Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 support hospices in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are working at great pace to get this year’s funding to hospices as soon as possible. We are currently finalising the delivery mechanisms, and are pleased that Hospice UK is standing ready to distribute the money to hospices throughout England, including to hospices in Hexham, Northumberland, Newcastle, and the North East.
We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. NHS England is currently making decisions on the allocation and administration mechanisms for the £26 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in 2025/26, and hopes to communicate plans to the sector later this month.
I met with key palliative and end of life care, including hospice, stakeholders on 3 February to discuss the long-term sustainability of palliative and end of life care, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 NHS dental service waiting lists in (a) Hexham, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.
It is a contractual requirement for NHS dentists to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards can review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period, and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 number of people on NHS waiting lists in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government. On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, part of the Government’s Plan for Change to ensure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, including those using National Health Services in the Hexham constituency, Northumberland, Newcastle and the North East. Further information on the Elective Reform Plan is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/reforming-elective-care-for-patients.pdf
We have set an ambition to make progress on the 18-week standard in 2025/26, to 65% of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment nationally. At the end of November 2024, the rate at the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was 80.3%, and the rate at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals was 68.4%. This compares to 59.1% nationally. These two trusts are performing better than the average, which is very much welcomed, but we are pressing to ensure we build on that, and have set out our expectation that all English trusts will deliver a minimum 5% improvement by March 2026.
To support this ambition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £1.5 billion of capital funding, including for new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, at the Autumn Statement. This will build capacity for over 30,000 additional procedures and over 1.25 million diagnostic tests as they come online, as well as new beds which will create more treatment space and reduce waiting times.
The Elective Reform Plan sets out a number of ways which we will increase productivity and improve patient experience, including increasing the number of surgical hubs, and expanding and increasing the opening times of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs). Three hubs are currently operational in the North-East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, which serves patients across Hexham, Northumberland, Newcastle and the North-East, with one due to open at the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, namely the Friarage Hospital Elective Hub.
There are currently five CDCs located across the North East of England, including the Metrocentre CDC in Gateshead.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 shift care from hospitals into the community in (a) Hexham, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) rural areas.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we launched a 10-Year Health Plan. The plan will set out an agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.
We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered locally to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer.
Integrated care boards (ICB) are responsible for planning health services for their local area and are best placed to make decisions on care services in the community according to local need.
Neighbourhood Health Guidelines have been published alongside the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning Guidance and 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, published 30 January 2025, to help ICBs, local authorities, and health and care providers to continue to progress neighbourhood health in 2025/26, in advance of the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan.
We will provide further details of a National Implementation Programme in the coming months, designed for all parts of the health and social care system involved in delivering neighbourhood health. This programme will adopt a test and learn approach, to help identify what is working most effectively and the conditions required to deliver a set of target outcomes.
Community health services are an essential building block in developing a neighbourhood health service, working closely with primary care, social care, and other community services to provide more care in the community.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are seeking support for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, d) the North East (e) England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has advised that the information requested is not available in the format requested. This is because it is not possible to specifically identify avoidant restrictive food intake disorder in relation to other eating disorders within the Mental Health Services Dataset.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 (a) NHS specialists, (b) support groups and (c) all other stakeholders on increasing available support for children with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers and departmental officials hold discussions regularly with NHS England and stakeholders on a range of issues.
We recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder, such as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), can have on someone’s life, and the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. We continue to work closely with NHS England to ensure that people with an eating disorder get the care and treatment they need.
In 2019/20, NHS England funded seven community eating disorder teams for children and young people in a pilot programme to improve access, assessment, and treatment for children presenting with ARFID. The training from these pilots is now available for providers in local areas for their children and young people’s community eating disorder services. And in 2021, NHS England commissioned ARFID training for staff delivering treatment in inpatient children and young people’s mental health services.
NHS England also commissioned the research charity Autistica to produce an ARFID and Autistic People briefing paper. This informed two awareness raising webinars, one for staff from the eating disorders charity BEAT, and the other for commissioners, clinicians, and providers, to consider how autistic children and young people with ARFID could benefit from eating disorder support and services.
Building on the work of the Children and Young People’s ARFID pilot, NHS England is developing a framework for community eating disorder services to support them in delivering an ARFID pathway for adults.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 on the provision of clear care pathways for children with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers and departmental officials hold discussions regularly with NHS England and stakeholders on a range of issues.
We recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder, such as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), can have on someone’s life, and the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. We continue to work closely with NHS England to ensure that people with an eating disorder get the care and treatment they need.
In 2019/20, NHS England funded seven community eating disorder teams for children and young people in a pilot programme to improve access, assessment, and treatment for children presenting with ARFID. The training from these pilots is now available for providers in local areas for their children and young people’s community eating disorder services. And in 2021, NHS England commissioned ARFID training for staff delivering treatment in inpatient children and young people’s mental health services.
NHS England also commissioned the research charity Autistica to produce an ARFID and Autistic People briefing paper. This informed two awareness raising webinars, one for staff from the eating disorders charity BEAT, and the other for commissioners, clinicians, and providers, to consider how autistic children and young people with ARFID could benefit from eating disorder support and services.
Building on the work of the Children and Young People’s ARFID pilot, NHS England is developing a framework for community eating disorder services to support them in delivering an ARFID pathway for adults.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 on (a) neurodivergence and (b) avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers and departmental officials hold discussions regularly with NHS England and stakeholders on a range of issues.
We recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder, such as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), can have on someone’s life, and the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. We continue to work closely with NHS England to ensure that people with an eating disorder get the care and treatment they need.
In 2019/20, NHS England funded seven community eating disorder teams for children and young people in a pilot programme to improve access, assessment, and treatment for children presenting with ARFID. The training from these pilots is now available for providers in local areas for their children and young people’s community eating disorder services. And in 2021, NHS England commissioned ARFID training for staff delivering treatment in inpatient children and young people’s mental health services.
NHS England also commissioned the research charity Autistica to produce an ARFID and Autistic People briefing paper. This informed two awareness raising webinars, one for staff from the eating disorders charity BEAT, and the other for commissioners, clinicians, and providers, to consider how autistic children and young people with ARFID could benefit from eating disorder support and services.
Building on the work of the Children and Young People’s ARFID pilot, NHS England is developing a framework for community eating disorder services to support them in delivering an ARFID pathway for adults.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many veterans are accessing mental health support in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, the integrated mental health and wellbeing service, which allows veterans to make self-referrals. The Op COURAGE North service, run by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, covers the Hexham area.
The service, which is available across England, has been designed to support veterans from all areas, and is delivered from a range of locations, including National Health Service trusts, general practices (GPs), Poppy Shops, veteran hubs, and drop-in centres. Elements of the service may also be provided online if this is clinically appropriate. The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services, and they can instead choose to use mainstream NHS services, such as Talking Therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.
GPs are able to participate in the Veteran Friendly Practice Accreditation Scheme, which is a free support programme for GPs in England that enables GPs to easily identify, understand, and support veterans and, where appropriate, refer them to specialist healthcare services designed especially for them, such as Op COURAGE. Over 99% of Primary Care Networks have at least one GP accredited as Veteran Friendly.
For Op COURAGE, between April and November 2024, Op COURAGE North received 2,040 referrals. Across all Op COURAGE services in England, there were over 5,000 referrals in the same time period. For NHS Talking Therapies, between April and November 2024, NHS Talking Therapies in the North of England received 5,100 referrals from veterans. Across all NHS Talking Therapies there were over 13,400 referrals over the same period.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 veterans in Hexham constituency have access to mental health services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, the integrated mental health and wellbeing service, which allows veterans to make self-referrals. The Op COURAGE North service, run by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, covers the Hexham area.
The service, which is available across England, has been designed to support veterans from all areas, and is delivered from a range of locations, including National Health Service trusts, general practices (GPs), Poppy Shops, veteran hubs, and drop-in centres. Elements of the service may also be provided online if this is clinically appropriate. The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services, and they can instead choose to use mainstream NHS services, such as Talking Therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.
GPs are able to participate in the Veteran Friendly Practice Accreditation Scheme, which is a free support programme for GPs in England that enables GPs to easily identify, understand, and support veterans and, where appropriate, refer them to specialist healthcare services designed especially for them, such as Op COURAGE. Over 99% of Primary Care Networks have at least one GP accredited as Veteran Friendly.
For Op COURAGE, between April and November 2024, Op COURAGE North received 2,040 referrals. Across all Op COURAGE services in England, there were over 5,000 referrals in the same time period. For NHS Talking Therapies, between April and November 2024, NHS Talking Therapies in the North of England received 5,100 referrals from veterans. Across all NHS Talking Therapies there were over 13,400 referrals over the same period.