Written questions by McMurdock.

Whether he plans to support early access to clinical trials for patients with rare cancers.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, life-saving treatments, including those with rare cancers.We are also working to fast track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, to improve health outcomes and to accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including for rare cancers.The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million across 2023/24, reflecting their high priority.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country, including patients with rare cancers. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Bill and its ambitions to incentivise clinical trials and access to innovative treatments for rare cancers.

How many and what proportion of mental health inpatients discharged between 2024 and 2025 were readmitted within (a) 30 and (b) 90 days of discharge, broken down by age group.

The following table shows the information requested for inpatients discharged between January 2024 and December 2024 in England: Age bandDischarges eligible for readmissionReadmissions within 30 days of dischargeReadmissions within 90 days of dischargeProportion of discharges readmitted within 30 daysProportion of discharges readmitted within 90 days0-174,1341,4681,92535.5%46.6%18-2410,9121,8683,06817.1%28.1%25-3418,8062,4144,15612.8%22.1%35-4416,7421,7853,27010.7%19.5%45-5412,6151,1772,2109.3%17.5%55-6410,2869101,7048.8%16.6%65+13,2737611,4175.7%10.7%Missing/Invalid records2000.0%0.0%Total86,77010,38317,75012.0%20.5%Source: Mental Health Services Dataset, NHS England Notes:The age band is calculated based on the patient's age at the time of the previous discharge. The number of discharges eligible for readmission covers all discharges from hospital in the reporting period that meet the following criteria:Method of discharge from hospital was NOT the patient dying, discharging themselves, or being discharged by a relative or advocate.Destination of discharge from hospital was NOT a high security of psychiatric hospital or accommodation, a medium secure unit, or an Independent Sector Healthcare Provider run hospital. The number or readmissions within 30 or 90 days of discharge covers all next earliest admissions to hospital following a patient's eligible discharge. Number of days is calculated using the start date of the new admission and the discharge date of the previous discharge.

What the longest inpatient stays were for mental health patients in each age group discharged in 2025.

The information requested for the latest available period (1 January to 30 June 2025) is in the table below. Counts below 5 are suppressed using an asterisk. Age Band at DischargeBed Type at Discharge1Total Number of DischargesLongest hospital stay (days)20 to 17Child and Young Person Learning Disabilities9452,9680 to 17Unknown34002,3850 to 17Acute Mental Health Unit for Adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism*2,0330 to 17General Child and Young Person Young Person (13 years up to and including 17 years)9308530 to 17Child and Young Person Low Secure Mental Illness*6990 to 17Eating Disorders Child and Young Person1356620 to 17General Child and Young Person Child (up to and including 12 years)2406090 to 17Child and Young Person Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit1105630 to 17Adult Low Secure53920 to 17Adult Eating Disorders*2000 to 17Child Mental Health Services for the Deaf*1140 to 17Acute Adult Mental Health Care30590 to 17Child and Young Person Medium Secure Mental Illness*430 to 17Adult Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (Acute Mental Health Care)*420 to 17Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation (Mainstream Service)540 to 17Adult Neuro-Psychiatry / Acquired Brain Injury10318 to 64Adult High Secure5510,51418 to 64Adult Medium Secure3807,89718 to 64Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation (Mainstream Service)1,3606,78518 to 64Unknown32,9506,66618 to 64Acute Mental Health Unit for Adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism7306,19918 to 64Adult Low Secure4205,91618 to 64Acute Older Adult Mental Health Care (Organic and Functional)5555,38118 to 64Adult Neuro-Psychiatry / Acquired Brain Injury1605,25018 to 64Acute Adult Mental Health Care30,9053,92018 to 64Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation for Adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism (Specialist Service)1553,76318 to 64Child and Young Person Learning Disabilities302,95618 to 64Adult Personality Disorder102,70118 to 64Adult Mental Health Services for the Deaf201,89218 to 64Eating Disorders Child and Young Person351,53818 to 64General Child and Young Person Child (up to and including 12 years)*1,41418 to 64Adult Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (Acute Mental Health Care)2,5801,18118 to 64Adult Eating Disorders39094318 to 64Child and Young Person Low Secure Mental Illness587618 to 64General Child and Young Person Young Person (13 years up to and including 17 years)3569318 to 64Child and Young Person Medium Secure Mental Illness*60018 to 64Mother and Baby46528518 to 64Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Young Person524518 to 64Child and Young Person Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit1018865+Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation (Mainstream Service)1958,76865+Adult Low Secure206,36165+Adult Neuro-Psychiatry / Acquired Brain Injury456,16765+Acute Older Adult Mental Health Care (Organic and Functional)5,7055,67165+Adult Medium Secure154,96065+Acute Mental Health Unit for Adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism152,60665+Acute Adult Mental Health Care1,0551,83265+Adult Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (Acute Mental Health Care)301,57665+Unknown31251,19565+Adult Mental Health Services for the Deaf*53465+Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation for Adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism (Specialist Service)551465+Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Young Person*31065+Adult Eating Disorders1026065+General Child and Young Person Child (up to and including 12 years)*-Data source: Mental Health Services Dataset, NHS England 1 Bed type is the bed that the patient was in when they were discharged. 2 The length of stay is the patient’s total length of stay during the hospital spell. 3 Where a patient’s bed type is not recorded or cannot be matched to a valid value, the bed type is recorded as unknown.

