at the following link:
As a result, NHS England is refreshing commissioning guidance to ensure it supports safe, effective and high-quality services for deaf children and their families.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has considered tailored mental health support for small business owners.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 2 September in response to Question 19504.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 ensure that NICE's recognition of post-exertional malaise as a core diagnostic feature of ME/CFS is reflected consistently in (a) clinical training and (b) NHS service provision.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Skipton and Ripon on 16 July 2026 to Question 16893.
Additionally, the Department, together with NHS England, have developed a template service specification for mild, moderate, and severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The template, once published, will be circulated to integrated care boards to support the commissioning of services for ME/CFS. This includes recognition of post-exertional malaise.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 increase investment in specialist services for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Skipton and Ripon on 16 July 2026 to Question 16893.
Additionally, the Department, together with NHS England, have developed a template service specification for mild, moderate, and severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The template, once published, will be circulated to integrated care boards to support the commissioning of services for ME/CFS. This includes recognition of post-exertional malaise.