Written questions by Maguire.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle the (a) mental health and (b) social needs of kidney patients.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs, including kidney patients, and where eligible, for meeting those needs. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility threshold, they can get support from their local authorities in making their own arrangements for care services, as set out in the Care Act 2014.Local authorities further have a duty to shape their care markets and commission a diverse range of care and support services that enables people to access quality care.We recognise that too many 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 that we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people, including kidney patients where appropriate, can be confident in accessing high-quality mental health support when they need it.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to reduce delays and provide faster treatment, which will also help ease pressure on busy mental health services.The 10-Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. On 21 October, we launched a national conversation on the future of the NHS, inviting views from across the country on how to deliver a health service fit for the future. Patients, staff, and organisations, including those with experience of or expertise in kidney disease, can make themselves heard by logging onto the online portal, which is available at the following link:www.change.nhs.uk

What steps his Department is taking to help encourage more people to become organ donors.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for organ donation across the United Kingdom. The Department works closely with NHSBT to identify opportunities to encourage people to record their wishes on the Organ Donor Register, as we know that approximately nine in 10 families support organ donation going ahead when they know that it is what their loved one wanted. Current examples include building registration into the UK driving licence application and passport renewal process, as well as providing links to the Organ Donor Register in the NHS App. Partnerships like these account for approximately 90% of registrations.NHSBT runs high profile, year-round campaigns, including Organ Donation Week, World Sight Day, and World Kidney Day, in partnership with a wide range of charities and community groups. NHSBT also funds a network of Organ Donor Ambassadors and provides grants to community groups who raise awareness at a local level.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) urology and (b) continence services.

NHS England published the Excellence in Continence Care on 23 July 2018, bringing together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, and health and social care staff, and which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/In addition, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on the management of faecal incontinence in adults, which healthcare professionals and commissioners are expected to take fully into account when delivering services for people with bowel incontinence.