Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has made an assessment on the potential impact of vape flavour restrictions in (a) Canada, (b) Australia and (c) Netherlands on smoking cessation in the context of the proposed regulation of vape flavours in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 improve accessibility to (a) education and (b) healthcare for people with progressive neurological conditions such as Friedreich’s Ataxia.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 scientific evidence on vape flavours as a smoking cessation aid.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 effectiveness of flavoured vapes on tobacco smoking cessation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to introduce interim access to omaveloxolone for Friedreich’s Ataxia patients.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new, licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources.
NICE is unable to make a recommendation about the use in the NHS of omaveloxolone for treating Friedreich's ataxia in people aged 16 years old and over. This is because the company, Biogen, withdrew its evidence submission. NICE will review its decision if the company decides to make a new submission. Further information can be found at the following link:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11431
NHS England does not fund medicines where the company has not engaged with NICE. This is to avoid a potential pathway for circumventing the NICE appraisal process.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 improve the identification of young carers across other health services in the context of plans to change the Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities must take reasonable steps to identify young carers in their area and assess their needs. To support local authorities in their child protection duties, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, strengthens this by introducing a duty on safeguarding partners to enhance multi-agency working with children and families.
Reforms to the Mental Health Act will encourage recording young carers in Advance Choice Documents, providing crucial information for professionals during crises. The Mental Health Bill also ensures carers are actively involved in patients’ statutory care plans, supported by guidance in the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
NHS England is improving young carer identification and support through general practice guidance and better data sharing across health, education, and social care. In partnership with the Department for Education, it is leading a cross-Government project with young carers and voluntary organisations to reduce inequalities and strengthen support pathways.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 ensure that Integrated Care Boards support improved early identification of young carers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are currently supporting a cross-Government project, in collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE), which looks at the inequitable experience of and outcomes for young carers in both health and education. This project, co-produced with young carers, other Government departments and voluntary sector organisations, aims to improve rates of identification of young carers and improve pathways of support in a joined-up approach across schools, health services and local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations.
Additionally, I have established, and now chair, a regular cross-Government meeting of ministers from DHSC, DfE, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business and Trade to drive coordinated action and to ensure unpaid carers receive the recognition and support they deserve.
Early next month NHS England will be hosting an engagement workshop led by their patient and public voice partners, to hear directly about the challenges facing young carers. Their feedback will inform a Young Carers Cross-Government Summit, due to be held in November, to help develop improved approaches across the system.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
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 levels of research into postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health and social care research and works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including postural tachycardia syndrome. Proposals can be made at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards on steps to improve access to care for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs), with oversight from NHS England, have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations, including for those with PoTS.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down, including for those with PoTS. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and expanding the use of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards on the time it takes to be diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs), with oversight from NHS England, have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations, including for those with PoTS.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down, including for those with PoTS. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care, and expanding the use of personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.