Found: This guidance supports general practitioners (GPs) to fulfil their contractual requirement around the

Found: , Br itish Medical Association Professional Fees Committee and Dr Mark Sanford-Wood, Deputy Chair, General

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring people with lung conditions are given an annual (a) review and (b) medication check.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Annual reviews, including reviews of medication, play a key role in the ongoing management of people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). They are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), playing a core part in its guidance for the diagnosis and management of asthma and COPD. Further information on the NICE’s guidance for the diagnosis and management asthma and COPD is available respectively at the following two links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng80

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng115

The majority of patients with COPD and asthma are managed by general practitioners and members of the primary care team, with onward referrals to secondary care where required, and so the provision of annual reviews is incentivised in primary care through the Quality and Outcomes Framework. There are specific indicators for annual reviews for both COPD and asthma within this framework, specifically sections COPD010 and AST007. The Quality and outcomes framework guidance for 2024/25 is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/quality-and-outcomes-framework-guidance-for-2024-25/

The NICE is currently reviewing its guideline for the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of chronic asthma, and an updated version is due to be published in November 2024. Based on the draft that has been published for consultation, we anticipate annual reviews will remain a recommended core component of the ongoing management of people with asthma.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the condition of the general practice estate; and what additional investment his Department intends to make in the general practice estate.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has undertaken an exercise to gather information on the primary care estate which provides a thorough understanding of the age, condition, quality, utilisation, and ownership of the estate, allowing us to estimate and calculate the requirement for investment.

NHS England remains committed to continuing to invest in capital estates both nationally and locally through integrated care boards, to improve capacity and environments for general practitioners and their patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve access to GP appointments in (a) Epping Forest constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that patients across the country are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and are already investing £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs. This will increase the number of GP appointments delivered, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Additionally, we will introduce Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.

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 (a) help prevent burnout and (b) increase the capacity of postgraduate GP trainers.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play, and we are determined to address the issues they face. We recognise that burnout among postgraduate GP trainers is a risk that needs to be tackled, as highlighted in the General Medical Council’s National Trainer Survey. We will continue to work with the National Health Service and profession to understand how we can help GPs and improve their working environment.

The Government is committed to reducing bureaucracy and paperwork for GPs, an intention we stated at the Royal College of General Practitioners Annual Conference earlier this month. This will be an important step in reducing burnout risk, which is often reported to be due to workload challenges.

NHS England is working to expand GP trainer numbers in addition to the number of trainees, and has made changes to the delivery of GP specialty training to better support trainees and to support trainers and educators, such as piloting blended learning and standardising entry and approval requirements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the processes for supporting patients presenting to General Practitioners with mental health disorders attributable to gambling.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to supporting improvements to the existing treatment system, ensuring people experiencing gambling-related harm are able to access the right care at the right time.

NHS England now operates 15 specialist gambling treatment clinics, up from two in 2019, with representation across every region in England. Through these clinics, the National Health Service has capacity to treat up to 3,000 people experiencing gambling-related harms each year.

General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.

The NICE is currently developing a gambling-related harms guideline, focused on identification, assessment, and management of people who may be harmed by gambling. Publication is expected later this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of GPs in Stratford and Bow constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are working to increase the general practice (GP) workforce in England, including in the Stratford and Bow constituency. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice.

NHS England is working to address training bottlenecks so the health service has enough staff for the future, and we will provide £82 million to fund the recruitment of over 1,000 newly qualified GPs, via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, so patients can get the care they need.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a maximum number of appointments each GP can undertake in one day.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play, and GPs are delivering more appointments than ever before. No evaluation has been conducted to determine the merits of introducing a maximum number of appointments each GP can undertake. GPs are independent businesses who are contracted by National Health Service commissioners to perform essential medical services. As a result, individual practices are responsible for the daily operations of their business outside of their contractual obligations, including determining the number of clinics and appointments offered to patients. This is because each practice is best placed to understand their own workforce and workloads.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for implementation of the review by Lord Darzi entitled Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England, published on 12 September 2024.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Lord Darzi’s full report has laid bare the true extent of the challenges facing our health service, giving us the frank assessment necessary to face these problems honestly and properly and do the hard work required to fix them. Lord Darzi’s findings will inform our 10-year plan to radically reform the National Health Service and build a health service that is fit for the future.

