Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions she has had with NHS leaders on improving outcomes for people with rare genetic diseases and conditions over the longer term.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare genetic conditions and diseases, such as GNB-1.
Through the UK Rare Diseases Framework, we support access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs as a priority. This has included NHS England developing a strategic approach to commissioning advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) to facilitate rapid access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved therapies.
We continue to invest in ATMPs through initiatives such as the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. With £17.9 million of new funding via the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres are driving forward work to enhance the United Kingdom’s environment for ATMP clinical trials and to progress research within the NHS to ensure patients can get safe access to these innovative therapies.
NIHR’s ‘Be Part of Research’ programme allows individuals to see if there is any current research taking place into their conditions, and express their interest in taking part. Further information on NIHR’s ‘Be Part of Research’ is available at the following link:
https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve a) research into and b) treatment for those with GNB-1 (Guanine Nucleotide-Binding ) genetic condition.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare genetic conditions and diseases, such as GNB-1.
Through the UK Rare Diseases Framework, we support access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs as a priority. This has included NHS England developing a strategic approach to commissioning advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) to facilitate rapid access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved therapies.
We continue to invest in ATMPs through initiatives such as the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. With £17.9 million of new funding via the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres are driving forward work to enhance the United Kingdom’s environment for ATMP clinical trials and to progress research within the NHS to ensure patients can get safe access to these innovative therapies.
NIHR’s ‘Be Part of Research’ programme allows individuals to see if there is any current research taking place into their conditions, and express their interest in taking part. Further information on NIHR’s ‘Be Part of Research’ is available at the following link:
https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with NHS England and NHS Supply Chain on ensuring access to wigs suitable for Afro-textured hair and breast prostheses across a range of skin tones.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support access to appropriate wigs and breast prostheses for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate access to wigs and breast prostheses across NHS trusts and integrated care boards.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that forthcoming NHS procurement frameworks for wigs and breast prostheses meet the needs of Black and global majority cancer patients.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Fracture Liaison Services are currently operating across the Liverpool City Region; and what steps her Department is taking to improve Fracture Liaison Service provision across the region.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) database currently has no FLS recorded in the Liverpool City Region, but on the wider issue raised, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 20 July in response to Question 18686.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to establish a Fracture Liaison Service in Liverpool; and when she expects people in Liverpool to benefit from such a service.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) database currently has no FLS recorded in the Liverpool City Region, but on the wider issue raised, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 20 July in response to Question 18686.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department are taking to improve data collection into inequalities in maternal mental health outcomes for Black women and birthing people.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is a priority for the Government to ensure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location or ethnicity.
The Department has funded the PRiSMM programme through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It will report England-wide data on severe maternal morbidity and evaluate the Maternal Care bundle, including an intervention to improve the identification and referral of women at risk of maternal mental health conditions. Data will be available by National Health Service trust, maternal ethnicity and measures including social deprivation, with initial findings due by the end of September 2026.
The first Maternity and Neonatal Equalities dashboard, published in January 2026, includes metrics by ethnicity and deprivation; further metrics, including maternal mental health, are being considered. The dashboard is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/dashboards/maternity-and-neonatal-equalities-dashboard
Baroness Amos’ investigation highlighted the need for better data collection and analysis to address inequities in access, experience, safety and outcomes. The forthcoming National Maternity and Neonatal Action Plan will consider these recommendations alongside those from Donna Ockenden’s review and the forthcoming Thirlwall Inquiry, including further use of data to tackle inequalities across the maternity and neonatal pathway.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to the NHS arising from duplicated referrals, repeated diagnostic investigations and missed outpatient appointments associated with asylum seeker dispersal.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made.