Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 64393 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, what steps he is taking to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I would like to reiterate my profound and sincere sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.
The Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), to take steps to improve the scheme and process claims at a faster rate. Building on work to scale up and modernise operations through the digitisation of the claims process and increasing administrative staff working on the VDPS, the NHSBSA is engaging with healthcare providers to improve the return rate of medical records, essential to assessing claims, including through submitting subject access requests.
In parallel, Ministers continue to actively consider a range of options for further reforming the VDPS.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many active legal cases are open against the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England.
NHSR handles negligence claims on behalf of the members of their indemnity schemes. The indemnity schemes are divided into clinical and non-clinical negligence schemes.
Clinical negligence schemes:
Non clinical negligence schemes:
NHSR has provided the attached information:
Table 1: Number of Clinical and Non-Clinical Claims received between Financial Years '2006/07' and '2024/25' where the status of the claim was open as at 31/03/2025. Broken down by Scheme (as noted above).
Table 2: Number of Clinical and Non-Clinical Claims and Incidents received between Financial Years '2006/07' and '2024/25' where the status was 'Open' or 'Incident' as at 31/03/2025. Broken down by Scheme (as noted above).
Note: NHSR defines an ‘open’ claim as one where NHSR is yet to settle or claims that have settled but remain open, where NHSR are yet to agree costs. NHSR has not included cases which are settled but remain open due to ongoing periodical order payments.
The distinction between Table 1 and Table 2 is that Table 2 includes incidents reported to NHSR that have not yet progressed to a formal notification of claim. NHSR encourages its members and beneficiaries to report such incidents directly, even prior to the receipt of a claim.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 33850 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, how many of the 69 cases referred to the First-Tier Tribunal were (a) successful and (b) rejected; and how many have been outstanding for more than (i) three and (ii) six months.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which administers the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that of the 69 claims identified in Question 33850:
Appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal are managed by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and therefore the NHSBSA must follow the directions and timescales specified by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The data is based on the date the HM Courts and Tribunals Service notified the NHSBSA of an appeal. The NHSBSA is not always provided the date the appellant made the appeal application to the HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor coronavirus levels in winter 2025-26.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor COVID-19 through a variety of indicators and surveillance systems. Positive and negative laboratory tests, primarily taken in secondary health care settings, are reported through laboratory surveillance systems, and a sample of these positive tests are sequenced to monitor COVID-19 variants.
In primary care, the Royal College of General Practitioners’ surveillance centre reports on the testing of those attending sentinel general practices with respiratory symptoms. In addition, selected National Health Service trusts report on the number of COVID-19 admissions, and all NHS trusts report on intensive care unit and high-dependency unit COVID-19 cases. Local health protection teams will report on outbreaks of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, in settings such as care homes, schools, and places of detention.
These data are analysed and published by the UKHSA in weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report, which summarises information from the disease surveillance systems that are used to monitor seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. Further information is available at the following link:
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans to update UK Infection Prevention and Control guidance to reflect the scientific consensus that (a) covid-19 and (b) other respiratory pathogens are airborne; and what steps he is taking to ensure enforceable indoor air quality standards in healthcare settings.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England, published by NHS England, whilst not pathogen specific, provides overarching infection prevention and control principles that should be used to inform clinical judgement/practice. The NIPCM for England is regularly updated in response to changing epidemiology, or scientific evidence, feedback from frontline healthcare staff, and system need.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advice on the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus notes that SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted between individuals through infectious respiratory particles, droplet and aerosol, with transmission risk being highest when in close proximity to an infectious individual, particularly within two metres. Being in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, particularly for an extended period of time, also increases the risk of becoming infected. Further information on UKHSA advice is available at the following link:
Published guidance on ventilation in healthcare settings includes the Health Technical Memorandum 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises, the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB 2023/01A): application of HEPA filter devices for air cleaning in healthcare spaces: guidance and standards, and the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB 2023/01B): application of ultraviolet (UVC) devices for air cleaning in occupied healthcare spaces: guidance and standards, with further information on all three documents available, respectively, at the following three links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-ventilation-for-healthcare-buildings/
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
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 coordination of care for long covid patients who require multi-disciplinary support.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Across the NHS in England, there are services supporting people with post-COVID syndrome (long COVID). These services offer physical, cognitive and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. More information is available on the NHS England website at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/.
