Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which capital projects have been (a) cancelled, (b) delayed, (c) descoped and (d) reprofiled to fund the Defence Investment Plan by region, original funding allocation and revised funding allocation.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The capital budget for health is due to increase to £15 billion by 2029/30, over 30% higher than 2024/25. We are cutting bureaucracy and speeding up delivery, so taxpayers get maximum value for money. Due to the Government’s record investment, frontline services will be protected. The Department remains committed to the delivery of all schemes in the New Hospital Programme, neighbourhood health centres, and NHS estates programmes. We are working through the detail of future capital spending plans.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 the recruitment of doctors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are taking steps to boost the recruitment of homegrown talent. The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 implements the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training places, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places. The act reduces competition for places and gives homegrown talent a clear path to become the next generation of NHS doctors.
The new resident doctors’ deal will see significant expansion of training places by up to 4,500 over the next three years, including 1,000 next year, 250 of which will be starting in February. This expansion combined with the impact of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act is expected to bring competition ratios down and tackle bottlenecks almost immediately.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 working conditions for doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the working conditions for all National Health Service staff.
The 10-Year Health Plan committed to developing a new set of staff standards which would outline minimum standards for employment across a range of areas. On 6 July 2026, the Government published new Staff Standards which set minimum standards of employment for NHS staff in secondary care in England. The aim of the standards is to ensure staff experience is prioritised by employers and that a consistent level of experience is felt by all NHS staff.
The new resident doctor pay and training settlement in England (the Deal) was accepted by British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee members on behalf of resident doctors in England on 29 June 2026. Under the Deal, resident doctors will benefit from improved pay scales, better working conditions, enhanced career progression, and up to 4,500 new training places over the next three years.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training his Department provides on AI; and (a) how many hours and (b) what topics and skills are covered by such training.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
As of June 2026, the Department has provided staff with access to a range of artificial intelligence (AI) learning and development opportunities through Civil Service Learning, the Department’s Learning Management System, and wider cross-Government learning initiatives. These include the Civil Service’s One Big Thing – AI for All programme, departmental guidance, and AI-related learning events and resources, and hands-on learning events for senior leaders to explore the practical application of AI tools in the workplace.
As AI learning is available through multiple platforms and channels, the Department does not hold a single centrally collated record of the total number of hours of AI training completed by staff.
The Department’s AI learning offer has included awareness activities and practical skills development covering topics such as:
Microsoft Copilot, both introductory and advanced;
agent building;
Data and Ethics AI awareness;
digital sustainability;
prompt engineering;
prompt engineering for statisticians;
One Big Thing AI for All; and
practical application of AI tools through hands-on learning sessions and demonstrations, including for senior leaders.
The Department’s recent Leadership Forum for all Senior Civil Servants (SCS) featured learning aimed at increasing the Department’s strategic approach, addressing the risks, and ensuring the ethical deployment of AI, alongside the expectations and leadership role of SCS in driving adoption.
These learning opportunities are designed to help staff and senior leaders build awareness of AI, develop practical skills, and use AI technologies safely, responsibly, and effectively in line with departmental policy and wider Government guidance.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with NICE on developing a fast track approval process for covid-19 treatments for the immuno-compromised.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
There are no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to establish a fast-track approval process for COVID-19 treatments. NICE evaluates all new licensed medicines, including COVID-19 treatments, and aims wherever possible to issue guidance close to the time of licensing to ensure that National Health Service patients can benefit from rapid access to safe and effective medicines. The aligned pathway between NICE and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency launched on 1 April 2026 and allows decisions on licensing and value to be published in parallel, with the aim of bringing clinically and cost-effective new medicines to patients three to six months sooner.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that Allied Health Professional leadership will be included in the Department following the abolition of NHS England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The proposed abolition of NHS England and the associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament. We will be engaging with partners inside and outside the organisations as the process to design the future Department continues.
The specific changes and impacts for particular groups employed by NHS England will be considered during the detailed design process for the future Department. Our aim is to ensure the future Department will have the right staff to be able to effectively discharge its accountabilities, including for professional leadership for all of the clinical professions including the Allied Health Professions (AHPs). AHPs will continue to play a critical role in the new Department, just as they have in NHS England and at the frontline.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 ensure the Department retains the necessary expertise across healthcare when NHS England is abolished.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that delivering reform and maintaining performance depends on retaining the right skills, knowledge, and experience that exists across both our current workforces in NHS England and the Department. The changes proposed are not a reflection on the dedication or professionalism of staff in either organisation. Our objective is to reduce duplication and bureaucracy, while ensuring the future Department continues to benefit from strong clinical, analytical, digital, and operational expertise.
Throughout the transition, the Government is prioritising continuity in critical roles and providing opportunities for learning, development, and career progression within the redesigned organisation.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many vacancies there are for (a) neuro-phsyiotherapists, (b) occupational therapists, and (c) speech and language therapists in NHS stroke units.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold vacancy rates that are granular enough to identify rates for neuro-phsyiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists in National Health Service stroke units.
NHS England publishes quarterly vacancy statistics for total staffing, registered nurses, and medical staff across the NHS. Data is not available at a more detailed staff group level or by the setting in which staff work. The latest published data can be found at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 economic cost of working-age stroke survivors not receiving suitable stroke rehabilitation.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government is committed to ensuring that stroke survivors receive high quality rehabilitation, recognising the economic, personal and wider impacts of strokes.
The National Stroke Service Model provides best practice for stroke care, including post-discharge, which should include comprehensive rehabilitation and personalised care and support. The model sets that that local stroke systems need to ensure that all stroke survivors are appropriately offered a comprehensive holistic and person-centred six-month post-stroke review.
The National Stroke Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation programme is helping to transform community-based care by increasing access to specialist stroke rehabilitation at home.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting people with Long Covid.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government is aware that post-acute infection conditions, such as Long Covid, can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. We are committed to taking a comprehensive and compassionate approach to supporting individuals with post-acute infection conditions such as Long Covid, recognising the unique challenges these conditions present.
NHS England has invested significantly in supporting people with Long Covid. This includes setting up specialist post-COVID, or Long Covid, services nationwide for adults, and children and young people, and investing in ensuring general practice teams are equipped to support people affected by the condition.
Since April 2024, in line with the National Health Service operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, commissioning of post-COVID services has been the responsibility of local integrated care boards to meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding.
Where referral into a Long Covid service is not possible, for example because a service has closed or is due to close, general practitioners can refer patients into other appropriate existing NHS pathways, depending on their clinical needs.
To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to establish the International Post Covid and Post Infection Conditions Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice to support people affected by Long Covid.
Officials routinely engage with other government departments on Long Covid-related issues which span departmental boundaries.