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 improve NHS community care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Community health services are a fundamental part of the health and care system and an essential building block in developing a neighbourhood health service.
Neighbourhood health provides the unifying framework that brings together what is already underway, across primary care, community services, urgent care, prevention, digital, estates and population health, into a single, coherent model focused on improved access, experiences, and outcomes.
It will bring more care into local communities, work to create and convene partnerships with other professionals from different organisations into teams aligned around the needs of the individual, reduce service fragmentation, and shift the focus of whole systems towards the prevention of ill health.
For the first time, we have set a target for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services in NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework. By 2028/29, at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care.
In addition, NHS England’s recently published Standardising Community Health Services will support improved commissioning and delivery of community health services, helping to ensure the best use of funding to meet local needs and priorities.
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 support schools to recognise early signs of rare mental health disorders.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of early intervention for children and young people’s mental health, which is why we are accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in schools and colleges in England.
MHSTs are transforming access to mental health support for children and young people by bringing skilled, trusted professionals directly into schools, where support can be delivered early and effectively to make the greatest difference. They offer a clear route to practical help and, where signs of rare mental health disorders are recognised, ensure children and young people are identified quickly and signposted to the specialist care they need.
MHSTs represent a step-change in how we look after children’s mental health and wellbeing, so that it is proactive, preventative, and rooted in the places young people trust. Up to 900,000 additional children and young people will have access to a National Health Service funded MHST in their school or college by spring 2026, and with full national coverage by 2029, MHSTs will create a universal foundation of mental health support across England’s schools.
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 impact of the report by Euroqol entitled the EQ-5D-5L value set for the United Kingdom, published on 13 March 2026 on the suitability of the UK as an early launch market for non-oncology medicines with a quality-of-life benefit but no survival benefit.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is planning to adopt the EQ-5D-5L and has opened a consultation on the proposed changes to its guidance development manuals.
The consultation opened on 15 April and includes the proposed changes to NICE’s guidance development manuals and the results of two impact assessments, looking at how the EQ-5D-5L value set might affect:
NICE has also considered the potential impact of these proposed method changes on equalities and health inequalities, and it is inviting views on its conclusions.
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 impact of the report published by Euroqol entitled EQ-5D-5L value set for the United Kingdom, published on 13 March 2026, on the ability of patients to access non-oncology medicines that improve quality of life but do not extend survival.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is planning to adopt the EQ-5D-5L and has opened a consultation on the proposed changes to its guidance development manuals.
The consultation opened on 15 April and includes the proposed changes to NICE’s guidance development manuals and the results of two impact assessments, looking at how the EQ-5D-5L value set might affect:
NICE has also considered the potential impact of these proposed method changes on equalities and health inequalities, and it is inviting views on its conclusions.
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 impact of NICE's adoption of the EQ-5D-5L value set on the price of medicines with a quality of life benefit and no survival; and whether he plans to take steps to ensure that access to medicines which support workforce participation and productivity is not adversely affected.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is planning to adopt the EQ-5D-5L and has opened a consultation on the proposed changes to its guidance development manuals.
The consultation opened on 15 April and includes the proposed changes to NICE’s guidance development manuals and the results of two impact assessments, looking at how the EQ-5D-5L value set might affect:
NICE has also considered the potential impact of these proposed method changes on equalities and health inequalities, and it is inviting views on its conclusions.
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 his Department has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the document published by Euroqol entitled EQ5D-5L value set for the United Kingdom, published on 13 March 2026.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is planning to adopt the EQ-5D-5L and has opened a consultation on the proposed changes to its guidance development manuals.
The consultation opened on 15 April and includes the proposed changes to NICE’s guidance development manuals and the results of two impact assessments, looking at how the EQ-5D-5L value set might affect:
NICE has also considered the potential impact of these proposed method changes on equalities and health inequalities, and it is inviting views on its conclusions.
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 increase awareness of early screening for cardiovascular disease among people under 40.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This Government is focused on increasing awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people aged under 40 years old by targeting key risk factors for disease through prevention and behavioural change. The National Health Service website includes a Better Health section which offers advice, tools and apps to support small, achievable behavioural changes such as increasing physical activity through the Couch to 5k app and guidance on how to quit smoking. Behavioural support services such as smoking cessation and weight management are also available locally for those who need them.
There is no national CVD screening programme in England for people aged under 40 years old. Cardiovascular risk increases significantly with age, which is why the NHS Health Check is offered to eligible adults aged between 40 and 74 years old. The NHS Health Check is a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme and aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease and refer them to further support through behavioural interventions, clinical assessment and treatment where appropriate.
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 the NHS supports carers of patients with uncommon disabilities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government fully recognises the vital role of unpaid carers in supporting individuals with uncommon and complex disabilities and remains committed to ensuring they have the support they need.
The National Health Service works closely with local authorities and the voluntary sector to identify carers and provide a range of support, including carers’ assessments, respite care, and access to mental health services. For those caring for people with rare or complex conditions, access to specialist NHS services, alongside coordinated and personalised care plans, helps ensure that both patient and carer needs are met.
Through the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, we are strengthening personalised care and improving how carers are identified and signposted to support, including identifying them through community services and specialist charities. The plan also sets out that, from 2026/27, through a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App, unpaid carers will be able to access medical records, test results, and online prescriptions for the person they care for, with consent, supporting them in their caring role.
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 provide end-of-life palliative care in rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone should have access to high-quality, compassionate palliative care and end of life care, regardless of where they live.
In England, integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations, including those in rural and remote areas. To support ICBs in meeting this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities.
Additionally, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care has been recently extended for a further two years to run to the end of 2028, delivering high-quality policy research to help improve palliative care and end of life care, and tackle inequalities.
Through our modern service framework, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality.
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 food safety inspections are enforced in small businesses.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Food safety legislation, and the Food Law Code of Practice (England) (the Code) places a statutory duty on competent authorities to undertake official food controls that verify whether food businesses, including small and microbusinesses, comply with relevant food law requirements.
Food safety official controls are carried out by appropriately authorised officers from local authorities and port health authorities. These are competent authorities and use a range of statutory powers set out in food legislation.
Officers assess compliance with legal requirements by observing and discussing food handling practices, hygiene conditions, and by examining food safety management systems. Where noncompliance is identified, officers determine the most appropriate and proportionate course of action, taking account of the seriousness of the issue and any potential public health risk. This may include providing advice, issuing written requirements, or taking more formal enforcement action where necessary.