Every parliamentary written question tabled by Cameron Thomas this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 94 · Department of Health and Social Care
What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of current statistics for stroke treatment in England.
The Government set an ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by a quarter in the next ten years. To accelerate progress and tackle unwarranted variation across the country, we will publish a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern ...
What steps he is taking to ensure patients with systemic conditions linked to poor oral health, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, receive appropriate oral health education.
A range of actions support the provision of appropriate oral health education to patients with systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. For example, the Delivering Better Oral Health guidance, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-preventionThis guidance is a key resource for the oral health profession to address risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and healthier eating. Oral health education should also be embedded in diabetes care pathways, to include educational programmes and oral health team members delivering patient education and motivation, alongside clinical management. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/commissioning-standard-dental-care-for-people-with-diabetes/Within hospitals, the Mouth Care Matters programme supports the oral health of patients, with further information available at the following link:https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/oral-healthIn addition to this existing support, the Government is committed to reforming the dental contract by the end of this Parliament, with a focus on promoting prevention, matching resources to need, improving access, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability.
What estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of preventable conditions resulting from lack of access to oral health education and care.
No estimate is available of the costs to the National Health Service of preventable conditions resulting from lack of access to oral health education and care. The costs to the NHS of hospital admissions for decay-related tooth extractions, which are largely preventable, are estimated at £51.2 million in the financial year ending 2025. Further information is published at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2025This is why the Government is shifting to prevention through a national, targeted supervised toothbrushing programme where every £1 spent is expected to save £3 in avoided treatment costs.
What estimate he has made of the number of hospital admissions related to dental infections or complications preventable through earlier oral health education and intervention.
No estimate is available for the number of hospital admissions related to dental infections or complications preventable through earlier oral health education and intervention. However, official statistics on hospital tooth extractions for children and young adults being admitted to hospital for tooth extractions in the financial year ending 2025 are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2025
Who is responsible for providing preventative oral health advice to individuals unable to access an NHS dentist.
Promoting oral health advice and education is a fundamental pillar of contemporary health care and relevant to a wide range of professionals and commissioned services. For example, in England local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for the local area. The evidence base on preventative advice is published and available for use by dental and other professionals at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention
What steps he is taking to improve oral health for those without access to preventative dental care.
The Government is working to improve oral health and reduce inequalities for those without access to preventative dental care by addressing the main risk factors of dental disease. These include sugar reduction, restrictions on less healthy food and drink, and the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom alongside record funding for local stop smoking services.Since 2025, we have invested £21.5 million to deliver the national supervised toothbrushing programme for three to five year olds. We are expanding water fluoridation in the north east of England, so that it reaches 1.6 million more people, and are refurbishing older fluoridation schemes, benefitting a further six million people by 2030, to reduce the inequalities faced by vulnerable children and adults.We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform by the end of this Parliament. Reforms introduced from April 2026 include changes to embed the provision of urgent care into the dental contract, supported by increased payments for dentists delivering this care, making it easier for patients to get rapid support through the National Health Service.
What steps his Department is taking to address oral health inequalities among adults who cannot access NHS dental care.
The Government is working to improve oral health and reduce inequalities for those without access to preventative dental care by addressing the main risk factors of dental disease. These include sugar reduction, restrictions on less healthy food and drink, and the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom alongside record funding for local stop smoking services.Since 2025, we have invested £21.5 million to deliver the national supervised toothbrushing programme for three to five year olds. We are expanding water fluoridation in the north east of England, so that it reaches 1.6 million more people, and are refurbishing older fluoridation schemes, benefitting a further six million people by 2030, to reduce the inequalities faced by vulnerable children and adults.We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform by the end of this Parliament. Reforms introduced from April 2026 include changes to embed the provision of urgent care into the dental contract, supported by increased payments for dentists delivering this care, making it easier for patients to get rapid support through the National Health Service.
What steps he is taking to help ensure early detection of dental issues for adults who cannot access NHS dental services.
The Government is acting to improve early detection of dental issues and care for adults. Over the past year, integrated care boards (ICBs) have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. Some patients may be particularly vulnerable to oral health problems, and ICBs are also responsible for commissioning specialised dental services to provide dental treatment in several settings, including care homes or community dental services for patients that may have difficulty accessing high street dental services due to social, medical, or dental needs. We are also committed to reforming the dental contract by the end of this Parliament, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly.
Whether he has a strategy on delivering preventative oral health education to adults outside of dental practices.
Promoting oral health advice and education is a fundamental pillar of contemporary health care and relevant to a wide range of professionals and commissioned services. For example, in England local authorities are responsible for assessing oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for the local area. The evidence base on preventative advice is published and available for use by dental and other professionals at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention
What steps he is taking to ensure those receiving adult social care are given adequate, detailed notice of the potential cost to the individual beforehand.
Under the Care Act 2014, charging is based on a number of principles, including that people should not be charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay and that charging approaches should be clear, transparent, and comprehensive so people know what they will be charged.Where local authorities decide to charge for the provision of care and support, they must follow the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, and they must act under the Care and Support Statutory guidance.When assessing what an individual can afford to contribute to their care costs, local authorities will conduct a financial assessment, and they can take any income and/or assets into account, unless they are required to be disregarded under the regulations.
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of the Minimum Income Guarantee for those receiving local authority-arranged care and support.
