Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many take-home naloxone kits were distributed by local authorities in England in 2023/2024.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Access to naloxone is vital to respond to the threat of synthetic opioids and to prevent drug related deaths. The Government has long supported expanded provision of naloxone, with guidance and funding, and this has contributed to a significant growth in the amount of naloxone available in the community to reverse opioid overdoses.
In England, take-home naloxone supply is recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, which drug and alcohol treatment services complete. It only records supply of take-home naloxone to people in registered treatment and does not record other people who may also be supplied with naloxone, like friends or family of people in treatment. Local authorities may also distribute naloxone via other routes besides substance misuse services.
We have recently published statistics on the distribution of naloxone to those in registered treatment from 2024 to 2025. The statistics can be found in the data tables in Table 1.7: naloxone distribution and use to reverse overdose, namely in Table 1.7a: naloxone issued, at the following link:
This is the first time that figures on the distribution of naloxone have been published and, therefore, trends in its distribution over time cannot yet be assessed. We intend to continue publishing statistics on naloxone distribution each year.
The Department launched a public consultation in December 2025 on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. As part of this consultation, we are proposing specific data reporting requirements to enable more consistent reporting across the United Kingdom on the supply of take-home naloxone. The consultation closes on the 9 March 2026.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many take-home naloxone kits were distributed by local authorities in England in 2024/2025.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Access to naloxone is vital to respond to the threat of synthetic opioids and to prevent drug related deaths. The Government has long supported expanded provision of naloxone, with guidance and funding, and this has contributed to a significant growth in the amount of naloxone available in the community to reverse opioid overdoses.
In England, take-home naloxone supply is recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, which drug and alcohol treatment services complete. It only records supply of take-home naloxone to people in registered treatment and does not record other people who may also be supplied with naloxone, like friends or family of people in treatment. Local authorities may also distribute naloxone via other routes besides substance misuse services.
We have recently published statistics on the distribution of naloxone to those in registered treatment from 2024 to 2025. The statistics can be found in the data tables in Table 1.7: naloxone distribution and use to reverse overdose, namely in Table 1.7a: naloxone issued, at the following link:
This is the first time that figures on the distribution of naloxone have been published and, therefore, trends in its distribution over time cannot yet be assessed. We intend to continue publishing statistics on naloxone distribution each year.
The Department launched a public consultation in December 2025 on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. As part of this consultation, we are proposing specific data reporting requirements to enable more consistent reporting across the United Kingdom on the supply of take-home naloxone. The consultation closes on the 9 March 2026.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an analysis of trends relating to the distribution of take home naloxone kits between 2022 and 2025.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Access to naloxone is vital to respond to the threat of synthetic opioids and to prevent drug related deaths. The Government has long supported expanded provision of naloxone, with guidance and funding, and this has contributed to a significant growth in the amount of naloxone available in the community to reverse opioid overdoses.
In England, take-home naloxone supply is recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, which drug and alcohol treatment services complete. It only records supply of take-home naloxone to people in registered treatment and does not record other people who may also be supplied with naloxone, like friends or family of people in treatment. Local authorities may also distribute naloxone via other routes besides substance misuse services.
We have recently published statistics on the distribution of naloxone to those in registered treatment from 2024 to 2025. The statistics can be found in the data tables in Table 1.7: naloxone distribution and use to reverse overdose, namely in Table 1.7a: naloxone issued, at the following link:
This is the first time that figures on the distribution of naloxone have been published and, therefore, trends in its distribution over time cannot yet be assessed. We intend to continue publishing statistics on naloxone distribution each year.
The Department launched a public consultation in December 2025 on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. As part of this consultation, we are proposing specific data reporting requirements to enable more consistent reporting across the United Kingdom on the supply of take-home naloxone. The consultation closes on the 9 March 2026.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many take-home naloxone kits were distributed by local authorities in England in 2022/2023.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Access to naloxone is vital to respond to the threat of synthetic opioids and to prevent drug related deaths. The Government has long supported expanded provision of naloxone, with guidance and funding, and this has contributed to a significant growth in the amount of naloxone available in the community to reverse opioid overdoses.
In England, take-home naloxone supply is recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, which drug and alcohol treatment services complete. It only records supply of take-home naloxone to people in registered treatment and does not record other people who may also be supplied with naloxone, like friends or family of people in treatment. Local authorities may also distribute naloxone via other routes besides substance misuse services.
