Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the number of trusts where maternity services have had culturally sensitive training on racism and discrimination on Black women’s experiences and engagement with maternity care.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are rolling out an anti-discrimination programme to all trusts by the end of this year, to be completed by the end of 2027, which will equip leaders and frontline staff to use tried and tested approaches to tackle discriminatory practices. A robust, independent evaluation of this programme has been commissioned and is being undertaken.
This is part of a broader set of actions to tackle the root causes of racism and discrimination. We have also established an inequalities dashboard, to identify areas where specific populations face the greatest disparities, enabling tailored interventions and more equitable support.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, further to the Answer of 16 June 2026 to Question 8929, if his Department will consult with civil society organisations with expertise relating to rare and less survivable cancers when developing the cancer manuals in order to ensure that they fulfil the National Cancer Plan's aim of reducing disparities in cancer survival.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Department and NHS England continue to work with cancer stakeholders on the implementation of the National Cancer Plan and will discuss the development of cancer manuals with relevant stakeholders.
As set out in our National Cancer Plan, the first wave of manuals will include an equal balance of rare cancers, where survival has been slowest, and the most common cancers. It is in the combination of both points that we will maximise progress against our ambition to reduce disparities in cancer survival.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the fresh freezing and storage of brain tumour tissue, including data collected through NHS England’s gap analysis of freezer capacity; and if he will provide the most recent available data by NHS trust on the (a) availability of suitable freezer capacity and (b) proportion of brain tumour patients whose tissue is routinely fresh-frozen and stored following surgery.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity. 
The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.
The Department is looking at ways to support trusts to expand freezer capacity, and will provide an update on this in the autumn.
There are no plans to publish the full gap analysis. The data is management information which is not routinely published.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review financial relief for pharmacies on PFI estates, including rent-subsidy schemes and a statutory cap on PFI rents for NHS pharmacy contractors.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to ÂŁ3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. As is custom and practice, the Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to future reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors.
Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS services. Pharmacies also receive private, non-NHS, income, which contributes to business expenses such as rent.
Health Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts are not held by the Department, they are held between the local NHS trust and their respective Private Finance Company. The operational Health PFI contracts included the design, build and maintenance of the building, including facilities management and lifecycle, over the life of the contract. Any arrangements in respect of letting specific areas of a PFI Hospital to third party occupants, including a pharmacy, will be agreed on a case-by-case basis at a local level.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider NHS funding adjustments for pharmacies to offset increases in National Minimum Wage and employer National Insurance.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to ÂŁ3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. As is custom and practice, the Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to future reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors.
Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS services. Pharmacies also receive private, non-NHS, income, which contributes to business expenses such as rent.
Health Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts are not held by the Department, they are held between the local NHS trust and their respective Private Finance Company. The operational Health PFI contracts included the design, build and maintenance of the building, including facilities management and lifecycle, over the life of the contract. Any arrangements in respect of letting specific areas of a PFI Hospital to third party occupants, including a pharmacy, will be agreed on a case-by-case basis at a local level.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
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 support the sustainability of NHS pharmacies operating on PFI sites.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to ÂŁ3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. As is custom and practice, the Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to future reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors.
Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS services. Pharmacies also receive private, non-NHS, income, which contributes to business expenses such as rent.
Health Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts are not held by the Department, they are held between the local NHS trust and their respective Private Finance Company. The operational Health PFI contracts included the design, build and maintenance of the building, including facilities management and lifecycle, over the life of the contract. Any arrangements in respect of letting specific areas of a PFI Hospital to third party occupants, including a pharmacy, will be agreed on a case-by-case basis at a local level.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will conduct a review of local planning and healthcare infrastructure for villages and local hub–type plans, including PFI estates.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Planning regulation and approval is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The National Health Service operates in accordance with published planning guidance.
However, we recognise delivering high-quality NHS healthcare services requires the right infrastructure in the right places. Integrated care boards have developed infrastructure strategies to create a long-term plan for future healthcare estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs.
These strategies help take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services, including the development of a Neighbourhood Health Service.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
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 potential impact of levels of current funding on palliative care on an assisted dying service.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
I refer the Hon. Member to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: impact assessment, which considers the resourcing implications of an assisted dying service on palliative and end of life care services.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
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 sustainability of (a) funding and (b) support for dementia treatment facilities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Presently, there are limited treatment options for people with dementia. Some drugs can modify symptoms in some cases but there are currently no disease-modifying treatments approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in the National Health Service, and so care is predominantly provided through social care rather than the NHS.
The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the NICE’s guidelines.
Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population, including carers, under the Care Act 2014. The Government is making available up to ÂŁ3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an ÂŁ880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.
We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission forms a key part of the Government’s Plan for Change, recognising the importance of adult social care in its own right, as well as its role in supporting the NHS. As part of this work, we will consider how best to meet the needs of people, including those with dementia.
The NHS is a world leader in rolling out innovative treatments, including personalised cancer and life-saving gene therapies, and has established a dedicated programme team to prepare the NHS for the potential arrival of new Alzheimer’s treatments that are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and determined to be clinically and cost-effective by the NICE.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
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 support NHS patients on the waiting list with Cardiovascular Disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
We have prioritised cutting waiting lists and getting back to the standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, including those with cardiovascular disease. We recently published the Elective Reform Plan that sets out how we will do this, including optimising clinically led pathways, and shifting care from hospital to community. This will start with five initial specialities, including cardiology.
The Plan also outlines how there will be a reduction in the number of unnecessary cardiology diagnostics, freeing up capacity for those patients who need faster treatment. This will be done by increasing specialist input earlier in care pathways, developing standard pathways for common outpatient presentations, such as palpitation, and increasing timely access to cardiac diagnostic tests, including through straight to test.
Whilst we have already made progress, by delivering on our First Step commitment to provide two million extra appointments, we know there is more to do. We are also prioritising the experience of patients while they wait, as well as throughout their care journey. The Plan sets out how we will support patients with greater choice and control over their care, including options of whether they want to be seen in person or remotely, and whether they want routine follow up appointments, and a commitment to co-develop minimum standards of experience with patients, from which we can build and improve everyone’s experience of care.