The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) is reviewed annually and published in the Local Authority Circular, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2026-to-2027/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-2026-to-2027-local-authority-circularFor 2026/27, the MIG for working‑age disabled adults was increased by 7% to directly address cost of living challenges faced by this cohort and to recognise that working-age disabled adults start from a lower MIG than adults over Pension Credit age.For those over Pension Credit age, it was increased in line with consumer price index inflation at 3.8%, as well as in line with benefits increases. Local authorities have the ability to set higher rates for the MIG if they wish, as the regulations simply set the statutory minimum.
What steps he is taking to ensure the current level of the Minimum Income Guarantee is fair for those receiving pensions.
The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) is reviewed annually and published in the Local Authority Circular, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2026-to-2027/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-2026-to-2027-local-authority-circularFor 2026/27, the MIG for working‑age disabled adults was increased by 7% to directly address cost of living challenges faced by this cohort and to recognise that working-age disabled adults start from a lower MIG than adults over Pension Credit age.For those over Pension Credit age, it was increased in line with consumer price index inflation at 3.8%, as well as in line with benefits increases. Local authorities have the ability to set higher rates for the MIG if they wish, as the regulations simply set the statutory minimum.
What recent assessment he made of the rate of turnover for mental health support workers in CAMHS.
NHS England commissions an annual census of the children and young people’s mental health workforce in England which receives data from National Health Service trusts as well as local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, independent providers, and the youth justice system. The latest report found that staff retention in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services of NHS providers, staff in post on 1 April 2023 and still in post on 31 March 2024, averaged 75% in the community setting, and 69% in the inpatient setting.This was calculated using submissions that had provided both a numerator, based on whole time equivalent (WTE) staff in post on 1 April 2023 and still in post on 31 March 2024 by team type, and a denominator, based on WTE staff in post as of 1 April 2023 and by team type, which was a maximum of 82% of NHS trusts. Further information can be found in the latest annual census at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-national-workforce-census/
What consideration he has given to introducing loyalty incentives for mental health support workers in CAMHS.
There are no plans to introduce loyalty incentives for mental health support workers in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.To support this ambition, we plan to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture that embeds retention.
Whether his Department will commit to regularly publishing clear and transparent figures of Whole Genome Sequencing as described in the National Cancer Plan, broken down by trust, tumour type and outlining the percentages of patients receiving this against the number being diagnosed.
Since 2023, NHS England has published National Health Service genomic testing activity data on the NHS England website, at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/genomic-testing-activity/This standardised data is published at a national level and by NHS Genomic Medicine Service region. For whole genome sequencing, data is published by cancer and rare disease. Data is also published for a number of specific cancer clinical indications, including for example lymphoma, lung, colorectal, and others. NHS England will continue to develop this dataset and publish genomic testing activity data on a quarterly basis in line with other diagnostic NHS services.
What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of clinical trials running in the UK for people with brain cancer; and whether he has any specific targets on this to reduce the number of patients who travel overseas for treatment.
The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the United Kingdom a world-leading destination for clinical research. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including treatments for brain cancers.The Department is supporting the delivery of brain cancer clinical trials through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) that funds research and research infrastructure to support patients and the public to participate in high-quality research. In January 2026, the NIHR announced total investment of over £25 million in the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium to accelerate research into new brain tumour treatments across the UK. The consortium will develop and enhance innovative clinical trials.There are no specific targets around increasing the number of brain cancer clinical trials, although the Life Sciences Sector Plan aims to double all commercial interventional trial participants in the UK by 2026, and double again by 2029.As set out in our National Cancer Plan, the Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act, making it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.
What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the pace at which the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium is developing; and when the organisations that constitute the research consortium will have access to the funds.
Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium was announced as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In December 2025, the NIHR announced an initial £13.7 million investment in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through funding of work packages. This brings the total investment to over £25 million. Payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to ten years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between NIHR and the consortium.We are expecting to be able to make further updates on the progress of the NIHR Brain Cancer Consortium in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourages brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.
Over what period he expects the £13.7 million initial funding in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium to be disbursed.
Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium was announced as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In December 2025, the NIHR announced an initial £13.7 million investment in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through funding of work packages. This brings the total investment to over £25 million. Payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to ten years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between NIHR and the consortium.We are expecting to be able to make further updates on the progress of the NIHR Brain Cancer Consortium in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourages brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.
Following the announcement on the19 December 2025 on the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, when the additional announcements will be made on further funding into brain tumour treatment trials beyond the £13.7 million initial investment.
Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium was announced as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In December 2025, the NIHR announced an initial £13.7 million investment in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through funding of work packages. This brings the total investment to over £25 million. Payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to ten years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between NIHR and the consortium.We are expecting to be able to make further updates on the progress of the NIHR Brain Cancer Consortium in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourages brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.
When he expects the National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers to be appointed and whether a job specification has already been created.
The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. We will implement the Rare Cancers Act, which received Royal Assent on 5 March 2026, including by designating a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers by summer 2026. This person will be based in the NIHR Research Delivery Network and will support research delivery for rare cancers research. A job specification for the role is under development.The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and provide regular updates to ministers. The board will be co-chaired by the Director General for Planned Care in the Department and an independent representative. In addition, several national leads will sit on the board, including a clinical lead for rare cancers. The national leads will oversee delivery of the plan and advise ministers directly and independently on what action should be taken to improve outcomes.It is important to choose the most suitable appointment process for selecting an independent representative to co-chair the board and to the national lead roles. Officials from NHS England and the Department are carefully following the required public appointments procedures including creating job specifications.