Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
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 offering electrocardiogram screening to under 35s.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government recognises how worrying heart health can be for the families of young people. The National Health Service already offers cardiac tests for young people who present with symptoms that could indicate a cardiac issue.
In considering whether any screening programme should be introduced, the Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. Where the committee is confident that offering screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.
In 2019, the UK NSC reviewed screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 39 years old. The conclusion of that review was that population screening should not be offered, as research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use on young people with no symptoms.
Last month the UK NSC opened a public consultation to seek comments from members of the public and stakeholders on screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death. The consultation is open till 31 August, and we encourage those with an interest to contribute, at the following link:
https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS Greater Manchester ICB.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board has established nine women’s health hubs.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the estimated total cost to the NHS was of providing free NHS dental treatment in England under maternity exemption rules in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The cost of treatment is an estimated total of how much patients with an exemption would have paid if they were not exempt. This cost has not been collected from patients.
The data is published by the NHS Business Services Authority and is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS Low Income Scheme certificates (HC2 and HC3) were used to access free or reduced NHS dental treatment in England in each of the last five years; and the associated cost of these exemptions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Data on NHS Low Income Scheme certificates is published by the NHS Business Services Authority and is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data NHS England holds on Community Dental Service activity and referral waiting times for patients with complex neurological conditions, including epilepsy.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Data is not held on Community Dental Service (CDS) activity and referral waiting times for patients with complex neurological conditions, including epilepsy.
We recognise that certain groups of patients may be particularly vulnerable to oral health problems and may find it difficult to access dental care. Specialised dental services are in place to provide dental treatment and are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs).
The January 2025 Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) report on Community Dental Services (CDS) highlighted several known challenges in the operation and monitoring of CDS and offered recommendations for improvements. The majority of recommendations in the GIRFT report related to operational considerations for individual ICBs to address, which varies according to local arrangements, priorities, and needs.
NHS England and the Department have taken the recommendations on board and are working to improve the data reporting process to increase oversight of CDS activity, including current waiting lists and performance reporting. An amended waiting list data collection was implemented in August 2025 and will improve oversight of the current waiting lists and waiting times for adults and children.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve collaboration between adult social care and voluntary sector homelessness services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
Local authorities and integrated care boards share responsibility for undertaking a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), working through health and wellbeing boards, to assess current and future health and social care needs. This assessment then informs the commissioning and delivery of health and care services. Guidance on JSNAs makes clear that they should cover the needs of vulnerable groups, including homeless people.
More broadly, the Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to deliver on the ambitions set out in the National Plan to End Homelessness. This includes a commitment that no one eligible for homelessness assistance is discharged to the street after a hospital stay.
In addition, we have established a new national adult safeguarding board in response to Baroness Casey’s adult social care reform recommendations. One of the initial priorities of this board is to update the Care Act statutory guidance on adult safeguarding to drive better multi-agency implementation and practice across a wide range of issues, including homelessness.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential fiscal cost of introducing a medical exemption from NHS dental charges for the repair of teeth damaged by epileptic seizures.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
NHS England's Dental Record Keeping Standards states that every clinical record should include the patient's presenting complaint and diagnosis, with the diagnosis expected to include the underlying cause. These standards apply to the recording of dental conditions generally, including cases where the presentation is due to underlying trauma.
Where a patient presents with dental trauma linked to epilepsy, the seizure-related cause would be expected to be recorded in the same way a clinician would record the cause of any other dental injury or condition. There are no current plans to introduce a separate recording category for seizure-related trauma, as the existing standards already require the underlying cause to be captured as part of the diagnosis. Further information can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England requires dental clinics to record the underlying medical cause of traumatic dental injuries in patient datasets; and what plans he has to introduce a specific recording category for seizure-related dental trauma.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
NHS England's Dental Record Keeping Standards states that every clinical record should include the patient's presenting complaint and diagnosis, with the diagnosis expected to include the underlying cause. These standards apply to the recording of dental conditions generally, including cases where the presentation is due to underlying trauma.
Where a patient presents with dental trauma linked to epilepsy, the seizure-related cause would be expected to be recorded in the same way a clinician would record the cause of any other dental injury or condition. There are no current plans to introduce a separate recording category for seizure-related trauma, as the existing standards already require the underlying cause to be captured as part of the diagnosis. Further information can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Recommendation 9 (d) of the Infected Blood Inquiry report, what progress his Department has made on establishing functioning multi-disciplinary networks.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
It is crucial we protect the safety of haemophilia care, and the Government is committed to implementing recommendation 9 of the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry report.
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as haemophilia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community: these include getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities.
Regarding 9d, the Clinical Community and the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Blood Disorders support the need to develop and strengthen multi-disciplinary networks. NHS England has drafted a proposed National Clinical Network Specification specifically for these networks, which is dependent on additional funding and would embed key new requirements for providers to participate in a networked model of care.
For 9f, NHS England currently provides ‘central’ funding of approximately 40% of the total annual cost for running the National Haemophilia Database. A task and finish group relating to the database has been established, reporting into the overarching recommendation 9 expert group.
As of February 2026, stakeholders involved in the recommendation 9f working group are in agreement that the registry has been and remains immensely valuable in supporting the provision of clinical care. NHS England continues to work with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation to understand the requirement for increased funding.
Further progress on implementing recommendation 9 is subject to additional funding, and this has not yet been identified. NHS England and the Department will continue to work together to provide progress updates on the Government Reporting Integration Platform.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Recommendation 9(f) of the Infected Blood Inquiry report, what consideration has been given to providing additional funding for the national haemophilia database.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
It is crucial we protect the safety of haemophilia care, and the Government is committed to implementing recommendation 9 of the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry report.
The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as haemophilia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community: these include getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities.
Regarding 9d, the Clinical Community and the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Blood Disorders support the need to develop and strengthen multi-disciplinary networks. NHS England has drafted a proposed National Clinical Network Specification specifically for these networks, which is dependent on additional funding and would embed key new requirements for providers to participate in a networked model of care.
For 9f, NHS England currently provides ‘central’ funding of approximately 40% of the total annual cost for running the National Haemophilia Database. A task and finish group relating to the database has been established, reporting into the overarching recommendation 9 expert group.
As of February 2026, stakeholders involved in the recommendation 9f working group are in agreement that the registry has been and remains immensely valuable in supporting the provision of clinical care. NHS England continues to work with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation to understand the requirement for increased funding.
Further progress on implementing recommendation 9 is subject to additional funding, and this has not yet been identified. NHS England and the Department will continue to work together to provide progress updates on the Government Reporting Integration Platform.