Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps he is taking with relevant authorities to help prevent alcohol-related deaths in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

The increase in alcohol related deaths and those linked to cocaine usage is concerning. The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidenced-based, high-quality treatment to reduce the numbers of alcohol and drug related deaths. Local authorities are responsible for assessing the local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet those needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. Havering Borough Council, of which Romford is a part, will receive £400,302 from this additional grant funding in 2025/26.The Department has an action plan in place to reduce drug and alcohol-related deaths, which is currently being reviewed to ensure that it is grounded in the latest understanding of the drivers of drug and alcohol related deaths, and is responding to these. In 2024, the Department published guidance for local authorities and their partnerships on how to review adult drug and alcohol-related deaths and near-fatal overdoses to prevent future deaths.Alongside the funding allocations, the Department has a range of existing and forthcoming best practice resources and guidance that supports those working in the sector to tailor drug and alcohol treatment services to meet local needs to improve treatment outcomes. The commissioning quality standard provides guidance to local authorities on how to ensure they have a shared understanding of local need, including the experiences of diverse populations. The commissioning quality standard can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commissioning-quality-standard-alcohol-and-drug-servicesLater this year the Department will also be publishing the United Kingdom clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment, which will include recommendations on developing effective, accessible, and inclusive services. The aim of the guidelines is to promote and support good practice and improve the quality of service provision, resulting in better outcomes. The Department continues to work with all local areas to address unmet needs and drug and alcohol misuse deaths, and to drive improvements in the continuity of care. This includes the Unmet Need Toolkit, which can be used by local areas to assess local need and plan to meet it.

What steps he is taking with relevant authorities to prevent cocaine-related deaths in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

The increase in alcohol related deaths and those linked to cocaine usage is concerning. The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidenced-based, high-quality treatment to reduce the numbers of alcohol and drug related deaths. Local authorities are responsible for assessing the local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet those needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. Havering Borough Council, of which Romford is a part, will receive £400,302 from this additional grant funding in 2025/26.The Department has an action plan in place to reduce drug and alcohol-related deaths, which is currently being reviewed to ensure that it is grounded in the latest understanding of the drivers of drug and alcohol related deaths, and is responding to these. In 2024, the Department published guidance for local authorities and their partnerships on how to review adult drug and alcohol-related deaths and near-fatal overdoses to prevent future deaths.Alongside the funding allocations, the Department has a range of existing and forthcoming best practice resources and guidance that supports those working in the sector to tailor drug and alcohol treatment services to meet local needs to improve treatment outcomes. The commissioning quality standard provides guidance to local authorities on how to ensure they have a shared understanding of local need, including the experiences of diverse populations. The commissioning quality standard can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commissioning-quality-standard-alcohol-and-drug-servicesLater this year the Department will also be publishing the United Kingdom clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment, which will include recommendations on developing effective, accessible, and inclusive services. The aim of the guidelines is to promote and support good practice and improve the quality of service provision, resulting in better outcomes. The Department continues to work with all local areas to address unmet needs and drug and alcohol misuse deaths, and to drive improvements in the continuity of care. This includes the Unmet Need Toolkit, which can be used by local areas to assess local need and plan to meet it.

Whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of making prescriptions free for people with chronic, long-term conditions.

The Department has made no estimate. There are extensive arrangements currently in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone, including for those with chronic, long-term conditions.Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place, for which those with heart disease may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The scheme provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three month and 12 month certificates available, which can be paid for in instalments.

What steps he is taking to increase public awareness of pre-payment certificates as a means to help reduce the cost of prescriptions.

Promotion of pre-payment certificates (PPCs) is carried out by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), who promote the use of their online eligibility checker in the first instance, to enable people to check if they are entitled to free prescriptions or the NHS Low Income Scheme, before they purchase a PPC. They undertake PPC-specific communications activity such as:- paid social media adverts, for instance running adverts in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to promote PPCs;- posts on the Help with Health Costs Facebook and X channels promoting PPCs, with about one per week, amongst information about other exemptions;- collaboration with NHS England to run a social media campaign promoting PPCs to people with certain medical conditions that aren’t covered by a medical exemption certificate;- promotion of PPCs to pharmacy teams in a quarterly e-bulletin; and- work with the media to place stories promoting PPCs, which are typically annual data-led media releases.NHSBSA analysis shows that in 2023/24 an estimated 3.3 million patients received a prescription using a PPC, while the number of PPCs issued has steadily risen from approximately 2.29 million in 2018/19 to approximately three million in 2023/24, suggesting growing awareness. Additionally, the hormone replacement therapy PPC was introduced in 2023/24, and 566,000 certificates were issued in its first year.

