Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Care if he will bring forward proposals for reducing hospital waiting lists in Cumbria.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people across all regions, including Cumbria.
Work to reduce waiting lists in Cumbria is already underway, with the National Health Service implementing the Elective Reform Plan to increase capacity and improve patient access as quickly as possible.
The region of Cumbria is covered by two integrated care boards (ICBs). The NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is reducing waiting times in the Cumbria region through a dedicated programme on referral and demand management. It is also transforming care pathways to ensure patients receive high-quality treatment in the most appropriate setting, prioritising community and neighbourhood care to reduce hospital pressures.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB is also implementing a range of demand management strategies to reduce waiting lists in Cumbria. These include redesigning outpatient pathways with community-based services, virtual clinics, straight-to-test models, and focusing on one-stop clinics. It is also prioritising workforce training to improve referral quality, and meeting regularly with the trust to monitor progress towards meeting the constitutional standard.
As of August 2025, 18-week Referral-to-Treatment performance for the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB was 60.7% and for the NHS North East And North Cumbria ICB was 70.2%.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide additional funding for social care services to help support patients to (a) leave hospitals and (b) be treated at home.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring that people can leave hospital promptly and receive care in their own homes where appropriate.
For 2025/26 approximately £9 billion has been made available through the Better Care Fund (BCF) to enable integrated care boards and local authorities to deliver better joined-up care. One of the objectives of the BCF is to support the shift of services from hospital to home.
From 2026/27, the BCF will be reformed to provide consistent joint funding for services that are essential for integrated health and social care, including rehabilitation and recovery support.