Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will put in place (a) employment protections and (b) transition arrangements for long-serving NHS clinical staff being moved into civil service contracts as part of the NHS England restructure.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, or equivalent mechanisms such as the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice, are designed to safeguard employees’ rights during transfers between employers. Employment protections and transition arrangements for NHS England employees will be put in place based on these schemes.
The Department and NHS England are working closely together to identify differences in employment terms and conditions. Where changes are likely to affect staff transferring into the Department, these will be included in formal measures for consultation. This will be communicated once we are in a position to do so.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to (a) monitor and (b) mitigate the potential impact of the NHS England restructuring on the mental health of affected staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues while delivering the changes needed for the future of NHS England is a key priority for NHS England. NHS England has designed and implemented an equity-focused support package which has been shaped and informed jointly with staff networks, representative of the diversity of the organisation, trade unions, and health and safety representatives to meet the diverse needs of colleagues in the organisation. The support includes:
- dedicated mental health resources through the Employee Assistance Programme, with confidential counselling, and occupational health and wellbeing services available to all staff;
- inclusive guidance for line managers to help them identify and respond to wellbeing concerns in a way that is sensitive to individual circumstances, including those related to protected characteristics and personal responsibilities; and
- targeted support for staff networks and underrepresented groups, ensuring that voices from across NHS England’s organisation are heard and supported during this transition.
NHS England is actively monitoring the impact of change through multiple feedback channels, including the annual staff survey, engagement forums, Health and Safety Committee staff network, and recognised trade union forums, as well as through sickness absence, and direct feedback mechanisms.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 the NHS England restructuring on (a) disabled, (b) neurodiverse, (c) female and (d) non-British staff.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has established processes and practices which will enable it to assess the impact of the proposed changes on disabled, neurodiverse, female, and non-British staff at a detailed level, at the appropriate stage of the transformation programme.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 making the NHS the preferred provider for commissioned healthcare services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s ambition, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is to increasingly put power into patients’ hands themselves so they can personalise their National Health Service care to their individual needs, choices, and preferences.
More broadly, the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 provide a proportionate framework under which NHS commissioners consider the most appropriate approach in awarding contracts to healthcare providers. The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 are available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1348/contents/made
Further information on the selection processes is available at the following link:
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 address delays by NHS Pensions in contacting retired NHS staff with letters detailing settlements; and what new deadlines are being set for letters to be sent to each cohort.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the importance of giving members of the NHS Pension Scheme certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remedy.
I have commissioned the independent Chair of the NHS Pension Scheme Pension Board to lead a review of the NHS Business Services Authority’s (NHS BSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members. This review is well underway. It will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHS BSA’s delivery plan for the remaining statements.
I expect to be in a position to provide the House with a fuller update on the remedy replan and the review of this in good time before Christmas recess.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 his proposals to make Integrated Care Boards strategic commissioners of local health services on (a) the level of fertility services and (b) access to fertility services for LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.
Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services including the issues for LGBTQ people.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263/consultation/html-content-2
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board on the reduction of the number of IVF cycles offered.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on the revised guidelines was published on 10 September 2025, and is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263/consultation/html-content-2
In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects NICE to complete its review into guideline on the management of fertility problems.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is consulting on its updated draft guideline on Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. The consultation closes on 21 October 2025.
NICE currently expects to publish its final updated recommendations on 19 March 2026. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS (BACME) on the geographical availability of regional specialist services for ME/CFS; and if he will undertake a mapping exercise to list the areas that (a) are and (b) are not covered.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A stocktake of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), services was concluded by NHS England in December 2024. Although not all integrated care boards responded to the survey, the stocktake did show variation in models across England.
Departmental officials will continue to work with the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS on the implementation of the final ME/CFS delivery plan, which was published in July.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with Sussex ICB on the reduction of the number of IVF cycles they offer.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate.
In light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.