Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available for patients with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome awaiting specialist assessment, including access to interim treatments and prescribed medical compression garments.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning end‑to‑end postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) pathways that meet local population need and, where neither paediatric nor adult secondary care is accessible, this reflects a local pathway gap rather than an absence of national guidance, with equity of access remaining a core National Health Service principle.
ICBs are expected to: understand local population need; commission pathways that cover assessment, diagnosis, and management; ensure safe and effective transition between paediatric and adult services; and address gaps where referral criteria unintentionally exclude patients. ICBs are expected to commission interim treatments and prescribed medical compression garments, where appropriate.
General practitioners (GPs) may appropriately refer patients with suspected PoTS to secondary care for diagnostic assessment, as confirmation often requires specialist investigations and expertise beyond primary care. The Royal College of General Practitioners Syncope Toolkit provides information to GPs, including the use of the active stand test, to rule out other conditions and potentially diagnose PoTS more quickly. Management of PoTS typically involves lifestyle changes and medications to help control symptoms, and can involve support from a multidisciplinary team.
The NHS website provides information on symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and self-management, while resources from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, including its clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope and its guideline on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), offer evidence-based information that is relevant to PoTS.
In July 2025, the Department published the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS. While this Plan is focused on improving care for people with ME/CFS, it is designed to support a more joined-up and holistic approach to managing complex, multi-system conditions. As PoTS often overlaps with ME/CFS and shares similar challenges around diagnosis, symptom management and coordination of care, the plan’s emphasis on multidisciplinary working, clearer care pathways and improved clinician awareness is expected to benefit people with PoTS. By promoting more integrated services and reducing fragmentation between specialties, the Plan will help ensure that people with PoTS experience more consistent, coordinated and person-centred care.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
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 adequacy of regional provision of services for patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and what steps he is taking to increase the availability of specialist services.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The commissioning of specialised services for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs are expected to commission services that meet the needs of their local populations, in line with national standards, service specifications, and clinical access policies set by NHS England. Prioritisation of service provision remains at the discretion of local ICBs, which may result in variations of services across different regions.
The Department, working with NHS England, is developing a national template service specification for mild and moderate ME/CFS to support commissioners and providers in planning and delivering services. The template is intended as a guide to best practice, rather than a mandatory or prescriptive service model, and is being designed to support local adaptation in line with population need and existing service configurations. This could help to reduce variation between services, although decisions on how to implement the template remains at the discretion of ICBs.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
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 training and awareness among healthcare professionals of complex multi system conditions such as hEDS and associated comorbidities.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the organisation and delivery of multidisciplinary care for patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (hEDS) and associated co-morbidities is a matter for local National Health Service systems. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their populations, including access to relevant specialties such as rheumatology, neurology, pain management, and, where appropriate, neurosurgical services, with decisions about referrals and coordination of care made by clinicians, based on individual patient need and the available evidence. Multidisciplinary team working is an established part of NHS practice for patients with complex needs.
The Department has made no specific national assessment of the adequacy of care pathways for people with hEDS and associated co‑morbidities. There is currently no single nationally defined care pathway or service specification specific to hEDS or related co- morbidities. Clinical management is guided by existing evidence, relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance where available, and the clinical judgement of specialist teams. The Government continues to support improvements in care for people with complex conditions through wider initiatives, such as the 10-Year Health Plan and Getting it Right First Time programme.
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing NHS pathways. Access to more specialised imaging, such as upright or dynamic MRI, is determined locally and used in limited circumstances based on clinical need. There are no current plans to expand national provision.
Responsibility for education and training sits with healthcare professionals themselves and with NHS England, which leads workforce planning and supports continuing professional development. Clinicians are expected to keep their knowledge up to date, drawing on national guidance, research evidence, and professional resources relevant to their role.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
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 access to specialist multidisciplinary teams for patients with complex connective tissue disorders, including those with suspected craniocervical instability.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the organisation and delivery of multidisciplinary care for patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (hEDS) and associated co-morbidities is a matter for local National Health Service systems. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their populations, including access to relevant specialties such as rheumatology, neurology, pain management, and, where appropriate, neurosurgical services, with decisions about referrals and coordination of care made by clinicians, based on individual patient need and the available evidence. Multidisciplinary team working is an established part of NHS practice for patients with complex needs.