What steps he is taking to work with relevant authorities to prevent heat-related deaths in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) aims to protect everyone from the health effects of adverse weather and to build community resilience. The plan informs local preparedness activities, including in the Borough of Romford. The 2025 to 2026 AWHP is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67fe2667694d57c6b1cf8d3c/AWHP_2025_to_2026.pdfThe plan is supported by a series of guidance materials for stakeholders to prepare for and respond to significant adverse weather events. The heat health alerts provide suggested actions according to the alert level. People can sign up to access the Weather Health Alerts email service at the following link:https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mRRO7jVKLkutR188-d6GZn06Ss-xPLpCuYeyOZ-eFiFUMEVIMDRTOE5FVzFFM0NXNjFMWUlWMkJVMCQlQCN0PWcu

What steps he is taking with relevant authorities to prevent cold-related deaths in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) aims to protect everyone from the health effects of adverse weather, and to build community resilience. The plan informs local preparedness activities, including in the Borough of Romford, and is exercised regularly. The 2025 to 2026 AWHP is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67fe2667694d57c6b1cf8d3c/AWHP_2025_to_2026.pdfThe plan is supported by a series of guidance materials to support stakeholders to prepare for and respond to significant adverse weather events. The cold health alerts provide sector specific suggested actions according to the alert level. People can sign up to access the Weather Health Alerts email service at the following link:https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mRRO7jVKLkutR188-d6GZn06Ss-xPLpCuYeyOZ-eFiFUMEVIMDRTOE5FVzFFM0NXNjFMWUlWMkJVMCQlQCN0PWcu

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve ocular health in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Prevention, early detection, and access to timely treatment are all key to maintaining good eye health. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for children, those aged 60 years old and over, individuals on low incomes, and those at increased risk of certain eye diseases, including glaucoma. Free NHS sight tests are also being rolled out for children and young people attending special educational settings across England. Diabetic Retinopathy screening is also offered to individuals aged 12 years old or over with diabetes.NHS England has been testing how integrating primary and secondary eye care services, through IT connectivity and the development of a single point of access, could improve the referral, triage and management of patients with eye care needs and reduce the time from diagnosis to treatment. The North East London Integrated Care System, which includes Romford, have a number of measures in place to improve eye health including a single point of access to improve referrals into secondary care and minor eye care services in the community.

What steps he is taking to support people suffering from drug addiction in Romford constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidenced-based, high-quality treatment.Local authorities are responsible for assessing local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet these needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26 the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. Havering Borough Council, of which Romford is a part, will receive £400,302 from this additional grant funding in 2025/26. Further details are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-allocations-2025-to-2026Alongside the funding allocations, the Department also has a range of existing and forthcoming best practice resources and guidance that supports those working in the sector to tailor drug and alcohol treatment services to meet local needs, to improve treatment outcomes. For example, the commissioning quality standard provides guidance to local authorities on how to ensure they have a shared understanding of local need, including the experiences of diverse populations. The commissioning quality standard can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commissioning-quality-standard-alcohol-and-drug-servicesLater this year the Department will also be publishing the United Kingdom’s clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment. The aim of the guidelines is to improve and support good practice to achieve better outcomes for people with alcohol problems.

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of adults with visual impairments in England.

We recognise the importance of supporting people with sight loss to maintain or improve their visual function so they can live independently in the community. It is important that individuals with visual impairments continue to have regular sight tests to monitor any further changes to their vision.Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many individuals, including children, who are registered as sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired, or who have been diagnosed with glaucoma. Further information on sight test eligibility can be found at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/Low vision services can also be provided to help individuals with sight loss to live independently, and can include access to low vision aids such as magnifiers. Low vision services can be provided within the hospital eye service or in the community.The Department supports the publication by the Royal National Institute of Blind People of an eye care support pathway, which aims to improve the support available at every stage of an individual’s sight loss journey, including helping them to understand their condition.

