Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what implication the shortage of Consultant Dermatologists has for NHS waiting lists (i) nationally and (ii) in South Yorkshire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, including for dermatology. The Department is committed to ensuring that the proportion of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, including for dermatology services, returns to 92% by March 2029, and to 65% by March 2026.
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is working to improve waiting times through its established Further Faster programme to transform patient pathways and improve access and waiting times for patients. Dermatology is one of 24 specialties in focus for GIRFT’s Further Faster work.
A Further Faster handbook for dermatology has been produced to share best practices, and the GIRFT team is carrying out regular visits to, and meetings with, challenged departments in order to provide support in improving performance across dermatology.
NHS England more widely is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence (AI), including autonomous AI, to manage skin cancer referrals, which now represent approximately 50% of dermatology referrals. This can free up clinicians to see more patients and help to reduce waiting lists. AI is already in use across more than 20 trusts, with seven trusts deploying autonomous AI, and further plans in place to expand adoption safely and effectively.
The Department does not hold data on the current shortfall, or vacancies in the National Health Service, for consultant dermatologists, including in South Yorkshire.
Local providers are best placed to make decisions on workforce capacity to reflect local service demand and circumstances, including management of their waiting list.
The 10-Year Health Plan for England set out that 1,000 more medical specialty training places will be created over the next three years, with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 Dermatology waiting lists (i) nationally and (ii) in South Yorkshire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, including for dermatology. The Department is committed to ensuring that the proportion of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, including for dermatology services, returns to 92% by March 2029, and to 65% by March 2026.
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is working to improve waiting times through its established Further Faster programme to transform patient pathways and improve access and waiting times for patients. Dermatology is one of 24 specialties in focus for GIRFT’s Further Faster work.
A Further Faster handbook for dermatology has been produced to share best practices, and the GIRFT team is carrying out regular visits to, and meetings with, challenged departments in order to provide support in improving performance across dermatology.
NHS England more widely is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence (AI), including autonomous AI, to manage skin cancer referrals, which now represent approximately 50% of dermatology referrals. This can free up clinicians to see more patients and help to reduce waiting lists. AI is already in use across more than 20 trusts, with seven trusts deploying autonomous AI, and further plans in place to expand adoption safely and effectively.
The Department does not hold data on the current shortfall, or vacancies in the National Health Service, for consultant dermatologists, including in South Yorkshire.
Local providers are best placed to make decisions on workforce capacity to reflect local service demand and circumstances, including management of their waiting list.
The 10-Year Health Plan for England set out that 1,000 more medical specialty training places will be created over the next three years, with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the size of the shortfall in NHS Consultant Dermatologists as a proportion of the total number of working Consultant Dermatologists needed by the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the current shortfall, or vacancies in the National Health Service, for consultant dermatologists.
The 10-Year Health Plan for England set out that 1,000 more medical specialty training places will be created over the next three years, with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 support local authorities with the cost of non-residential adult social care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is making approximately £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements.
This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and a £331 million increase to the National Health Service contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as treatment for post-stroke complications other than depression.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 2023 National Institute for Health and Care guideline NG236, on recommendations on stroke rehabilitation, reviewed the evidence and concluded that whilst there was some evidence on the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the short term, the research does not yet support adoption other than for depression. Thie guideline NG236 is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG236
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 the commitment to end the discharge of newborn babies into bed and breakfast accommodation or other unsuitable shared housing applies to all families, including those seeking asylum and those subject to No Recourse to Public Funds.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to ending the practice of discharging newborn babies into bed and breakfast or other unsuitable shared accommodation through the Child Poverty Strategy. We are working closely across Government, including with Home Office, to consider its implementation and any other associated impacts.
Asylum seeking families can access some of the support set out in the Child Poverty Strategy, including Best Start Family Hubs in England.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will publish the outcome of the Healthy Start extension for families with the No Recourse to Public Funds condition; and whether a timeline has been set for bringing the scheme into law.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is currently considering options following the consultation titled Eligibility for Healthy Start for groups that have no recourse to public funds or are subject to immigration controls. Further information will be available in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on the rollout of a Fracture Liaison Service, due to be implemented by 2030.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Stockton West on 13 October 2025 to Question 77172.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Cancer Plan will specifically address the availability of products containing Melanotan II.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking steps to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancers more quickly, including skin cancers. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will set out how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including by speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. We will publish the National Cancer Plan in the new year to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.
We received over 11,000 responses to our call for evidence from individuals, professionals, and organisations, and we are reviewing the submissions from skin cancer partners. While no formal assessment has been made of the availability and levels of the use of tan-enhancing products containing Melanotan II, respondents shared concerns about tanning products and their potential links to cancer, particularly melanoma. Our expansive engagement will allow the National Cancer Plan to have patients at its heart.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom.
Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.
In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II, there are no equivalent authorised medicines, and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.
Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the United Kingdom. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who has responsibility for preventing the availability of products containing Melanotan II in England; and what steps he has taken to tackle the availability of these products.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is required to determine whether products are medicines on a case-by-case basis taking into account the definition of a medicine in The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, relevant case law, and any other evidence.
Melanotan II injections and pens are considered medicinal products due to their similarity to an authorised medicinal product and potential application to other medical conditions.
However, tan-enhancing nasal products which are clearly marketed for self-tanning purposes and which do not have a medical purpose do not fall under medicines regulations and are not within the MHRA’s remit.
Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the United Kingdom. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.