The plan will consider the change needed to meet the three health mission goals; a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer, an NHS that is there when people need it, and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers. This is a long-term challenge and will take time to deliver, and so the plan will consider both what immediate actions are needed to get the NHS back on its feet and bring waiting lists down, as well as the longer-term changes needed to make the health service fit for the future.

Alongside the 10-year health plan we are also taking action to address immediate challenges in the health service, such as hiring a thousand more general practitioners and ending junior doctor strikes. We have also committed to cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments every week, double the number of cancer scanners, develop a new Dentistry Rescue Plan, hire 8,500 additional mental health staff, and ensure the return of the family doctor.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to GP services in Gosport constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that patients across the country, including in the Gosport constituency, are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and are already investing £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Additionally, we will introduce Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish a strategy for ensuring people living with (a) Crohn’s disease and (b) other forms of inflammatory bowel disease are able to access treatment in a timely manner.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme on gastroenterology aims to reduce variations in care, increase early diagnosis and proactive management of Crohn’s disease and colitis, and increase access to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialist nurses. The National institute for Health and Care Excellence has also produced a range of guidance on IBD, and Crohn’s disease and colitis, to support early diagnosis and effective management of these conditions. It ensures that the care provided to people with IBD is based on the best available evidence. In the last two years, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended four new drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, including Upadacitinib, Risankizumab, Mirikizumab, and Etrasimod.

NHS England’s National Bladder and Bowel Health Project is delivering better care for people with IBD, with a focus on developing clinical pathways. NHS England commissions specialised colorectal services nationally to support equity of access to high-quality treatment for patients with IBD requiring complex surgery. This work is supported within NHS England by the clinical leadership of the Specialised Colorectal Services Clinical Reference Group, which is made up of experts in surgery, medicine, radiology, pathology, and nursing, alongside patient and public voice representatives.

To raise awareness of IBD among general practitioners and other primary care staff, the Royal College of General Practitioners has produced an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Toolkit. The toolkit outlines when to suspect IBD, the appropriate investigative tests and diagnostic tools for IBD, how to manage a flare-up of symptoms and how to support patients with IBD.

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 estimate of the additional resources needed by general practice to meet patient demand in 2024-2025.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform, and our 10-Year Health Plan will outline steps to shift care from hospitals back to the community, as well as the move to Neighbourhood Health Services which will bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.

Additionally, we will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and are already investing £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs in 2024/25. We will also train more doctors which will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, as well as take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of GPs in Leicester.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are working to increase the general practice (GP) workforce across England, including in Leicester. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice.

NHS England has allocated £1.9 million of emergency short-term funding this year for the recruitment of newly qualified GPs in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) has communicated the available funding for additional resource to each Primary Care Network, with guidance on how it can be most effectively used across the ICB area.

In order to offer wider opportunities beyond the standard recruitment platforms, the LLR ICB is also enabling its GPs to widen their candidate search by utilising the LLR Local Medical Committee’s recruitment channel. The ICB continues to work closely with NHS England Workforce Training and Education to ensure they maximise the number of GP trainees that they take in LLR, which also helps with longer term recruitment and retention.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) experienced GPs not covered by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme and (b) other GPs to find employment.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We remain committed to growing the number of doctors in general practice (GP) and we are working to increase the GP workforce in England.

NHS England is working to address training bottlenecks so the health service has enough staff for the future, and we will provide £82 million to fund the recruitment of over 1,000 newly qualified GPs, via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, so patients can get the care they need. GPs are self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, and it is largely up to employers to determine how best to staff their Primary Care Network or GP to best meet the needs of their population.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand longitudinal studies, like AlzEye, which use linked healthcare datasets, to enhance public health efforts in detecting early signs of neurological and systemic diseases through non-invasive tests such as retinal scans.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want a society where every person, including those with neurodegenerative conditions, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care, with their families and carers supported. Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department is also investing in research on novel means of detecting neurodegenerative diseases. For example, the NIHR has invested almost £11 million to fund six projects to improve diagnosis in dementia until 2028.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurological and systemic diseases.

