Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department taking to help improve the diagnosis of overlapping illnesses such as PoTs and EDS.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the growing prevalence and complexity of overlapping and co-existing chronic illnesses and long-term conditions, and the importance of improving diagnosis, management, and support for these patients.
Through the 10-Year Health Plan, we are expanding community diagnostic services, introducing Neighbourhood Health Centres, and deploying multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic support. Patients will benefit from enhanced NHS App functionality, including My Medicines and My Health, and will be able to self-refer to specialist services where appropriate.
Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitments on artificial intelligence will give clinicians advanced tools for faster diagnosis, predictive analytics, and personalised care planning. For people with long-term conditions, this means earlier interventions, better monitoring of complex needs, and more time for clinicians to focus on patient-centred care rather than administrative tasks. The plan also commits to 95% of people with complex needs having a personalised care plan by 2027.
The appointment by NHS England of a National Specialty Adviser on multi-morbidity provides expert leadership to improve care for people with multiple long-term conditions, ensuring services are better coordinated, evidence-based, and focused on holistic patient needs.
We also recognise that doctors can find it challenging to diagnose Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) because these conditions share symptoms with many other disorders.
Resources such as the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Syncope Toolkit for PoTS and the EDS Toolkit, now maintained by Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, are improving clinician awareness of both conditions. The National Institute for Care Excellence provides a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope to support consistent assessment and diagnosis of PoTS. NHS England commissions a National Diagnostic Service for rare EDS subtypes.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical appointments were missed by (a) deaf and (b) hearing impaired people due to a lack of information support (i) at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, (ii) in the North West and (c) in England over the last three years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on medical appointments missed in the format requested. Our Elective Reform Plan sets out the focussed action we are taking to reduce missed appointments, as part of delivering the Government’s commitment to return to the constitutional standard of 92% of patients having their first treatment within 18-weeks of referral. This includes enhancing communication between hospitals and patients, using the results of artificial intelligence to predict missed appointments, and targeting support to vulnerable patient groups, saving up to one million missed appointments.
The Elective Reform Plan and the 10-Year Health Plan commit to modernising care equitably and inclusively, including ensuring consistency in the availability of information, so that patients, including those that are deaf or have hearing impairments, are supported to attend appointments and have the best possible experience of care.
As part of this, NHS England published a refreshed Accessible Information Standard (AIS) in July 2025. This sets out a specific, consistent approach to meeting the information and communication support needs of service users with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, and requires that relevant staff are adequately trained. NHS England is supporting implementation of AIS, so that staff and organisations are aware of the importance of meeting the needs of disabled people using services.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 recruit more specialist nurses and reduce waiting times for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.
By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The NICE guideline on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice. The guideline is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71
We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming long-term workforce plan will set out how we will train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 reduce the time taken to diagnose Parkinson's.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.
By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.
The guideline is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71
We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 specialist Parkinson’s nurses.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.
By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.
The guideline is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71
We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
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 impact of preventable unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis on (a) people with multiple sclerosis, (b) the NHS and (c) the economy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are detrimental to patient wellbeing, the health and care system and the economy.
That is why the Government is investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down, including for patients with MS.
The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.
NHS England's revised service specification aims to improve diagnosis times for MS by reducing waiting times and enhancing care coordination. The new service specification, published in August 2025, is part of the larger Neurology Service Transformation Programme aimed at improving the delivery and experience of neurology services through clear minimum standards for both specialised and core services, including earlier diagnosis.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes, including for people with MS.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
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 ensure that people seeking a potential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are seen by a neurologist within 12 weeks.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are detrimental to patient wellbeing, the health and care system and the economy.
That is why the Government is investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down, including for patients with MS.
The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.
