Written questions by Grant.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of employment opportunities for newly qualified midwives; and what steps he is taking to ensure that qualified healthcare professiona

Awaiting answer.

Which recommendations of the Government’s British Sign Language Advisory Board he will implement to ensure the NHS is accessible to deaf and blind people.

Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care organisations have a legal duty to make changes in their approach and provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled people as they are for everybody else.All National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard, which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss, including Deaf and blind people.We welcome the British Sign Language Advisory Board’s report, Locked out: Exclusion of deaf and deafblind BSL users from health and social care in the UK. We will carefully consider its recommendations, including how, in the context of our work on the 10-Year Health Plan and reform of adult social care, we can improve the experiences of Deaf and blind people when accessing health and care services.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) support the development of treatments for Huntington's disease and (b) improve the ability of the NHS to deliver new gene therapies for people living with rare diseases.

We recognise the significant challenges faced by those living with rare diseases such as Huntington’s Disease. The Department supports research into Huntington’s disease through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR infrastructure supports pioneering research into Huntington's, including the positive preliminary results for a novel gene therapy reported this year. NHS England will assess the service delivery impact of any specific gene therapy for Huntingdon's disease within three years of its expected licensing decision by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will make recommendations for the National Health Service on new medicines based on clinical and cost effectiveness. NHS England is required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, within three months of the publication of final guidance. The NHS has a dedicated team to support the adoption of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) that are recommended by NICE. NHS England works with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely patient access to ATMPs that are on NICE’s technology appraisal and highly specialised technology workplan.

What steps he is taking to ensure that additional NHS funding leads to pay rises for (a) nurses and (b) other frontline staff.

The Department has remitted the independent pay review bodies (PRBs) to begin their work on pay recommendations for 2026/27 for nurses and other frontline National Health Service staff. The Government will carefully consider the PRB recommendations, which is the usual process to determine pay uplifts for NHS workers. As part of this process, the PRBs consider the evidence submitted, including a range of factors such as the economic context and the available funding.We hugely appreciate the work of the many talented staff across the NHS, which is why on 22 May 2025, we accepted the headline pay recommendations for 2025/26 made by the PRBs giving them a much deserved, above-inflation, pay rise.

What steps he is taking to improve care for people with Huntington's disease.

The revised NHS England Specialised Neurology Services (adults) Specification 2025 outlines a comprehensive model of care, detailing the requirements for specialised neurology services but also outlining the expectations of a system wide approach. It articulates how patients should move into and out of specialised neurology services, including patients with Huntington’s disease, incorporating end to end pathways within an Integrated Neurology System. The NHSE Specialised Commissioning Neurology Transformation Team (NTP) have also produced a number of guidance documents to support the implementation of the revised service specification. This includes developing a neurology transformation toolkit, which outlines the impact of care coordination and case management functions in supporting more equitable and efficient care for people with long-term neurological diseases, including Huntington’s disease.

What steps he is taking to protect patients with cystic fibrosis in the context of a shortage of Creon gastro-resistant capsules.

The Department is in regular discussions with the supplier of Creon on the latest stock availability and the actions that are being taken to mitigate the supply issue that is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom. Through these discussions we have managed to secure additional volumes of Creon for 2025 for the UK. We are continuing to work with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to understand what more can be done to add further resilience to the market. The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market.In the longer term, the Department has had interest from non-UK suppliers of PERT wishing to bring their products to the UK and, along with colleagues in the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), we are working with these potential suppliers, and if authorised, these products could further diversify and strengthen the market.The Department has issued management advice to healthcare professionals which directs clinicians to unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable, and which includes actions for integrated care boards to put in place local mitigation plans to ensure that patients are not left without PERT. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a public facing page to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice for clinicians.

What steps he is taking to improve the accessibility of face-to-face GP appointments (a) in general and (b) for people less digitally literate.

General practitioners (GPs) must provide face to face appointments alongside remote consultations. Online services must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, in-person consultations.The GP contract also makes clear that patients have a right to request a face-to-face appointment and practices must make every effort to meet their preference, unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.We know that some patients can struggle to access digital services. To help address this, digital tools used in primary care settings must meet required minimum standards of functionality set by NHS England, ensuring a consistent quality of service for patients. All organisations providing services in the National Health Service, including primary care providers, must follow the Accessible Information Standard.