The Department has made no specific national assessment of the adequacy of care pathways for people with hEDS and associated co‑morbidities. There is currently no single nationally defined care pathway or service specification specific to hEDS or related co- morbidities. Clinical management is guided by existing evidence, relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance where available, and the clinical judgement of specialist teams. The Government continues to support improvements in care for people with complex conditions through wider initiatives, such as the 10-Year Health Plan and Getting it Right First Time programme.
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing NHS pathways. Access to more specialised imaging, such as upright or dynamic MRI, is determined locally and used in limited circumstances based on clinical need. There are no current plans to expand national provision.
Responsibility for education and training sits with healthcare professionals themselves and with NHS England, which leads workforce planning and supports continuing professional development. Clinicians are expected to keep their knowledge up to date, drawing on national guidance, research evidence, and professional resources relevant to their role.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision exists within the NHS for diagnostic investigations, including upright and dynamic MRI, for suspected craniocervical instability; and whether he plans to expand access to that provision.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the organisation and delivery of multidisciplinary care for patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (hEDS) and associated co-morbidities is a matter for local National Health Service systems. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their populations, including access to relevant specialties such as rheumatology, neurology, pain management, and, where appropriate, neurosurgical services, with decisions about referrals and coordination of care made by clinicians, based on individual patient need and the available evidence. Multidisciplinary team working is an established part of NHS practice for patients with complex needs.
The Department has made no specific national assessment of the adequacy of care pathways for people with hEDS and associated co‑morbidities. There is currently no single nationally defined care pathway or service specification specific to hEDS or related co- morbidities. Clinical management is guided by existing evidence, relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance where available, and the clinical judgement of specialist teams. The Government continues to support improvements in care for people with complex conditions through wider initiatives, such as the 10-Year Health Plan and Getting it Right First Time programme.
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing NHS pathways. Access to more specialised imaging, such as upright or dynamic MRI, is determined locally and used in limited circumstances based on clinical need. There are no current plans to expand national provision.
Responsibility for education and training sits with healthcare professionals themselves and with NHS England, which leads workforce planning and supports continuing professional development. Clinicians are expected to keep their knowledge up to date, drawing on national guidance, research evidence, and professional resources relevant to their role.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS care pathways for patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and associated co-morbidities.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the organisation and delivery of multidisciplinary care for patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (hEDS) and associated co-morbidities is a matter for local National Health Service systems. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their populations, including access to relevant specialties such as rheumatology, neurology, pain management, and, where appropriate, neurosurgical services, with decisions about referrals and coordination of care made by clinicians, based on individual patient need and the available evidence. Multidisciplinary team working is an established part of NHS practice for patients with complex needs.
The Department has made no specific national assessment of the adequacy of care pathways for people with hEDS and associated co‑morbidities. There is currently no single nationally defined care pathway or service specification specific to hEDS or related co- morbidities. Clinical management is guided by existing evidence, relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance where available, and the clinical judgement of specialist teams. The Government continues to support improvements in care for people with complex conditions through wider initiatives, such as the 10-Year Health Plan and Getting it Right First Time programme.
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing NHS pathways. Access to more specialised imaging, such as upright or dynamic MRI, is determined locally and used in limited circumstances based on clinical need. There are no current plans to expand national provision.
