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 impact of improving access to healthy food on NHS waiting lists.

Poor diet and obesity are major drivers of physical and mental ill health. No assessment has been made to date to specifically assess the impact of improving access to healthy food on National Health Service waiting lists, however shifting the focus from treatment to prevention is one of the three shifts for the Government’s mission for an NHS fit for the future, and is a cornerstone of supporting people to live healthier lives.