We have recently published statistics on the distribution of naloxone to those in registered treatment from 2024 to 2025. The statistics can be found in the data tables in Table 1.7: naloxone distribution and use to reverse overdose, namely in Table 1.7a: naloxone issued, at the following link:
This is the first time that figures on the distribution of naloxone have been published and, therefore, trends in its distribution over time cannot yet be assessed. We intend to continue publishing statistics on naloxone distribution each year.
The Department launched a public consultation in December 2025 on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. As part of this consultation, we are proposing specific data reporting requirements to enable more consistent reporting across the United Kingdom on the supply of take-home naloxone. The consultation closes on the 9 March 2026.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
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 expand access to women's health hubs.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.
ICBs should take a neighbourhood approach to women’s healthcare, ensuring women can get the care they need regardless of whether they speak first to a general practice (GP), hospital, or other healthcare provider.
We are supporting ICBs to continue improving their delivery of neighbourhood women’s healthcare, in line with their responsibility to commission services that meet the needs of their local populations.
Neighbourhood women’s healthcare is delivered both by a range of providers and digitally, giving women access not just to GPs and community specialists in women’s health, but to other services include pelvic physiotherapists, pharmacies, and psychological support services. This builds on the successful pilot of women’s health hubs.
Outcomes in women’s health will be soon be shared with ICBs through a data dashboard so they can see how well they are meeting the needs of women in their population.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
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 impact of corridor care in Emergency Departments on patient safety, dignity, and clinical outcomes; and what actions are being taken to address the routine treatment of acutely ill patients in corridor settings.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The provision of clinical care in corridors is unacceptable, and we are committed to ending its practice in the National Health Service. Furthermore, our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 commits to publishing data on the prevalence of corridor care for the first time.
We recently published a clear definition of corridor care and based on this, will begin collecting data on its use across the NHS imminently. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on NHS England’s website from May 2026. In parallel, NHS England is also working with trusts to introduce new reporting arrangements on corridor care to improve transparency and support system-wide improvement.
We have also introduced new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff. This means that corridor care areas must uphold the same high standards of care for patients as those in planned clinical settings, with patients prioritised by clinical urgency. All patients should be risk‑assessed by senior clinicians at triage and monitored by named nurses.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to make accessing and understanding support for unpaid carers clear and transparent a) nationally and b) locally.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.
Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.
Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to support unpaid carers a) generally and b) specifically to remove barriers to accessing respite.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.
Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.
We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.
Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.
Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) neurologists, (b) geriatricians and (c) nurses there are working in the NHS who have specialist training in Parkinson’s.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the number of neurologists or geriatricians with specialist training in Parkinson’s disease working in the National Health Service in England. National workforce datasets do not record condition‑specific sub‑specialisms, and responsibility for determining local specialist workforce configurations rests with individual employers and integrated care boards (ICBs).
As of December 2025, there were 2,002 full‑time equivalent doctors in neurology and 6,318 in geriatric medicine working in NHS trusts and other organisations in England. These specialties include clinicians who provide care to people with Parkinson’s.
The Department does not hold a central count of the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed across the NHS in England. Workforce planning, including decisions about the number and type of specialist nurses needed locally, is the responsibility of individual employers and their ICBs, which are best placed to assess the needs of their populations.
We continue to work with NHS England through programmes like Getting It Right First Time to support improvements in access to specialist care. The Department has also established a United Kingdom‑wide Neuro Forum, which brings together governments, the NHS, the devolved administrations, and neurological alliances across the four nations to share best practice and address system-wide challenges, including workforce needs for conditions such as Parkinson’s.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
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 5 November 2025 to Question 86003, if his Department will commission a specific comparative review, in collaboration with the Medical Research Council, into the relative level of National Institute for Health and Care Research funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome compared with other long-term conditions.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not intend to commission a specific comparative review into the relative level of National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) or Medical Research Council funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), compared with other long-term conditions. We recognise that ME/CFS is an under-researched area, and we are committed to working with the ME/CFS community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting and funding more research and capacity-building programmes.
As outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, there has historically been a relatively low amount of biomedical research funded on ME/CFS, compared with disease burden. Our efforts are focussed on delivering the actions outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan to support and increase research in this area. Since our answer to Question 86003, we have hosted a showcase on post‑acute infection conditions, bringing together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and funders to stimulate further research. A summary of this showcase has been published on NIHR Open Research. We have also made progress with our new funding opportunity for development awards focussed on the feasibility of a phase 2 platform clinical trial. This would test multiple repurposed pharmaceutical interventions and/or non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of post-viral conditions including ME/CFS. The committee will now consider the applications, and shortlisting decisions will be shared with the researchers in March.