Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of implementing a Modern Service Framework for musculoskeletal conditions.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Everyone in the NHS is responsible for delivering high-quality care. As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as an overall quality strategy, the National Quality Board will oversee the development of a new series of service frameworks to accelerate progress in conditions where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.

Early priorities will include CVD, mental health and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia. The Government will consider other long-term conditions with significant health and economic impacts for future waves of Modern Service Frameworks.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department plans to provide for the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages courses in the West Midlands Combined Authority area in 2025-2026.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Home Office does not fund Mayoral Combined Authorities for provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Please refer to the response dated 4^th July from my Ministerial colleague in the Department for Education, Janet Daby MP, the Minister for Children and Families, for more detail on how ESOL is funded [UIN 63247].

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the guidance on Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 to ensure clarity and consistency for NHS Trusts engaged in developing digital health initiatives; and if he will take steps to engage citizens and stakeholders on this matter to enhance transparency and trust in NHS data practices.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Since May 2024, the Department and NHS England have been delivering a national programme of public engagement on health and social care data. To date, over 8,600 members of the public have been engaged. The aim is to understand people’s views on how their data is used and improve trust in NHS uses of data.

The reports from the first two cohorts are available at the following link: https://transform.england.nhs.uk/key-tools-and-info/data-saves-lives/national-public-engagement-on-the-use-of-health-data/

The recommendations from this public engagement are being used to shape a planned public consultation with a view to making new regulations under section 251 of the NHS Act 2006, on the control of patient information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help ensure digital health services are accessible for patients in the most disadvantaged areas; and in what way he plans to support vulnerable communities with enhanced digital health resources in Dudley constituency.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are using technology to help health and care professionals communicate better and enable people to access the care they need quickly and easily, when it suits them. Dudley Council is implementing digital technologies to support person-centred care, increase connectivity, reduce loneliness, and promote independence through the use of everyday technology.

The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust also aims to empower communities, provide access to health services, and improve overall outcomes through its digital strategy. Success is gauged through metrics like enhanced employee productivity, the successful upgrade of equipment, and the overall satisfaction and engagement of citizens with digital platforms.

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust uses the Allscripts Sunrise Electronic Patient Record system, which was deployed in May 2018 to consolidate patient information into a single digital platform.

Patients are able to access NHS services, such as requesting GP appointments, managing secondary care appointments and NHS111 online through local online tools and the NHS App (which can also be accessed through a web browser). The NHS App is designed to meet international accessibility standards, and the services are routinely tested with a range of people with accessibility issues. However, digital health tools are part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services.

NHS England has also published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All digital programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.

We have also recruited over 2,000 NHS App ambassadors and 1,400 libraries to help people to learn how to use the NHS App.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timeline is for implementing digital transformation initiatives in the Dudley area; and what metrics he will use to measure success.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are using technology to help health and care professionals communicate better and enable people to access the care they need quickly and easily, when it suits them. Dudley Council is implementing digital technologies to support person-centred care, increase connectivity, reduce loneliness, and promote independence through the use of everyday technology.

The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust also aims to empower communities, provide access to health services, and improve overall outcomes through its digital strategy. Success is gauged through metrics like enhanced employee productivity, the successful upgrade of equipment, and the overall satisfaction and engagement of citizens with digital platforms.

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust uses the Allscripts Sunrise Electronic Patient Record system, which was deployed in May 2018 to consolidate patient information into a single digital platform.

Patients are able to access NHS services, such as requesting GP appointments, managing secondary care appointments and NHS111 online through local online tools and the NHS App (which can also be accessed through a web browser). The NHS App is designed to meet international accessibility standards, and the services are routinely tested with a range of people with accessibility issues. However, digital health tools are part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services.

NHS England has also published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All digital programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.

We have also recruited over 2,000 NHS App ambassadors and 1,400 libraries to help people to learn how to use the NHS App.

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar

Found: Griffiths (Conservative, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (added 5 Mar 2025) 3 of 5 (60.0%) Sonia Kumar

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Found: the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Sonia Kumar

Submit Evidence (by 14 Nov 2025)

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