To improve secure access to linked health datasets across the National Health Service in England, the Government and NHS England are investing in a network of Secure Data Environments in England at a national and regional level, through the data for Research and Development programme. The Data for R&D Programme also funds the NHS DigiTrials service, which supports both clinical trials and cohort studies to recruit and follow up on consented participants, supporting the Our Future Health Study to recruit over 1.5 million participants.

The Government is supporting the work of studies of patients who have consented to share their detailed health information for longitudinal research; the Secretary of State has announced his intention to direct NHS England to improve the way data can be made to studies where patients have consented to share it for research.

There is currently no NHS screening programme for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases; therefore, there are no plans to facilitate the integration of eye scan technology into screening for dementia.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) last review in 2019 recommended not to screen for dementia as the there were no screening tests which could find people with dementia before they show symptoms, and there was no evidence that current treatments for dementia were effective.

The UK NSC has commissioned an evidence map to determine the volume and type of evidence available on the accuracy of screening tests used to detect mild cognitive impairment and/or any type of dementia, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions offered to treat asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic adults with either condition.

The ability of optometrists to detect neurodegenerative conditions is not yet fully developed and therefore there are no plans in place to encourage collaboration between optometrists and general practitioners to streamline early diagnosis of such conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they plan to provide to facilitate the integration of eye scan technologies, like those used in the AlzEye study, into routine NHS screening programmes for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want a society where every person, including those with neurodegenerative conditions, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care, with their families and carers supported. Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department is also investing in research on novel means of detecting neurodegenerative diseases. For example, the NIHR has invested almost £11 million to fund six projects to improve diagnosis in dementia until 2028.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurological and systemic diseases.

To improve secure access to linked health datasets across the National Health Service in England, the Government and NHS England are investing in a network of Secure Data Environments in England at a national and regional level, through the data for Research and Development programme. The Data for R&D Programme also funds the NHS DigiTrials service, which supports both clinical trials and cohort studies to recruit and follow up on consented participants, supporting the Our Future Health Study to recruit over 1.5 million participants.

The Government is supporting the work of studies of patients who have consented to share their detailed health information for longitudinal research; the Secretary of State has announced his intention to direct NHS England to improve the way data can be made to studies where patients have consented to share it for research.

There is currently no NHS screening programme for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases; therefore, there are no plans to facilitate the integration of eye scan technology into screening for dementia.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) last review in 2019 recommended not to screen for dementia as the there were no screening tests which could find people with dementia before they show symptoms, and there was no evidence that current treatments for dementia were effective.

The UK NSC has commissioned an evidence map to determine the volume and type of evidence available on the accuracy of screening tests used to detect mild cognitive impairment and/or any type of dementia, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions offered to treat asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic adults with either condition.

The ability of optometrists to detect neurodegenerative conditions is not yet fully developed and therefore there are no plans in place to encourage collaboration between optometrists and general practitioners to streamline early diagnosis of such conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what strategies are in place to encourage collaboration between optometrists and GPs to streamline the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative conditions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want a society where every person, including those with neurodegenerative conditions, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care, with their families and carers supported. Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department is also investing in research on novel means of detecting neurodegenerative diseases. For example, the NIHR has invested almost £11 million to fund six projects to improve diagnosis in dementia until 2028.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurological and systemic diseases.

To improve secure access to linked health datasets across the National Health Service in England, the Government and NHS England are investing in a network of Secure Data Environments in England at a national and regional level, through the data for Research and Development programme. The Data for R&D Programme also funds the NHS DigiTrials service, which supports both clinical trials and cohort studies to recruit and follow up on consented participants, supporting the Our Future Health Study to recruit over 1.5 million participants.

The Government is supporting the work of studies of patients who have consented to share their detailed health information for longitudinal research; the Secretary of State has announced his intention to direct NHS England to improve the way data can be made to studies where patients have consented to share it for research.

