Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of inequality in access to migraine diagnosis and treatment among socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan explicitly states that the National Health Service will be designed to tackle health inequalities in access and outcomes, and will be a service equipped to narrow health inequalities, and address inequalities for specific population groups, such as those in working class jobs.
The NHS has a crucial role to play in reducing health inequalities by tackling inequalities in access to, experiences of, and outcomes from healthcare delivery, including for people with migraine.
The three key shifts set out in the 10-Year Health Plan will be central to narrowing health inequalities, through: neighbourhood health models of care; ensuring digital inclusion is embedded in digital advances; and in the shift to prevention using population health approaches to tailor interventions for those experiencing inequalities. The plan also makes commitments on specific population groups and social risk assessments to anchor policy and prevention.
Responsibility for commissioning migraine services rests with integrated care boards (ICBs), which are best placed to plan and deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes access to primary care, specialist neurology services, and newer treatments where clinically indicated.
Advanced foundation trusts will be able to effectively use their freedoms to work with their patients, staff, and communities to improve the broader health of their population and tackle health inequalities, including for those with migraine.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to tackle geographical variations in accessing specialist services.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Highly specialised services are typically delivered in a small number of centres across England with experience and expertise in the management of rare diseases where caseloads are small and there is benefit from national coordination.
As such it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access these services. Commissioners therefore work with service to review the geographic spread of patients so that action plans can be identified to address inequities. A range of strategies have been implemented, and continue to be developed, to remove barriers to access, including remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation. In line with their commitment under the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England has developed and published a health inequalities toolkit which has been shared with clinical teams to support a continued focus. This action plan can be found at the following link:
The need to support patient access and reduce health inequalities also plays a key role in decision making as to where and how NHS England commission services.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to tackle variations in access to specialist services in rural communities.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Highly specialised services are typically delivered in a small number of centres across England with experience and expertise in the management of rare diseases where caseloads are small and there is benefit from national coordination.
As such it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access these services. Commissioners therefore work with service to review the geographic spread of patients so that action plans can be identified to address inequities. A range of strategies have been implemented, and continue to be developed, to remove barriers to access, including remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation. In line with their commitment under the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England has developed and published a health inequalities toolkit which has been shared with clinical teams to support a continued focus. This action plan can be found at the following link:
The need to support patient access and reduce health inequalities also plays a key role in decision making as to where and how NHS England commission services.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 including community pharmacies in the roll out of migraine services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of minor illness consultations, pharmacists can already provide advice and recommend over-the-counter treatments for migraines. Pharmacists can also supply emergency medicines to patients already prescribed regular migraine medication as part of the urgent medicine supply element of Pharmacy First.
NHS England keeps the clinical scope of all pharmacy services under regular review, including Pharmacy First, and any changes to the conditions covered by the seven clinical pathways would be subject to consultation with Community Pharmacy England.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration his Department has given to the potential impact of a respiratory Modern Service Framework on health inequalities in long-term respiratory conditions.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.
The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what percentage of people diagnosed with breast cancer began treatment within the 62-day cancer target in the most recent reporting period.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Published data for the 62-day treatment standard of 85% shows that in February 2026, 66.9% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral. This data is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/
The Government is committed to improving performance against cancer waiting time standards, including the 62-day standard, and has set an ambition to meet these standards by the end of this Parliament. We are supporting this through expanding diagnostic capacity, streamlining cancer pathways, and providing targeted support to areas with the greatest challenges.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 regional disparities in treatment outcomes for patients diagnosed with Stroke.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 that people with epilepsy are represented through the work of the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, in the context of levels of risk of death during pregnancy for people with that condition.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 reduce ambulance handover delays at major hospitals in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in the past year have waited longer than 28 days for diagnostic tests related to suspected Lung Cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.