Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on equipment for civil servants to work from home in each of the last three years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has spent the following amounts on equipment for its staff to work from home in each financial year:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of patients at (a) Pilgrim Hospital Boston and (b) Peterborough City Hospital were discharged to social care in each of the last three years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England publishes data on the number of patients discharged by discharge pathway, at a trust level, which is available at the following link:
Pathway 1 is discharges home or to a usual place of residence with new or additional health and/or social care needs. Pathway 3 is discharges to a new residential or nursing home setting, for people who are considered likely to need long-term residential or nursing home care.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 neuro diverse children in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) other rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including support services for neurodiverse children.
NHS England has established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce, bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected later in summer 2025.
The Government is also supporting inclusive environments and earlier intervention for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the ‘Early Language Support for Every Child’ and ‘Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools’ programmes. The Government will invest in support for pupils with SEND more widely, enabling transformation of the SEND system to make mainstream schools more inclusive and improve outcomes.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of providing free prescriptions for people with cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No estimate has been made on the cost of providing free prescriptions for people with cystic fibrosis.
Almost 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in England and there are arrangements in place to help those with the greatest need. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension. Those with cystic fibrosis or another long-term condition may therefore meet the eligibility criteria for prescription charge exemptions and be in receipt of free prescriptions.
To support those who do not qualify for an exemption of prescription charges, the cost of prescriptions can be capped by purchasing a prescription pre-payment certificate, which can be paid for in instalments. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that newly qualified dentists deliver a minimum amount of NHS work after graduating.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. The Department consulted on an NHS tie-in for graduate dentists last year, and we are considering the responses. The Government position on this proposal will be set out in due course.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 adequacy of GP patient-to-practice ratios in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of 30 April 2025, there were 4.3 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and 5.1 FTE doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in Lincolnshire.
For comparison, the median number of FTE doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in England was 5.5 in April 2025.
Each general practice is required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients. There is no NHS England recommendation for how many patients a general practitioner should have assigned, or the ratio of general practitioners or other practice staff to patients.
The demands each patient places on their general practice are different and can be affected by many different factors, including rurality and patient demographics. It is necessary to consider the workforce for each practice as a whole, not only general practitioners but also the range of health professionals available who are able to respond to the needs of their patients.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 help improve access to care need assessments for (a) deaf and (b) blind people in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that people with sensory impairment, such as visual impairments, hearing impairments, and people who are deafblind, in their area can access the right care and support. In addition, under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for people with sensory impairments. Support for people with sensory impairments will form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report when there is something to highlight, for example, something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement.
The first formal CQC assessments of local authorities began in December 2023 shortly after the CQC concluded its ‘pilot’ assessments in November. Lincolnshire County Council was one of the local authorities that took part in the CQC’s pilots and was given an indicative rating of ‘Good’. Their report, alongside all other formal ratings and reports, can be found on the CQC’s website, at the following link:
https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/lincolnshire-cc
To date, the CQC has published over 40 formal assessments, with ratings of Outstanding, Good, and Requires Improvement. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed. If the CQC identifies a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has powers to intervene.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 adequacy of adult social care provision in Lincolnshire.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people. This includes commissioning a variety of different providers and specialist services that provide genuine choice to meet the needs of local people and that offer quality and value for money.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is now assessing how local authorities in England, including Lincolnshire County Council, are delivering adult social care. This means they are looking at how local authorities are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.
If the CQC identifies a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has powers to intervene.
The CQC's assessments of local authorities began in December 2023, following the conclusion of five pilot assessments undertaken by the CQC in November 2023, to test their assessment framework and methodology. Lincolnshire County Council was one of the local authorities that took part in the CQC’s pilots and was given an indicative rating of ‘Good’. Their report can be found on the CQC’s website, at the following link:
https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/lincolnshire-cc
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it remains his Department's policy to introduce mobile dental vans in areas of need.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and to 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.
The decision about whether to commission dental vans should be made locally by integrated care boards. Local areas know the needs of their population best and are best placed to make decisions about whether or how mobile dental vans can contribute to meeting the dental care needs of their population.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding he has allocated for additional dental appointments since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England’s Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets out the funding available to ICBs and confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.
Dental contracts have been persistently underdelivering on National Health Service commitments, and the Government is focusing on action to enable all the available budget to be spent on dentistry.
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.