Written questions by Jogee.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure the new NHS workforce plan will provide the number of specialists required for Parkinson’s care.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10-Year Workforce Plan which will create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including specialists across the full scope of National Health Service care.We have set up a UK-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, devolved governments, and health services and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions. The Forum has identified areas for initial focus, including workforce which featured as a key item on the agenda at the second meeting of the forum in September.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of palliative care services for people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire since Rt hon. and hon. Members last considered the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

Irrespective of whether the law changes on assisted dying, we must continue to work towards creating a society where every person who needs it receives high-quality, compassionate palliative care and end of life care.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB), including Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.We are committed to shifting more healthcare into the community so that patients and their families receive high-quality, personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative care and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.The Government and the National Health Service will closely monitor the shift towards strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

What plans his Department has to develop a neurology-specific implementation plan to support the 10 year Health Plan for England.

NHS England has established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients. This programme is underway now and is due to conclude in March 2026.The Neurology Transformation Programme focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology, and improving community neurology services.NHS England Specialised Commissioning published a revised National Neurology Service Specification in August 2025, which provides a detailed description of how patients can access specialised neurology care equitably wherever they are in England, particularly for specialised services that are not available in every part of the country.There are currently no plans to develop a neurology-specific implementation plan to support the 10-Year Health Plan, although potential conditions and topics for the new modern service frameworks will be kept under review following the development of the first tranche of three referenced in the 10-Year Health Plan.

How many hospitals have staff who are members of the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network.

No estimate has been made of the number of people with Parkinson's disease who have access to a Parkinson’s nurse in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. The Department does not hold data on how many hospitals have staff who are members of the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities to meet the care and support needs of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Patients living in the Surrey Heath constituency would be covered by either the NHS Frimley ICB or the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB. ICBs are responsible for commissioning services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations and, in doing so, we expect them to have regard to best practice guidance, such as that published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.This Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.The new NHS App will end the 8am rush by providing more flexibility in the way that people contact their general practitioner (GP), enabling better GP appointment booking as long as GPs make appointments available in the App. It will also help people to get care quicker without seeing their GP, for example improved self-care by going to a pharmacy or by self-referring into a specialist pathway or by providing remote consultations with specialists.

What estimate he has made of the number of people with Parkinson's disease who have access to a Parkinson’s nurse in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

No estimate has been made of the number of people with Parkinson's disease who have access to a Parkinson’s nurse in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. The Department does not hold data on how many hospitals have staff who are members of the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities to meet the care and support needs of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Patients living in the Surrey Heath constituency would be covered by either the NHS Frimley ICB or the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB. ICBs are responsible for commissioning services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations and, in doing so, we expect them to have regard to best practice guidance, such as that published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.This Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.The new NHS App will end the 8am rush by providing more flexibility in the way that people contact their general practitioner (GP), enabling better GP appointment booking as long as GPs make appointments available in the App. It will also help people to get care quicker without seeing their GP, for example improved self-care by going to a pharmacy or by self-referring into a specialist pathway or by providing remote consultations with specialists.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 73278 on Dementia: Research, what proportion of NHS funding was spent on (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease research in each year between 2019 and 2024.

The Department funds and delivers health research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Funding allocated to the NIHR is separate from National Health Service funding and is not calculated as a proportion of NHS spend.NIHR invests directly in research projects and programmes and also provides investment for research delivery within the NHS and wider health and care system, including research facilities and workforce, known as NIHR infrastructure.The following table shows a breakdown of total NIHR spend in millions of pounds for dementia, cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular research between 2019/20 and 2023/24, across research projects, programmes and infrastructure:Financial yearDementiaCancerStrokeCardiovascular, including coronary heart disease2019/202913822.253.12020/2121.973.512.746.12021/2230.398.320.356.32022/2335.1121.826.972.62023/2442.8132.823.993Total159.1564.4106321.1Source: NIHRNotes:The data presented is based on 11 September 2025 point-in-time analysis. Our data is not static and is subject to change due to contract variations, updated information regarding financial reconciliations and support activity.Funding figures for cardiovascular research have been calculated based on the Health Research Classification System code ‘cardiovascular’, which includes research into topics such as general circulation research, coronary heart disease, and vasculitis. NIHR infrastructure investment funds staff and facilities which deliver research across disciplines and disease areas simultaneously and represents approximately 40% of total NIHR funding. This component is therefore calculated as a proportionate approximation of spend based on number of studies/projects in these conditions supported by infrastructure against total infrastructure spend and therefore is an estimate only.