What plans he has to help increase public (a) awareness and (b) understanding of sickle cell disorder and the impact on that disorder on (i) individuals and (ii) families.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as sickle cell disorder.To improve awareness of sickle cell disorder, NHS England has carried out a range of activities including developing and launching a national Can You Tell its Sickle Cell campaign in 2022 including a hand-held patient card that could be used in a sickle cell crisis. It has also produced and published a series of four podcasts, featuring three sickle cell patients, placed partnered editorials in Black media to promote awareness of the condition and the potential impact on people’s daily lives, and piloted a successful free monthly e-learning sickle cell series for patients in London. This course will soon be available both nationally and globally.NHS England has designed a prescription savings campaign to raise awareness of two available money-saving schemes among those living with conditions such as sickle cell, and in deprivation.

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of children with visual impairments in England.

We recognise the importance of supporting people with sight loss to maintain or improve their visual function so they can live independently in the community. It is important that individuals with visual impairments continue to have regular sight tests to monitor any further changes to their vision.Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many individuals, including children, who are registered as sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired, or who have been diagnosed with glaucoma. Further information on sight test eligibility can be found at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/Low vision services can also be provided to help individuals with sight loss to live independently, and can include access to low vision aids such as magnifiers. Low vision services can be provided within the hospital eye service or in the community.The Department supports the publication by the Royal National Institute of Blind People of an eye care support pathway, which aims to improve the support available at every stage of an individual’s sight loss journey, including helping them to understand their condition.

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the ocular health of children in England.

All babies should receive a routine eye screening within 72 hours of birth as part of the newborn physical examination and again at around six weeks of age. Parents and carers are also encouraged to raise any concerns about their child’s health during the health and development reviews carried out with the health visitor.The UK National Screening Committee also recommends vision screening in school for children aged four to five years to look for reduced vision in one or both eyes.In addition, all children aged under 16, and under 19 in full time education are eligible for a free NHS eye test, available at opticians. Integrated Care Boards are also in the process of rolling out free NHS sight tests in special educational settings for children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism across England.

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to raise awareness of the risk of sun exposure to ocular health.

The National Health Service website provides advice on how to protect your eyes in the sun. It recommends avoiding looking directly at the sun, as this can cause permanent eye damage, and advises people to wear sunglasses with the appropriate ultraviolet protection. Further information can be found on the NHS page on sun and sunscreen safety, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/Sun exposure can increase the risk of eye cancer. The Department is currently seeking views and ideas to inform the development of the National Cancer Plan for England, to meet the health mission goal to reduce the lives lost to the biggest killers. The consultation materials are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan

What steps he is taking to support people suffering from alcoholism in Romford constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidenced-based, high-quality treatment.Local authorities are responsible for assessing local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet these needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26 the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. Havering Borough Council, of which Romford is a part, will receive £400,302 from this additional grant funding in 2025/26. Further details are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-allocations-2025-to-2026Alongside the funding allocations, the Department also has a range of existing and forthcoming best practice resources and guidance that supports those working in the sector to tailor drug and alcohol treatment services to meet local needs, to improve treatment outcomes. For example, the commissioning quality standard provides guidance to local authorities on how to ensure they have a shared understanding of local need, including the experiences of diverse populations. The commissioning quality standard can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commissioning-quality-standard-alcohol-and-drug-servicesLater this year the Department will also be publishing the United Kingdom’s clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment. The aim of the guidelines is to improve and support good practice to achieve better outcomes for people with alcohol problems.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that healthcare professionals in (a) emergency, (b) general and (c) wards receive adequate training related to sickle cell disorder.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as sickle cell disorder. This framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which include increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals.NHS England has launched several activities to improve staff knowledge and training aimed at healthcare professionals, including developing the ACT NOW campaign to improve awareness of frontline staff of what to do when people attend hospital in a sickle cell crisis, providing support to specialist staff for sickle cell and thalassemia through the Haemoglobinopathy Coordinating Centre network, and developing free e-learning to help staff, including those in accident and emergency, haematology, and ambulance services, to identify signs of a sickle cell crisis. Further information on the ACT NOW campaign is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/london/a-c-t-n-o-w-sickle-cell-acronym-pilot/NHS England is working with clinicians and people with sickle cell disorder in Manchester to understand how to help people to better manage their disorder. The learning from this pilot will be shared nationally, to support others to embed a similar approach to care, that reflects the needs of their local populations.

