Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing an interim access pathway in England for omaveloxolone.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 June in response to Question 11724.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet Ataxia UK to discuss the potential merits of including omaveloxolone in the pilot scheme.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 June in response to Question 11724.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
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 reduce avoidable emergency admissions for people with neurological conditions.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government is committed to reducing avoidable emergency admissions for people with neurological conditions by improving earlier diagnosis, strengthening community-based care, and ensuring better coordination between services.
NHS England is encouraging systems to adopt personalised care and support planning, including anticipatory care approaches for people at higher risk of admission. This can involve the use of care plans, rapid access to community teams, and closer monitoring to ensure issues such as infections are identified and treated promptly, reducing the need for hospital admission. National programmes such as Getting It Right First Time and NHS RightCare support systems to identify unwarranted variation and adopt best practice in managing long-term conditions, including neurological conditions.
NHS England’s service specification for adult neurology sets out clear expectations for proactive, coordinated care to reduce the risk of avoidable complications. It emphasises early identification of clinical risks, personalised care planning, and timely access to multidisciplinary support, including specialist nurses, therapists, and community services. By promoting regular monitoring, effective management of common complications like swallowing, mobility, and bladder function, and close coordination between primary, community, and specialist care, the specification supports early intervention and continuity of care. This approach helps to minimise preventable deterioration, reduce unplanned hospital admissions, and improve outcomes and quality of life for people.
Together, these measures support local systems to take a proactive, joined-up approach to care, helping people with neurological conditions remain well in the community for longer and reducing avoidable hospital admissions.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
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 ensure the Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Belmont is delivered as quickly as possible under the New Hospital Programme.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have put the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on a sustainable footing, with a credible plan, timeline, and budget aligned with the Government’s fiscal rules. As set out in the NHP Plan for Implementation published in January 2025, main construction on the new Specialist and Emergency Care Hospital in Sutton is expected to begin between 2032 and 2034 as part of Wave 2.
While most development work on the scheme has been paused, the NHP continues to support the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust to progress essential enabling work, including securing and developing the business case for an appropriate power supply. The programme remains engaged with the trust to ensure that it is fully resourced and ready when the time comes to progress the scheme through to on-site construction.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
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 reform the recruitment and retention of the speech and language therapy workforce supporting people with Parkinson’s.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on the employment of allied health professionals are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are working closely with NHS England, employers and educators to improve transition into the workforce.
The Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work to support and retain our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it and will make sure staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is is taking to help ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care will be implemented by local integration care boards.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what date his Department expects to publish the interim statement on the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
We are pleased to have now published an interim update on Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care in England, detailing the progress to date. The interim update was published via a Written Ministerial Statement, alongside an annex containing further information for interested parties, and importantly, the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England is writing to systems setting out actions that can begin ahead of the full publication of the MSF in Autumn 2026. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups. NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support this process and, as detailed in the interim update, we are asking ICBs to move to sustainable contracting of adult, and children and young people’s, hospice services based on their integrated needs assessment. Initially, this will involve a move away from short-term grant funding for adult hospice services from 2027/28.
Whilst no specific assessment of the adequacy of statutory funding for hospices has been made, in February, NHS England wrote to all ICBs requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.
In respect of guaranteeing equitable provision of hospice care, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. However, the Government agrees that palliative care and end-of-life care must be provided equitably, through a range of professionals and providers, both generalist and specialist, across the NHS, social care, and voluntary sector organisations, including hospices.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ring-fence funding to enable the mass procurement and delivery of NHS meningitis B vaccines to groups identified by clinical experts as being at increased risk.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Decisions on eligibility for routine vaccination programmes are taken by the department on the basis of independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
In 2015, following review of the epidemiology, disease burden, vaccine safety and efficacy, and cost-effectiveness analysis, the JCVI recommended that young infants should be routinely vaccinated against meningococcal B (MenB) with the aim of providing optimal protection as early as possible, as this age group had the highest disease incidence.
In response to the meningitis outbreak in Kent, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked the JCVI to review eligibility for MenB vaccination in older children and young adults. As ever, the Government will carefully consider JCVI advice.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish an impact assessment of the proposed changes to NICE’s cost-effectiveness threshold in the context of a pharmaceutical agreement with the US.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 4 March to question 114047.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement meningitis monitoring on university campuses.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on the eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.
On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent meningococcal B vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.