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 guidance her Department provides to NHS trusts on support for staff who report incidents of violence or aggression, including access to occupational health, counselling and time off.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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 steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of violence and aggression against staff working in emergency departments.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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 she has asked NICE to review the position of nabiximols in the treatment pathway for MS-related spasticity, including its use earlier in the pathway.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Nabiximols is the United States Adopted Name for the medication marketed as Sativex (dronabinol/cannabidiol) and licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
The attached table shows the number of identifiable patients who were prescribed Sativex in the community in England by integrated care board in each financial year from 2023 to 2026 and from April 2026 to June 2026. The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold information on patient condition or reasons for why Sativex has been prescribed.
The Department has made no assessment of the levels of variation in access to Sativex for multiple-sclerosis related spasticity. National Health Service commissioners are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines fully into account in ensuring that services meet the needs of their local populations. NICE keeps its guidelines under review and would consider the need to update its recommendations on Sativex in light of any new evidence.
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 her Department has made of trends in the level of regional variation in access to nabiximols for MS-related spasticity since NICE guideline NG144 was published.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Nabiximols is the United States Adopted Name for the medication marketed as Sativex (dronabinol/cannabidiol) and licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
The attached table shows the number of identifiable patients who were prescribed Sativex in the community in England by integrated care board in each financial year from 2023 to 2026 and from April 2026 to June 2026. The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold information on patient condition or reasons for why Sativex has been prescribed.
The Department has made no assessment of the levels of variation in access to Sativex for multiple-sclerosis related spasticity. National Health Service commissioners are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines fully into account in ensuring that services meet the needs of their local populations. NICE keeps its guidelines under review and would consider the need to update its recommendations on Sativex in light of any new evidence.
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 steps she is taking to ensure integrated care boards commission nabiximols in line with NICE guideline NG144.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Nabiximols is the United States Adopted Name for the medication marketed as Sativex (dronabinol/cannabidiol) and licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
The attached table shows the number of identifiable patients who were prescribed Sativex in the community in England by integrated care board in each financial year from 2023 to 2026 and from April 2026 to June 2026. The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold information on patient condition or reasons for why Sativex has been prescribed.
The Department has made no assessment of the levels of variation in access to Sativex for multiple-sclerosis related spasticity. National Health Service commissioners are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines fully into account in ensuring that services meet the needs of their local populations. NICE keeps its guidelines under review and would consider the need to update its recommendations on Sativex in light of any new evidence.
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 patients with multiple sclerosis were prescribed nabiximols on the NHS in England in each of the last three years by integrated care board.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Nabiximols is the United States Adopted Name for the medication marketed as Sativex (dronabinol/cannabidiol) and licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
The attached table shows the number of identifiable patients who were prescribed Sativex in the community in England by integrated care board in each financial year from 2023 to 2026 and from April 2026 to June 2026. The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold information on patient condition or reasons for why Sativex has been prescribed.
The Department has made no assessment of the levels of variation in access to Sativex for multiple-sclerosis related spasticity. National Health Service commissioners are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines fully into account in ensuring that services meet the needs of their local populations. NICE keeps its guidelines under review and would consider the need to update its recommendations on Sativex in light of any new evidence.
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 plans to review the current criteria for medical exemption certificates for prescription charges to include endometriosis.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 August 2026 in response to Question 18253.
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