What recent assessment he has made of the quality of the treatment available to people with Leukaemia in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

We will get the NHS diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so more patients survive, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system. This will benefit patients across the system, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.We have not made a specific assessment of leukaemia treatment in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme. However, in September 2024, NHS England announced a new targeted treatment, Quizartinib, to be prescribed to newly diagnosed patients with a specific type of leukaemia, boosting their chance of remission and long-term survival. This was made available through NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund, which fast-tracks new innovative cancer treatments into standard care. This followed a previous announcement in August 2024, announcing the new treatment, Zanubrutini, for those with marginal zone lymphoma, which could halt the progression of their cancer and provide an alternative to further rounds of chemotherapy.The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.

What steps he is taking to advance sexual and reproductive health in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Local authorities across England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access sexual and reproductive health services to meet local demand, and it is for them to decide on commissioning arrangements based on an assessment of local need.These services are commissioned through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we have increased the PHG funding to £3.884 billion. This represents a significant turning point for local health services and marks the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending between 2016 and 2024.The Government remains committed to ensuring the public receive high quality sexual and reproductive health services across the country, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. For example, as part of our commitment to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030, we are developing a new HIV Action Plan which we aim to publish by the end of the year. We will also continue to work with NHS England on how to take forward the Women's Health Strategy, by aligning it to the Government's Missions and the 10-Year Health Plan.

What proportion of NHS funding was spent on dementia research in each year between 2019 and 2024.

The Department delivers research into dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Funding allocated to the NIHR is separate from National Health Service funding and is not calculated as a proportion of NHS spend. However, research delivered within the NHS is often supported by the NIHR, including research facilities and workforce, known as NIHR infrastructure.The table below sets out a breakdown of NIHR spend for dementia research between financial years 2019/20 and 2023/24. Spend for dementia research is calculated retrospectively, with a time lag due to annual reporting cycles. Therefore, 2023/24 is the most recent year for which we have data.£m2019/202020/212021/222022/232023/24TotalNIHR2921.930.335.142.8159.1

What recent progress he has made on implementing the Child Health Action Plan.

The Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever, ensuring that every child has a healthy, happy start to life, and giving mental health the same focus as physical health. This commitment was recently reaffirmed in the 10 Year Health Plan, which outlined the first steps we are taking to progress this goal.The Government has taken action already, including through:investing £11 million in a supervised toothbrushing scheme for children in our most deprived communities aged between three and five, to combat tooth decay.providing a £126 million funding boost to the joint Department for Health and Social Care and Department for Education’s Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, to help set up every child for the best start in life; andlaunching a landmark consultation on 2 September to protect children from the harm caused by high-caffeine energy drinks under new proposals to ban their sale to under-16s.

With which health charities has his Department engaged on the development of the NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan.

In the coming weeks, we will launch the formal engagement phase of the upcoming workforce plan, which will provide stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. The Government wants to hear from anyone with relevant evidence, including trade unions, royal colleges, employers, charities, and those with expertise by experience.

Whether the engagement on the development of a 10 Year Health Plan delivery strategy will include (a) a formal consultation and (b) stakeholder engagement with (i) health charities and (ii) other relevant stakeholders.

The 10 Year Health Plan will seize the opportunities provided by new technology, medicines, and innovation to deliver better care for all patients, no matter where they live or how much they earn, and better value for taxpayers.To develop the 10 Year Health Plan, we had the biggest ever conversation on the future of the National Health Service with over a quarter of a million contributions from the public, staff and partners including charities and patient groups.The Government and the NHS continue to work with the public, staff and partners to deliver the 10 Year Health Plan.

Whether the engagement on the development of the NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan will include (a) a formal consultation and (b) stakeholder engagement with (i) health charities and (ii) other relevant stakeholders.

In the coming weeks, we will launch the formal engagement phase of the upcoming workforce plan, which will provide stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. The Government wants to hear from anyone with relevant evidence, including trade unions, royal colleges, employers, charities, and those with expertise by experience.

What recent steps he has taken to improve access to NHS dentistry in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, this is Staffordshire and Stoke-on Trent ICB.We will deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments per year, and ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. Staffordshire and Stoke-on Trent ICB is expected to deliver 16,190 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent estimate he has made of the number of people with dementia in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England in the next five years.

