Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 63541 on Autism: Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder, if she will take steps to collate this information centrally.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Research already exists that shows evidence of an increased risk for children of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, when exposed to Valproate during pregnancy. This includes the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s publication, Valproate: review of safety data and expert advice on management of risks.
As this link is already identified in the evidence and research available, NHS England has no plans to collate further information about the number of children with autism also diagnosed with foetal valproate syndrome.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a Government lead to establish a strategic mission for (a) rare and (b) less survivable cancers.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so more patients survive, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system
The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. The Government is committed to backing innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that British patients can be among the first to benefit as we make the NHS fit for the future.
Finally, the National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for patients with rare cancers, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the role of the Patient Safety Commissioner is now going to be hosted within the MHRA; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this on her ability to advocate for MHRA reform.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dr Dash’s review of patient safety across the health and care landscape was published in July 2025. The review sets out a broad aim to streamline, simplify, and consolidate functions across the patient safety landscape. Dr Dash made nine recommendations which the Government has accepted in full and fed into the 10-Year Health Plan.
The review specifically recommends that the patient safety commissioner is hosted by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The office of the patient safety commissioner remains accountable to the Department, as it is now.
The Patient Safety Commissioner will play an important role in holding the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to account for its work on patient safety and in ensuring that patient safety and the voice of patients remains a core priority in the agency’s work.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders also have a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. Information about the number of children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder and a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
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 (a) experiences and (b) interests of (i) children with foetal valproate syndrome and (ii) their families are included in NHS reform.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of National Health Service reform, the Department has launched a transformation programme, led by a senior responsible officer. The Department is engaging with partners to ensure their experiences and interests are considered in shaping the future NHS.
The valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, is being considered by the Government. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to respond to the Hughes Report before 23 July 2025.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason (a) Valproate redress and (b) interim payments are delayed.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of controls on stocking (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs on the (i) adequacy of access to medication for patients in care homes and (ii) levels of wastage.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs for patients in care homes.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of misdiagnosis of women’s health symptoms on levels of diagnosis of ovarian cancer in (a) all women and (b) women under the age of 50.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.