Since April 2024, the commissioning of post-COVID services has been the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs), following the closure of the national post-COVID programme.
NHS England has published commissioning guidance for post-COVID services, which sets out the commissioning, service requirements and oversight of post-COVID services by ICBs in England for adults and children and young people. It outlines the elements that post-COVID services should include and the principles of care for long COVID. The commissioning guidance is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/commissioning-guidance-for-post-covid-services-for-adults-children-and-young-people/.
People with long COVID symptoms should see their GP, who will be able to refer them to services depending on their clinical needs.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer 30 June 2025 of Question 58911 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, if he will set out a timetable for completion of the (a) consideration of options and (b) recommendations for change.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I reiterate my sincere condolences to individuals, and their families, who have experienced harm following vaccination.
At this stage, I am not in a position to comment on timelines for the consideration of options for reform or recommendations for change. Ministers continue to consider options covering both potential reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, and the situation of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination.
In parallel, the Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, to take steps to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme and process claims at a faster rate.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
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 (a) support people living with long covid, (b) retain the services provided by the long covid clinic and (c) develop systems of treatment and diagnosis to identify long covid.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has invested £314 million since the start of the pandemic to provide care and support for people with long COVID. This includes establishing specialist clinics throughout England to assess adults, children, and young people who are experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. A further £86.7 million of funding was included in integrated care board (ICB) core allocations for 2024/25, and specific regional funding was also allocated for assurance and system support.
These services offer physical, cognitive, and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. More information can be found via the NHS website at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/
The commissioning and service provision of long COVID services are the responsibility of local ICBs, which are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local needs and priorities and to improve outcomes.
Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical care.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
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 people with long Covid.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has invested £314 million since the start of the pandemic to provide care and support for people with long COVID. This includes establishing specialist clinics throughout England to assess adults, children, and young people who are experiencing long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. A further £86.7 million of funding was included in integrated care board core allocations for 2024/25, and specific regional funding was also allocated for assurance and system support.
These services offer physical, cognitive, and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. Further information can be found via the National Health Service website, at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/
Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical care.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 parents caring for children with long covid; and whether his Department plans to develop a long-term strategy to fund (a) biomedical research and (b) treatment for long covid in (i) adults and (ii) children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support that they need. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers, which can include parents.
Across the National Health Service in England, there are services supporting people with post-COVID syndrome, often described as long COVID. These services offer physical, cognitive, and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. Further information can be found via the NHS website, at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment for long COVID. We are actively exploring next steps for research in this area.
Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the NIHR and MRC, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical care.
This includes funded clinical trials to test and compare different treatments such as antihistamines, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory medicines, as well as trials such as the approximately £1.5 million REGAIN trial funded through the NIHR. REGAIN is the first randomised trial to show a benefit from rehabilitation for people with long COVID, and the first high-quality evidence confirming the sustained clinical benefit and lack of harm with rehabilitation programmes for long COVID which combine exercise with behavioural support, to measure their effects on symptoms, health, and other outcomes.
The approximately £1.9 million CLoCk study, co-funded by the NIHR and the MRC, developed an agreed definition of long COVID in children and young people as well as the associated symptoms, which will help harmonise research and improve understanding of the condition.
Funding is available and we welcome funding applications for research into long COVID in both adults and children. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.
To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England has worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to develop a new Clinical Post-COVID Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice and to support people affected by long COVID. Further information about the society can be found at the following link:
https://www.clinicalpcs.org.uk