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 the Department is taking to tackle the NHS backlog for ADHD assessments 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)
There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.
We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.
In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:
The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.
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 children are on the waiting list for ADHD assessments 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)
There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.
We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.
In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:
The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.
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 adults are on the waiting list for ADHD assessments 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)
There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.
We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.
In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:
The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.
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 waiting times for ADHD assessments 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)
There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.
We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.
In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:
The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.
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 data his Department holds on the number of pharmacies 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)
The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:
Region | Number of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024 |
Hexham constituency | 16 |
Northumberland | 68 |
Newcastle | 56 |
North-East | 554 |
England | 10,443 |
The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:
Region | Closures | Openings | Net closures |
Hexham constituency | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northumberland | 0 | 0 | 0 |
North-East | 2 | 2 | 0 |
England | N/A | N/A | 95 |
We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.
Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.
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 community pharmacies closed in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) the North East and (d) England in 2022-23.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:
Region | Number of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024 |
Hexham constituency | 16 |
Northumberland | 68 |
Newcastle | 56 |
North-East | 554 |
England | 10,443 |
The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:
Region | Closures | Openings | Net closures |
Hexham constituency | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northumberland | 0 | 0 | 0 |
North-East | 2 | 2 | 0 |
England | N/A | N/A | 95 |
We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.
Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.
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 improve access to pharmacies in the North East.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:
Region | Number of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024 |
Hexham constituency | 16 |
Northumberland | 68 |
Newcastle | 56 |
North-East | 554 |
England | 10,443 |
The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:
Region | Closures | Openings | Net closures |
Hexham constituency | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northumberland | 0 | 0 | 0 |
North-East | 2 | 2 | 0 |
England | N/A | N/A | 95 |
We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.
Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.
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.