If he will issue guidance clarifying the (a) roles and (b) responsibilities of (i) local services and (ii) the third sector in the provision of specialist equipment for disabled children.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) in England are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of their local population. NHS England Specialised Commissioning commissions complex disability equipment services, including communication aids, environmental controls, and prosthetics.We expect ICBs to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). In 2022, the NICE published the guidance Disabled children and young people up to 25 with severe complex needs: integrated service delivery and organisation across health, social care and education, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng213/chapter/Recommendations-on-service-organisation-integration-and-commissioningThe Children and Families Act 2014 requires that education, health, and social care services must work together to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In May 2023, NHS England issued statutory guidance setting out the requirement for ICBs to have an Executive Lead for SEND, who will lead on supporting the Chief Executive and the board in ensuring the ICB performs its functions effectively, in the interests of children and young people with SEND.Local authorities are responsible for providing social care services for disabled children, which can include specialist equipment. The guidance on supporting disabled children and their carers is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669e7501ab418ab055592a7b/Working_together_to_safeguard_children_2023.pdfFurther guidance on the roles and responsibilities of different organisations in meeting the needs of children with SEND can be found in the SEND Code of Practice, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

What steps his Department plans to take to accelerate provision of (a) therapy services, (b) wheelchairs, (c) orthotics, (d) prosthetics and (e) other equipment for children and young people.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of most children’s therapy services and equipment services in the National Health Service. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for children and young people are specialised services, and are commissioned by NHS England.NHS England is working to reduce regional variation in the quality and provision of NHS wheelchairs, and to support ICBs to reduce delays in people receiving timely intervention and wheelchair equipment. This includes co-producing a wheelchair quality framework with key stakeholders and people with lived experience. It is due to be published by the end of 2024/25 and will set out quality standards and statutory requirements for ICBs, such as offering personal wheelchair budgets.NHS England will shortly publish a revised service specification, Amputee Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Services for People of All Ages with Limb Loss and Limb Difference. The revised specification ensures greater emphasis on children and young people being seen with an age-appropriate setting, with greater collaboration between the young person’s acute and rehabilitation teams.In relation to AAC services, NHS England is reviewing the current service specification, and it is anticipated that the revised service specification will be published in spring 2025.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of legal protections against the (a) abuse and (b) neglect of older people.

Any form of elder abuse or neglect is unacceptable.Local authorities have a statutory duty to investigate safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014. The statutory guidance of the Care Act 2014 makes it clear that local authorities must ensure that the...

What steps his Department is taking to help improve (a) prevention, (b) diagnosis and (c) support for people affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

The Department has taken a number of steps to help prevent foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines, published in 2016, provide clear advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for...

What discussions he has had with (a) SeeAbility and (b) other charities that deliver public sector contracts on the potential impact of increases in levels of employers' national insurance contribu

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. On the impact on charities in particular, our tax regime fo...

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of an increase in employers national insurance contributions on charity and not for profit providers of adult social care; and if he will p

The Government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process. This assessment took into account a wide range of factors, including changes to emplo...

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of women’s health provision.

The Women's Health Strategy call for evidence in 2021 received nearly 100,000 responses from individuals, and over 400 written submissions from expert groups and researchers. It identified a range of issues including women not feeling listened to by healt...

What steps he has taken to assess the impact on the health outcomes of people with dementia of the (a) average length of time people with dementia stay in hospital relative to people over 65 withou

NHS England does not hold this information centrally. However, the provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population need...

What steps he is taking to improve dementia care in England.

The Dementia Training Standards Framework sets out the required essential knowledge and skills, as well as the expected learning outcomes applicable across the health and care spectrum. To support the quality of dementia care planning by primary care providers, the Dementia: Good Personalised Care and Support Planning guide promotes consistent personalised care and support planning. To further improve care, NHS England has refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. This sets out best practice for supporting people with dementia, from diagnosis to dying well.To enhance an integrated approach to hospital discharge, six national discharge frontrunner pilots are testing improved dementia care. This includes dementia hubs, which aim to improve care and support for dementia patients waiting for discharge, so that their needs are at the centre of every decision.

What steps he is taking to help improve the diagnosis of dyslexia in children.

Assessments for dyslexia in children are currently provided through Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services by an educational psychologist or an appropriately qualified specialist dyslexia teacher.If a parent thinks their child may be dyslexic, as a first step they should speak to their child’s teacher or their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about their concerns. They may be able to offer additional support to help the child if necessary.The government will be focusing on a community-wide approach to meeting the needs of children with SEND, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. On 22 November 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education and NHS England launched a joint project, Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS), with £13million of funding to test an innovative delivery model to improve access to specialist support in mainstream primary schools, upskilling those settings to meet a range of neurodiverse needs. The programme is ongoing, with delivery due to be completed by 31 March 2025. The programme is being evaluated, and learning will inform future policy development around how schools support neurodiverse children.

What steps he plans to take to increase access to local GP services in Maidstone and Malling constituency.

The Government knows that patients are finding it harder than ever to access general practices (GP) and is committed to fixing the the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service, thereby increasing access to local services including those in the Maidstone and Malling constituency.Our plan to restore GPs and improve waiting times to see a practitioner will require both investment and reform. We have committed to training thousands more GPs and ending the 8:00am scramble for appointments by introducing a modern booking system. The Government will also introduce Neighbourhood Health Centres, bringing together vital health and care services, and ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the care they deserve. In addition, the Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.