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the (a) research, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment of ocular cancers.

The Department funds cancer research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR spent £133 million on cancer research in 2023/24. An example of this investment includes the NIHR Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs), which are dedicated facilities in National Health Service hospitals where researchers deliver early-phase and complex studies, including in cancer. In 2022, the NIHR invested £161 million in 28 facilities over five years to create dedicated spaces for high-risk experimental medicine studies, such as first-in-patient trials.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ocular cancers. 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. Welcoming applications on ocular cancers to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.The Department works closely with NHS England in taking steps to improve diagnostic and treatment waiting times for all cancers, including ocular cancer. We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scanners. In addition, £70 million will be spent on new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it.In December 2024, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence approved the treatment of tebentafusp for uveal melanoma, a form of ocular cancer. This treatment has now been rolled out to patients across England with inoperable ocular cancer.Improving outcomes for rarer cancers, like ocular cancer, is an area of focus for the National Cancer Plan. The plan’s overarching goal will be to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years.

If he will provide funding to improve the accident and emergency department at Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

National Health Service commissioners are responsible for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services. Therefore, in this case, the commissioning body responsible would be the North East London Health and Care Partnership Integrated Care Board (ICB), rather than the Department.The North East London Health and Care Partnership ICB has been provisionally allocated £24 million for constitutional standards recovery in 2025/26, as part of our £1.65 billion capital investment to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care. This will fund new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds, to create more treatment space in emergency departments, reduce waiting times, and help shift more care into the community. The £1.65 billion capital investment also includes £26 million to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on accident and emergency services.In addition, the ICB has been provisionally allocated £107.5 million in operational capital funding, including primary care business-as-usual capital, for 2025/26, to be prioritised according to local needs, such as investing in hospital infrastructure.Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 will be set through Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will conclude and be published in late spring 2025.

What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) gestational ages of pregnancies are accurately recorded in cases without ultrasound scans and (b) abortion pills are not sent in the mail to women beyond the legal limit of 10 weeks.

Pregnancy duration can be assessed from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). Advice from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is clear, that most women can determine the duration of their pregnancy with reasonable accuracy by their LMP alone.Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the medical practitioner would ask the woman to attend an in-person appointment to enable them to form an opinion that the pregnancy will not have exceeded 10 weeks at the time the first abortion pill is taken.

What steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research on, (b) diagnosis of and (c) treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being the largest area of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. Examples of NIHR investments in blood cancer research include:the £2.6 million PROPEL trial, testing whether a package of enhanced personalised prehabilitation can help people with acute myeloid leukaemia cope better with treatment;a £2.2 million trial exploring methods to reduce secondary infections as a result of acute myeloid leukaemia, with the aim of reducing the side effects of treatment and improving quality of life for patients during and after; anda £3 million trial of the drug ibrutinib for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and a £2.2 million study to evaluate the digital health platform AscelusTM, for the management of blood disorders including cancers, funded by the NIHR in partnership with the Offices for Life Sciences.The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including acute myeloid leukaemia.Improving diagnosis rates and access to treatment are key priorities for the Government for all cancer types. To achieve this, the National Health Service is improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. In addition, the NHS has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week during our first year in Government, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment. Additionally, the recently announced National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer, including acute myeloid leukaemia.

What steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research in, (b) diagnosis of and (c) the treatment of anaemia.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, charities, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including anaemia, through its research programmes. From 2019/20 to 2023/24, the NIHR funded £10.7 million of research into anaemia. The NIHR also provides research support by funding facilities, expertise, training, and recruitment support, which includes approximately 176 studies from 2019/20 to 2023/24 on anaemia research supported across NIHR infrastructure. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced a clinical knowledge summary on anaemia which provides guidance on testing and treatment of all types of anaemia. It was last updated in September 2023. The clinical knowledge summary states that, in all people, serum ferritin levels of less than 30 micrograms per litre confirms a diagnosis of iron deficiency. NICE guidelines are not mandatory and, whilst clinicians and health and care commissioners are expected to take them into account, it is important for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to be in place that address the specific needs of the individual. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has authorised a number of intravenous iron products for use by patients with anaemia in the United Kingdom, including iron dextran, iron sucrose, ferric carboxymaltose, and ferric derisomaltose.