Responsibility for education and training sits with healthcare professionals themselves and with NHS England, which leads workforce planning and supports continuing professional development. Clinicians are expected to keep their knowledge up to date, drawing on national guidance, research evidence, and professional resources relevant to their role.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review funding and prescribing guidance for medical compression garments for conditions other than lipoedema, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Medical compression garments are already available to be prescribed in primary and community care. The ability for a prescribing clinician to use these in the treatment and management of conditions including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is already in place. These products are listed on Part IX of the Drug Tariff. The categorisation of Part IX is being gradually updated to enable better comparisons to be made which will help general practitioners to find the right products.
Compression garments have recently been reviewed for leg ulcers. In 2023, the National Wound Care Strategy Programme reviewed its published Recommendations for Leg Ulcers Report. This recommended when to use compression garments for leg ulcers which impact people with diabetes, lymphoedema, venous insufficiency, and peripheral arterial disease.
In August 2025 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published healthtech guidance on Compression products for treating venous leg ulcers.
NICE develops guidance to support the adoption of clinically and cost effective health technologies in the National Health Service. Topics for NICE guidance development are identified through an established prioritisation process. This is designed to ensure that referred topics are aligned to national priorities to drive improved outcomes and value for money in the health and care system and represent the most valuable use of the finite resources available to NICE to update and maintain its guidance portfolio. Under this process, decisions as to whether NICE will develop guidance on a health technology are overseen by a prioritisation board, chaired by their Chief Medical Officer.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
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 appointing a (a) senior team and (b) tsar to support people affected by sodium valproate.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not at present intend to appoint a senior team or a tsar in relation to those affected by sodium valproate.
NHS England has commissioned the Fetal Exposure to Medicines Services Pilot, being delivered by the National Health Service in Newcastle and Manchester. The pilot provides multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment and is informing the development of improved care pathways, better coordination of care, and reduced reliance on emergency care. Findings from the pilot will inform future decisions on the commissioning of services, subject to funding.
The Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC), Dr Henrietta Hughes was also appointed in September 2022 by the Department to be the leading advocate for patients and drive forward improvements in the safety of medicines and medical devices, including sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.
The Government is considering the work done by the PSC and her report, which set out recommendations for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh.
The Government has deep sympathy for all those affected and recognises the profound impact that these harms have had on individuals and their families.
The Government has been clear that there must be meaningful progress on redress. We recognise how difficult this uncertainty is for those affected, and we will ensure that the public is kept informed on the progress of this important work.
My predecessor met with the PSC in December and had a very productive discussion about the ongoing health initiatives led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. Details of the Government’s work to date, and future plans, are set out in recent letters to the Dr Hughes, which are published on her website.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answers of 3 and 7 July 2025 to questions 62380 and 62381, what figures his Department used as the 31 March 2024 baselines to measure progress on reducing the number of adults (i) with a learning disability, including those who may also be autistic and (ii) who are autistic, with no learning disability, in mental health inpatient care based on Assuring Transformation data extracted from 31 March 2024.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The table attached presents an extract from the Assuring Transformation dataset, which shows the figures the Department uses as the 31 March 2024 baselines to measure progress on reducing the number of adults with a learning disability and autistic people in mental health inpatient care.
As Assuring Transformation is a live data collection system, late reporting will tend to increase the inpatient count when data are refreshed in subsequent months. The inpatient count in the latest month is therefore expected to rise and should be treated as provisional.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester 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 recent assessment concerning NHS contracts awarded to Palantir.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Privacy by design is a core principle of the NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP). NHS England constantly assesses privacy and data management through strict information governance processes detailed in the NHS Federated Data Platform Information Governance Framework. Data in the NHS FDP remains under National Health Service control at all times.
Palantir does not control the data in the platform, nor are they permitted to access, use, or share it for their own purposes.
The contract has strict stipulations about confidentiality, and there is governance in place to monitor delivery and usage. NHS England is the data controller of the national instance of the NHS FDP. Every hospital trust and integrated care board who has their own instance of the NHS FDP has complete control over who has access to their data platform.
NHS England maintains continuous monitoring of the NHS FDP contract, to ensure it meets expectations. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The NHS FDP programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes. NHS FDP’s whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.
The NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA’s latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. The report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025