Written questions by Morello.

Whether his Department plans to review the system of financial penalties imposed on NHS trusts for health and safety breaches.

Enforcement is one of the core components of the operating model that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses to achieve its purpose and perform its role, to improve health and adult social care services and protect the health, safety and welfare of people who use them. The CQC monitors and assesses service providers against the fundamental standards of quality and safety. Failure to comply with the standards and make improvements, could result in enforcement action by the CQC.The current system of penalties imposed on National Health Service trusts for health and safety breaches is defined by law. The Department has not made any assessments of other models and, therefore, has no plans to review this.

What assessment his Department has made of potential alternative models to financial penalties for NHS trusts that (a) do not diminish frontline patient care and (b) improve affected local services.

Enforcement is one of the core components of the operating model that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses to achieve its purpose and perform its role, to improve health and adult social care services and protect the health, safety and welfare of people who use them. The CQC monitors and assesses service providers against the fundamental standards of quality and safety. Failure to comply with the standards and make improvements, could result in enforcement action by the CQC.The current system of penalties imposed on National Health Service trusts for health and safety breaches is defined by law. The Department has not made any assessments of other models and, therefore, has no plans to review this.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26669 on Dental Services: Rural Areas and to the pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26670 on Dental Services: Rural Areas, what guidance his Department provides to Integrated Care Boards on the commissioning of dental vans.

Since 1 April 2023, the responsibility for commissioning primary care, including dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.NHS England supports ICBs with their local commissioning responsibilities for primary dental services with the provision of nationally agreed policies and procedures. NHS England has also published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning, which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/

What steps his Department is taking to provide additional funding to ICBs.

At the Autumn Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over 2024/25 and 2025/26. The recently published recurrent integrated care board core allocations will grow by 4.1% in 2025/26, compared to 2024/25. These growths exclude funding allocations that are made after convergence, including additional elective funding and transfers in from the Service Development Fund, which are treated separately.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of support provided by the NHS to people with ADHD after they have left full-time education.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that people over 65 can access free health checks every five years.

The NHS Health Check programme, England’s cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programme, aims to prevent CVD in people aged 40 to 74 years old, and is offered every five years. During 2023/24, over 1.4 million people received an NHS Health Check, and through behavioural and clinical interventions, the programme prevents approximately 500 heart attacks and strokes a year.To improve access and engagement with the NHS Health Check, we are developing a new digital service which will complement the existing face to face programme and enable people to undertake the NHS Health Check in the comfort of their own home.The Department is developing policy proposals and advice to ministers on options to improve the uptake and impact of the NHS Health Check programme. The work will consider the recommendations of the recent National Audit Office’s report, Progress on CVD Prevention.

What assessment his Department has made of support for people with ADHD outside the school environment.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for adult ADHD assessments in rural areas.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the average waiting time for an ADHD assessment.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) levels of diagnosis and (b) difficulties of diagnosing ADHD in girls.

We recognise that girls may be underdiagnosed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available the appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.NICE guidelines on ADHD, published and updated in September 2019, aim to improve the diagnosis of ADHD, recognising that ADHD may be under-diagnosed in women and girls, and improve the quality of care and support that people of all ages who are diagnosed with ADHD receive.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.Alongside the work of the taskforce, NHS England will continue to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems which are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services to ensure best practice is captured and shared across the system.

What steps her Department is taking to encourage schools to implement supervised toothbrushing programs in West Dorset constituency.

We are committed to introducing a national supervised toothbrushing scheme in England. This will be targeted at three, four, and five year olds in the communities with the highest needs. Further information on the timing of the implementation of the national supervised toothbrushing programme will follow in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of NHS dental buses in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other remote areas.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The decision about whether to commission dental vans should be made locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). Local areas know the needs of their population best and are best placed to make decisions about whether or how mobile dental vans can contribute to meeting the dental care needs of their population. For the West Dorset constituency this is the NHS Dorset ICB.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of introducing mandatory toothbrushing programs in primary schools on improving oral health outcomes for children.

Supervised toothbrushing is an evidenced based intervention that reduces the prevalence and severity of tooth decay. We are committed to introducing a national supervised toothbrushing scheme in England. This will be targeted at three, four, and five year olds most in need.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of piloting mobile NHS dental clinics to help improve access to routine dental care in remote communities.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The decision about whether to commission dental vans should be made locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). Local areas know the needs of their population best and are best placed to make decisions about whether or how mobile dental vans can contribute to meeting the dental care needs of their population. For the West Dorset constituency this is the NHS Dorset ICB.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) availability of mental health services and (b) recruitment and retention of mental health professionals in rural areas.

Waiting lists for those referred for mental health support are too high all across England, including in rural communities. People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and roll out Young Futures hubs in every community. We are working to consider the options to deliver this expansion of the mental health workforce, including where they should be deployed to achieve maximum effect. NHS England is also working to improve retention within the mental health workforce through clearer career progression pathways.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the accessibility of urgent mental health support for people in rural areas; and what steps he is taking to help ensure equitable service provision compared to urban areas.

Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations. We plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England, to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.Anyone in England who needs urgent mental health support can now speak to a trained National Health Service professional at any time through a new mental health option on NHS 111. Trained NHS staff will assess patients over the phone and guide callers with next steps such organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or hospital admission.As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we are also committing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on busy emergency mental health and accident and emergency services, and ensuring that people have the support they need when they need it.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23243, if he will publish a breakdown of spending on brain cancer research in 2023-24, including UK Research and Innovation funding bodies.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department of Health and Social Care invests over £1.5 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24. Cancer is a major area of NIHR spend, reflecting its high priority.In 2023/24, total NIHR spending on direct research awards on brain cancer was £2.1 million spent across 22 active studies with a total lifetime value of £11.8 million. In the same year our wider infrastructure investments, which enable the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research funded by ourselves, charities and industry partners, allowed an additional 1,107 people to participate in potentially life-changing brain cancer research in the National Health Service. Information about research projects funded through NIHR Research Programmes, including on brain cancer, is available at the following link:https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/The NIHR works closely with other Government funders, including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which conducts research through its nine research councils. UKRI figures for spending on brain cancer research in 2023/24 have yet to be finalised.

If he will provide a breakdown of spending on brain cancer research in 2023-24.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.5 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24. Cancer is a major area of NIHR spend, reflecting its high priority.In the financial year 2023/24, total NIHR spending on direct research awards on brain cancer was £2.1 million spent across 22 active studies, with a total lifetime value of £11.8 million. In the same year, our wider infrastructure investments, which enable the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research funded by ourselves, charities, and industry partners, allowed an additional 1,107 people to participate in potentially life-changing brain cancer research in the National Health Service.In addition to direct research awards, NIHR infrastructure funding enables the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research supported by other funders. These investments allowed an additional 1,107 people to participate in potentially life-changing brain cancer research in in the NHS in the same period.

What steps he is taking to address (a) recruitment and (b) retention in adult social care in rural areas.

The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth, and improve the retention of the domestic workforce.We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the...

What steps his Department is taking to improve mental health support for social care workers.

Most social care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay and terms and conditions, including any occupational health or wellbeing support, independent of the central Government.We recognise the scale of reforms needed to make th...