Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding the NHS allocated to mental health services in (a) cash terms and (b) adjusted for inflation in the (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not available for 2009/10, as National Health Service expenditure on mental health services was not separately identified prior to 2015/16. The total planned spend on mental health for 2023/24, including learning disabilities and dementia, was £16,814,000,000. The final figures for 2023/24 are not yet available, and will be published through the NHS mental health dashboard, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-mental-health-dashboard/
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the NHS budget was in (a) cash terms and (b) adjusted for inflation in the (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England, which is usually taken as the basis of the National Health Service budget, was established in 2013/14, and so equivalent figures for earlier years are not available. For comparisons before 2013/14, the Government usually uses the Department’s overall budget, of which the NHS budget forms the vast majority. The overall budget, including the NHS and other components, was £183.6 billion in 2023/24. In 2009/10 it was £100.2 billion which, adjusting for inflation using gross domestic product deflators published on 28 June 2024, would be the equivalent of £141.5 billion in 2023/24.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were employed by the NHS in (i) May 2010 and (ii) the most recent month for which data is available.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent nurses, including health visitors, and doctors employed by National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England, as of May 2010 and May 2024:
| May 2010 | May 2024 |
Nurses | 280,950 | 356,581 |
Doctors | 94,742 | 140,968 |
Source: NHS Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England, published by NHS England on a monthly basis.
The data includes staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations. It excludes staff directly employed by general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other providers such as community interest companies and private providers. More detailed data can be found at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 impact of banning (a) virginity testing and (b) hymenoplasty on women.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made. The legislation to ban virginity testing and hymenoplasty was introduced through the Health and Social Act 2022. In April 2024 the department published the virginity testing and hymenoplasty multi-agency guidance which provides advice to anyone who may come in to contact with women and girls affected by virginity testing and hymenoplasty. The guidance is available at the following link:
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timeline is for reviewing (a) the hospital building programme, (b) the new diagnostics centres programme, (c) primary care programmes and (d) other capital projects.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All capital spending activity is kept under regular review to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of patients and delivers value for money.
This Government recognises that strategic, value for money investments in capital projects are critical to providing good quality care. In line with this Government’s plans to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future and as part of our internal Spending Review preparations, the Department is reviewing capital requirements, including through NHS England’s assessment of long-term NHS estate needs across a range of areas. Timescales associated with the Spending Review are yet to be confirmed.
The Secretary of State has asked for an urgent report on the degree to which the New Hospital Programme is funded and a realistic timetable for delivery.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to remove the recommendation that care home staff wear face masks; and what recent assessment he has made of the impact of that recommendation on communication with residents with dementia and deafness.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
In adult social care, the guidance continues to recommend that all care home staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance allows for masks to not be used if, as part of a risk assessment, its use is considered particularly challenging for the resident, such as for residents with dementia and deafness.
The Department has commissioned a review of this guidance to ensure it reflects the latest available evidence and safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department are taking to help increase the recycling of hospital equipment, including crutches; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a returns scheme for this equipment.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for policies on the reuse and recycling of hospital equipment. Patients are encouraged to contact the local NHS trust which can advise on how equipment can be returned or re-used where it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the primary care services that can be delivered by pharmacists.
Answered by James Morris
The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 sets out how community pharmacy will support the NHS Long Term Plan through greater integration with the National Health Service and providing more clinical services to relieve pressures, including in primary care.
The Community Pharmacist Consultation Service allows general practices and NHS 111 to refer patients to community pharmacies for minor illnesses and the NHS Community Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check Service. Other services have been expanded, such as the New Medicines Service, to support patients who have been prescribed specific new medicines. NHS England is piloting services which could be introduced, including the direct referral of people with potential symptoms of cancer, minor illness referrals from urgent and emergency care settings and the supply of contraception.
New standards for initial education and training will ensure that all new pharmacists will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver these services, such as undertaking clinical checks and becoming independent prescribers upon registration.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 merits of removing guidance on mask wearing in care homes for all staff and patients and making mask-wearing discretionary for the individual or staff member.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
In adult social care, the guidance continues to recommend that all staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance provides scope for mask removal to be considered as part of a risk assessment if the usage is particularly challenging for the resident. Further personal protective equipment may also be recommended to carry out specific tasks. The wearing of face masks by care home residents has never been recommended. The Department continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency to review the relevant guidance to ensure it reflects safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Health Disparities White Paper will be published.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The health disparities white paper will be published later this year.