There is currently no NHS screening programme for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases; therefore, there are no plans to facilitate the integration of eye scan technology into screening for dementia.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) last review in 2019 recommended not to screen for dementia as the there were no screening tests which could find people with dementia before they show symptoms, and there was no evidence that current treatments for dementia were effective.

The UK NSC has commissioned an evidence map to determine the volume and type of evidence available on the accuracy of screening tests used to detect mild cognitive impairment and/or any type of dementia, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions offered to treat asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic adults with either condition.

The ability of optometrists to detect neurodegenerative conditions is not yet fully developed and therefore there are no plans in place to encourage collaboration between optometrists and general practitioners to streamline early diagnosis of such conditions.

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 increase the number of qualified GPs working in the NHS; and if he will make an estimate of what the proportional change in the number of qualified GPs working in the NHS will be by 2036.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are working to increase the general practice (GP) workforce in England. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice.

NHS England is working to address training bottlenecks so the health service has enough staff for the future, and we will provide £82 million to fund the recruitment of over 1,000 newly qualified GPs, via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, so patients can get the care they need.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full-time equivalent GPs were working in South Holland and the Deepings constituency on 7 October 2024.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As of 31 August 2024, the latest period for which data is available, South Holland and the Deepings constituency had 44 full-time equivalent (FTE) fully qualified general practitioners and 70 FTE doctors in general practice, including trainees.

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 improve patient access to primary care in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to fixing the crisis in primary care to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service and increase access to local services across the country.

We are also committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier. We will trial Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring together a range of services under one roof, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the care they deserve.

We have pledged to train thousands more general practitioners (GPs) to increase capacity, and additional funding of £82 million has now been made available to include newly qualified GPs in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme over 2024/25.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of what the average time was to diagnose pancreatic cancer in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is working with NHS England to deliver interventions to improve outcomes for those with pancreatic cancer across England, including Cheshire and mid-Cheshire.

Early diagnosis is imperative to improving outcomes for all types of cancer, especially pancreatic due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. As the first step to ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment, we will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week.

For pancreatic cancer specifically, NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer. NHS England is additionally creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms and is increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests.

NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer, aiming to provide regular and timely evidence to cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, to increase the consistency of access to treatments and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients.

Information on the average time to diagnose pancreatic cancer in Chester, Cheshire and England is not available in the format requested.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve outcomes for patients who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is working with NHS England to deliver interventions to improve outcomes for those with pancreatic cancer across England, including Cheshire and mid-Cheshire.

Early diagnosis is imperative to improving outcomes for all types of cancer, especially pancreatic due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. As the first step to ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment, we will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week.

For pancreatic cancer specifically, NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer. NHS England is additionally creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms and is increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests.

NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer, aiming to provide regular and timely evidence to cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, to increase the consistency of access to treatments and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients.

Information on the average time to diagnose pancreatic cancer in Chester, Cheshire and England is not available in the format requested.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the early (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of pancreatic cancer in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is working with NHS England to deliver interventions to improve outcomes for those with pancreatic cancer across England, including Cheshire and mid-Cheshire.

Early diagnosis is imperative to improving outcomes for all types of cancer, especially pancreatic due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. As the first step to ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment, we will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week.

For pancreatic cancer specifically, NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer. NHS England is additionally creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms and is increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests.

NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer, aiming to provide regular and timely evidence to cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, to increase the consistency of access to treatments and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients.

Information on the average time to diagnose pancreatic cancer in Chester, Cheshire and England is not available in the format requested.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the symptoms of Chiari malformation with NHS practitioners.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition and referral of suspected neurological conditions, which was last updated in October 2023. This guideline covers the initial assessment of symptoms and signs that might indicate a neurological condition, such as Chiari malformation. It helps non-specialist healthcare professionals to identify people who should be offered referral for specialist investigation.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has also produced an e-learning module on the recognition and referral of suspected neurological conditions, to raise awareness of these conditions and their associated symptoms amongst general practitioners.