NHS England's revised service specification aims to improve diagnosis times for MS by reducing waiting times and enhancing care coordination. The new service specification, published in August 2025, is part of the larger Neurology Service Transformation Programme aimed at improving the delivery and experience of neurology services through clear minimum standards for both specialised and core services, including earlier diagnosis.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes, including for people with MS.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 (a) number of referrals and (b) time taken to treat people with heart valve disease in each region.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting elective care waiting times, including for cardiology services, is a key priority for the Government. The national waiting list for cardiology services has fallen by 59,307 since this Government came into office, with an increase in the proportion waiting less than 18 weeks, from 60.2% to 62.4%. But we know there is much more work to be done.
Cardiology is identified as a top priority for reform in our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025. Specific actions being taken to reform cardiology include increasing specialist input earlier in care pathways, developing standard pathways for common outpatient presentations such as palpitation, and increasing timely access to cardiac diagnostic tests, including through “straight to test” pathways.
To accelerate progress towards the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework in 2026. The Department and NHS England are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care.
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced £600 million in the October statement to reduce diagnostic waiting lists, supporting new and expanded community diagnostic centres (CDCs), upgraded hospital diagnostic equipment, and digital diagnostic capabilities. NHS England's digital investments, including using artificial intelligence for cardiac imaging, have accelerated cardiology test reporting. From July 2024 to September 2025, CDCs performed 312,049 echocardiography and 281,869 electrocardiography tests, with many centres adopting innovative cardiac pathways to speed diagnosis and treatment, including for women.
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future. We know that women deserve better, which is why we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected. The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy identified many important issues, including cardiology, which remain valid, so we now need to align the strategy with the 10-Year Health Plan and identify areas where we need to go further. That is why we are updating the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far and to continue progressing delivery.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 ensure access to (a) diagnostic and (b) treatment options for women with heart valve disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting elective care waiting times, including for cardiology services, is a key priority for the Government. The national waiting list for cardiology services has fallen by 59,307 since this Government came into office, with an increase in the proportion waiting less than 18 weeks, from 60.2% to 62.4%. But we know there is much more work to be done.
Cardiology is identified as a top priority for reform in our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025. Specific actions being taken to reform cardiology include increasing specialist input earlier in care pathways, developing standard pathways for common outpatient presentations such as palpitation, and increasing timely access to cardiac diagnostic tests, including through “straight to test” pathways.
To accelerate progress towards the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework in 2026. The Department and NHS England are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care.
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced £600 million in the October statement to reduce diagnostic waiting lists, supporting new and expanded community diagnostic centres (CDCs), upgraded hospital diagnostic equipment, and digital diagnostic capabilities. NHS England's digital investments, including using artificial intelligence for cardiac imaging, have accelerated cardiology test reporting. From July 2024 to September 2025, CDCs performed 312,049 echocardiography and 281,869 electrocardiography tests, with many centres adopting innovative cardiac pathways to speed diagnosis and treatment, including for women.
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future. We know that women deserve better, which is why we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected. The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy identified many important issues, including cardiology, which remain valid, so we now need to align the strategy with the 10-Year Health Plan and identify areas where we need to go further. That is why we are updating the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far and to continue progressing delivery.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 adequacy of the level of training provided to General Practitioners on (a) the treatment and (b) symptoms of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome .
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) provides education on postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) through its Syncope Toolkit, which includes an e-learning module, a podcast and a webinar. These resources cover diagnosis and management and include patient perspectives to improve clinical understanding. The toolkit is available to GPs via the RCGP e-learning platform.
As part of its Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS) resources, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has also published detailed guidance on the assessment and management of syncope and blackouts, which includes advice on PoTS. The purpose of CKSs is to provide primary care practitioners with quick, accessible, and evidence-based guidance on best practice for commonly occurring conditions.
The guidance is available at the following link:
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/
PoTS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis. The RCGP’s Syncope Toolkit provides diagnostic information to GPs, including the use of the active stand test, to rule out other conditions and potentially diagnose PoTS more quickly.
Where patients are referred to secondary care for diagnosis, we are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.
By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases of PoTS, including specialist diagnostic assessments.
While the Department recognises the significant challenges of PoTS diagnosis, responsibility for specific clinical pathways and specialist training rests with local NHS bodies.