No specific estimate has been made for the number of people with dementia in the next five years.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of missed medication in hospitals on Parkinson’s patients in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

Hospital providers across England, including hospitals in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) area, are responsible for ensuring that patients within hospital settings, including those with Parkinson’s disease, receive their appropriate medication on time. There are tools to support both patients and staff to achieve this. Electronic prescribing systems, currently in use in 85% of hospitals in England, enable in-depth monitoring and reporting on missed or delayed dosing of medications.As set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, we will support people with long-term conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, across England, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and the wider Staffordshire area, to better manage their condition, including managing their medication. As part of the NHS App, the My Medicines section will enable patients to manage their prescriptions and remind them when to take their medications, and the My Health section will enable patients to monitor their symptoms and will bring all their data into one place. Patients will be able to decide whether their data is shared in real-time with care teams, so they can proactively monitor health and intervene when necessary.Guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on Parkinson’s disease in adults highlights the importance of patients getting Parkinson’s medicines on time to prevent harmful effects. The NICE guidance states that people with Parkinson’s disease who are admitted to hospital or care homes should be given their medicines at the appropriate times, which, in some cases, may mean allowing self-medication.Parkinson’s UK has produced resources as part of its Get It on Time campaign, which supports people with Parkinson's with medicine management in preparation for a hospital stay. These resources can also support hospital and care home staff to make sure that patients and residents get their medication on time, every time.NHS England has also published guidance, developed in partnership with charities, including Parkinson’s UK, to help local National Health Service staff take practical steps to improve the care for patients with progressive neurological conditions in hospitals, including hospitals in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB area. The Right Care Toolkit for progressive neurological conditions provides advice on medicine optimisation, highlighting the importance of timely administration of specific drugs for Parkinson’s, such as Levodopa, in both acute and community health settings.

What (a) steps he is taking to support and (b) funding he has allocated to the rollout of AI-assisted stethoscope checks for heart murmurs in community pharmacies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) assisted stethoscope tools are currently being trialed in 200 general practices (GPs) across London and Wales, with trials set to end in December 2025. The AI in Health and Care Award and the National Institute for Health and Care Research provided £1.2 million in funding for these trials, known as the TRICORDER programme, which aims to assess whether providing the tool to GPs can increase the early detection of heart failure and reduce diagnosis through emergency hospital admission. Early results have shown these devices can test for heart failure with high levels of sensitivity, 91%, and specificity, 80%, compared to routine diagnostic tests that are invasive and expensive.

Whether he plans to take steps to publish a women's health strategy.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health. We are turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as: providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the National Health Service from October 2025; setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan; and taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected. The three shifts will improve the care women receive. Hospital to community will mean women can access convenient, coordinated care closer to home through Neighbourhood Health Centres, building on best practice examples such as Tower Hamlets women’s health hub. Analogue to digital will put more power and data in women’s hands, which will make it easier to get more personalised support, book appointments, and stay healthy. Treatment to prevention will mean faster and fairer access to life-saving prevention through human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling kits, and access to the HPV vaccine through community pharmacies.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a cardiovascular disease strategy.

The Government is committed to ensuring that fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD).The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, outlines our commitment to publish a Modern Service Framework in 2026 that will identify the interventions with the best evidence, and set standards for and drive innovation in CVD.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of PM2.5 exposure on children’s health outcomes.

Air pollution exposure can be harmful to everyone. Children are more vulnerable to the effects than adults due to their incomplete lung development, high physical activity and breathing rates, and lower height, which increases exposure to traffic pollution.The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) assessment of children’s exposure to air pollution in outdoor school environments identified that, in 2017, one third of schools in England were in areas with PM2.5, exceeding the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) previous annual guideline of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3).In 2021, WHO updated its guidelines for PM2.5 from 10 µg/m3 to an annual mean of five µg/m3.The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants published advice on the susceptibility to air pollution in March 2025. They concluded that, based on the latest evidence, advice for children with asthma should continue to be included in the Daily Air Quality Index.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) provides The Daily Air Quality Index (DAQI) which is available at the following link:https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/daqi?view=more-infoThis informs on the levels of air pollution and provides recommended actions and health advice. The index is numbered 1-10 and divided into four bands, low (1) to very high (10), to provide detail about air pollution levels in a simple way, similar to the sun index or pollen index.UKHSA contributed to the Royal College of Physician’s report on air pollution which explores the impacts of air pollution over the life course, including through childhood and adolescence. UKHSA has a Cleaner Air Programme which aims to reduce people’s exposure to air pollution, particularly the most vulnerable groups, including children.The Programme is described in UKHSA’s ‘Chemical Hazards and Poisons Report’ of June 2022, available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chemical-hazards-and-poisons-report-issue-28