At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions such as Chiari malformation, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Service Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically-led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients are aware of the right to choose medical care.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to putting patients back at the heart of care. This includes supporting a patient’s right to choose, if they wish, where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient. Further details for patients are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework/the-nhs-choice-framework-what-choices-are-available-to-me-in-the-nhs

The Department is working closely with NHS England on plans for targeted support starting in the most disadvantaged areas. General practitioners (GPs) can see waiting time information for different providers displayed as part of the e-Referral Service. GPs and patients can also use the Manage Your Referral service, allowing patients to make an informed choice of provider online or through the NHS App following their appointment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that General Practitioners are (a) aware of and (b) able to communicate effectively the right for patients to choose medical care.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to putting patients back at the heart of care. This includes supporting a patient’s right to choose, if they wish, where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient. Further details for patients are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework/the-nhs-choice-framework-what-choices-are-available-to-me-in-the-nhs

The Department is working closely with NHS England on plans for targeted support starting in the most disadvantaged areas. General practitioners (GPs) can see waiting time information for different providers displayed as part of the e-Referral Service. GPs and patients can also use the Manage Your Referral service, allowing patients to make an informed choice of provider online or through the NHS App following their appointment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to raise awareness of the symptoms of migraines.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guideline, Headaches: Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults, updated in December 2021, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people who suffer from headaches, including migraines. It aims to improve the recognition and management of headaches and migraines.

NHS RightCare has also produced a Headache and Migraine Toolkit. The toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraines, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders. Additionally, Getting It Right First Time for Neurology published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving recognition and diagnosis of migraines by general practitioners.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed two e-learning modules about migraine and cluster headaches, which aim to raise awareness amongst primary care clinicians about the different types of migraine and their associated symptoms, and how to differentiate between them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of covid-19 related deaths in the last year.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From the week commencing 6 October 2023 to week commencing 20 September 2024, there have been an estimated 9,972 deaths from COVID-19, as measured by death registrations with COVID-19 on death certificates. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 through a variety of surveillance systems, including in general practices, through the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Surveillance Centre, in healthcare settings, and via the testing of patients in National Health Service and public health laboratories. In addition, a selection of these positive tests are sequenced to provide data on circulating variants and to potentially detect the arrival of new variants. This data is published on the data dashboard, and in surveillance reports, which are published weekly during the winter season, and fortnightly otherwise. The dashboard and surveillance reports are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-season

During vaccination campaigns, data on the effectiveness of the vaccines are collected and analysed, to inform ongoing discussion for future campaigns, both in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness.

Following increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations during the waves that appear throughout the year, there is a proportionate increase in COVID-19 deaths. Based on UKHSA data, there is no evidence that recent waves or variants have shown a disproportionate level of severity or mortality. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

NHS England uses Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports data to monitor COVID-19 impacts through general and acute bed closure data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of covid-19 on (a) the NHS and (b) mortality rates.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From the week commencing 6 October 2023 to week commencing 20 September 2024, there have been an estimated 9,972 deaths from COVID-19, as measured by death registrations with COVID-19 on death certificates. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 through a variety of surveillance systems, including in general practices, through the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Surveillance Centre, in healthcare settings, and via the testing of patients in National Health Service and public health laboratories. In addition, a selection of these positive tests are sequenced to provide data on circulating variants and to potentially detect the arrival of new variants. This data is published on the data dashboard, and in surveillance reports, which are published weekly during the winter season, and fortnightly otherwise. The dashboard and surveillance reports are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-season

During vaccination campaigns, data on the effectiveness of the vaccines are collected and analysed, to inform ongoing discussion for future campaigns, both in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness.

Following increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations during the waves that appear throughout the year, there is a proportionate increase in COVID-19 deaths. Based on UKHSA data, there is no evidence that recent waves or variants have shown a disproportionate level of severity or mortality. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

NHS England uses Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports data to monitor COVID-19 impacts through general and acute bed closure data.

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 monitor the impact of covid-19 on public health.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From the week commencing 6 October 2023 to week commencing 20 September 2024, there have been an estimated 9,972 deaths from COVID-19, as measured by death registrations with COVID-19 on death certificates. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 through a variety of surveillance systems, including in general practices, through the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Surveillance Centre, in healthcare settings, and via the testing of patients in National Health Service and public health laboratories. In addition, a selection of these positive tests are sequenced to provide data on circulating variants and to potentially detect the arrival of new variants. This data is published on the data dashboard, and in surveillance reports, which are published weekly during the winter season, and fortnightly otherwise. The dashboard and surveillance reports are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-season

During vaccination campaigns, data on the effectiveness of the vaccines are collected and analysed, to inform ongoing discussion for future campaigns, both in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness.

Following increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations during the waves that appear throughout the year, there is a proportionate increase in COVID-19 deaths. Based on UKHSA data, there is no evidence that recent waves or variants have shown a disproportionate level of severity or mortality. Further information is available at the following link:

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/topics/covid-19

NHS England uses Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports data to monitor COVID-19 impacts through general and acute bed closure data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the annual amount of discretionary funding received by GP services in North Shropshire.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows funding broken down by funding stream for general practices located in North Shropshire for the 2022/2023 financial year:

Source: NHS England

Notes:

1. This data is based off published payments data. Note from the payments data on negative payment values reads as follows: Adjustments can be made whilst payments are processing to raise credits/debits against payments. These adjustments can result in what appear to be negative payments or positive deductions.
2. Health geographies do not align with parliamentary constituencies. When calculating payments to the North Shropshire Parliamentary Constituency we have included practices with postcodes within the North Shropshire parliamentary constituency. There will be patients registered at practices in this constituency who reside outside the constituency and vice-versa.
3. This includes primary care network (PCN) payments, where they are recorded against practices in North Shropshire in the Payments to General Practice data set. PCNs do not align with constituency boundaries and payments recorded in one constituency might benefit practices in the same PCN in other constituencies.

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 adequacy of the availability of GP appointments in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. West Dorset sits within the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board, where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 7.9% lower than the national average.

Our plan will require both investment and reform. Firstly, we will increase the proportion of funding for GPs, starting with a commitment to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of GP appointments delivered, secure the future pipeline of GPs, as well as take pressure off those currently working in the system. Additionally, we will deliver a modern booking system to end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments and bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full-time equivalent GPs were working in West Dorset constituency as of 31 August 2024.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There were 58 full-time equivalent general practitioners working in the West Dorset constituency as of 31 July 2024, the most recent date for which data is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to allow GP practices to expand in areas with planned population increases.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We understand that there is pressure on primary care estates and service provision in areas of high population growth. The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and this means better utilising and expanding primary care infrastructure across the NHS estate. That is why we have set out our intention to fix the front door to the NHS and bring healthcare closer to home, and the local community.

At a local level, the relevant integrated care board is responsible for commissioning, planning, securing, and monitoring general practice (GP) services within their health systems, through delegated responsibility from NHS England. The NHS has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient medical services, including GPs, in each local area. It should take account of population growth and demographic changes.

At a national level, we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure all new and existing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure for the community.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to free up more GP appointments.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing this crisis in GPs.

Our plan to do so will require both investment and reform. Firstly, we will increase the proportion of funding for GPs in primary care, starting with a commitment to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of GP appointments delivered, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and will take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Additionally, we will train thousands more GPs across the country, beginning with the training places set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which will be key in increasing GP capacity.

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 improve patient satisfaction with GP services in West Bromwich constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise that despite the hard work of general practice (GP) teams, patients are still struggling to access care from GPs nationally and in local areas such as Bromwich. We also know that while GPs are delivering record numbers of appointments, patient satisfaction has dropped nationally.

We have a plan to fix this, which will require both investment and reform. Firstly, we will increase the proportion of funding for GPs, starting with a commitment to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, secure the future pipeline of GPs, as well as take pressure off those currently working in the system.

Additionally, we will deliver a modern booking system and end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments, which we know impacts patient satisfaction. We will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient to improve care for those with long-term conditions.

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Found: Health Boards can contract with general practitioners to deliver services and/or run their own.