What steps he is taking to ensure the 10-year dementia plan leads to a consistent standard of care and support for dementia patients across communities.

Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.Those with dementia will also benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans, and by 2027, 95% of those with complex needs will have an agreed care plan.

What plans he has to review the severity threshold used by NICE for appraising treatments for incurable cancers.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. The severity modifier was introduced in January 2022 as part of a number of changes intended to make NICE’s methods fairer, faster, and more consistent.NICE carried out a review of the implementation of the severity modifier in September 2024 and found that it is operating as intended. This showed that the proportion of positive cancer recommendations is higher, at 84.8%, than with the end-of-life modifier it replaced, at 75%, and the proportion of positive recommendations for advanced cancer treatments is also higher, 81.1% compared to 69%.NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future method reviews.

Whether he plans to commission an independent review of how severity is defined in NICE appraisals and its effect on access to new cancer drugs.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. The severity modifier was introduced in January 2022 as part of a number of changes intended to make NICE’s methods fairer, faster, and more consistent.NICE carried out a review of the implementation of the severity modifier in September 2024 and found that it is operating as intended. This showed that the proportion of positive cancer recommendations is higher, at 84.8%, than with the end-of-life modifier it replaced, at 75%, and the proportion of positive recommendations for advanced cancer treatments is also higher, 81.1% compared to 69%.NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future method reviews.

What steps he is taking to guarantee the inclusion of (a) Admiral Nurses and (b) other dementia specialist nurses as core members of the Neighbourhood Health Service.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and so they could include dementia specialist nurses. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, or deprived inner cities. Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services, which may include dementia specialist nurses/admiral nurses, based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE recommends providing people living with dementia with a single named health or social care professional who is responsible for coordinating their care. Under the 10-Year Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.  We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.

What estimate has he made of the average length of stay in mental health inpatient units; and how this compares with the average length of stay for physical health inpatient admissions.

The following table shows the median average length of stay for adults and children who were discharged from mental health inpatient units in England between 1 March and 31 May 2025: People aged 0 to 17 years oldPeople aged 18 to 64 years oldPeople aged 65 years old and overNumber of people discharged73113,6812,737Median average length of stay of people discharged5 days27 days73 daysSource: Mental Health Services Dataset, NHS England.No comparison can be made with the average length of stay for physical health inpatient admissions. NHS England has advised that data is not collected under the description of ‘physical health’ as the term is too broad.

What assessment he has made of the impact of third-sector providers on NHS pressures related to drug and alcohol treatment.

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 evidence-based, high-quality treatment.No assessment has been made on the impact of third-sector providers on National Health Service pressures related to drug and alcohol 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 those needs. The majority of drug and alcohol treatment services are delivered by charities, with a smaller proportion delivered by the NHS or companies.Dame Carol Black’s independent review of evidence related to drugs, published in February 2020, found that the harms associated with wholly drug-related hospital admissions are estimated at £37 million. This cost includes admissions for mental and behavioural disorders, overdoses and poisonings, and drug-related neonatal disorders. The total cost of all harms associated with partially drug-related hospital admissions is estimated at £156 million. Research shows treatment for drug users can reduce the cost of drug related hospital attendances by 31%.Effective community alcohol treatment can reduce costs to the NHS. The institute of Alcohol Studies estimates that alcohol costs the NHS and healthcare services £4.9 billion a year, based on 2021/22 prices. Accessible specialist treatment services can help people with alcohol dependence access healthcare at an earlier stage for the high levels of comorbidity they experience.

What steps he is taking to improve recruitment and retention in the mental health workforce.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and is there when people need it, we are over halfway towards our target to recruit an extra 8,500 mental health staff. NHS England is also working to improve retention within the mental health workforce through clearer career progression pathways.

What plans he has to support partnerships between local pharmacies and drug and alcohol support charities to deliver harm reduction services.

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 alcohol and drug treatment services and recovery support, including housing and employment, in England. This funding can be used by local authorities to support community pharmacies to deliver harm reduction services.Many community pharmacies provide locally commissioned services aimed at reducing harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs, such as supervised consumption of methadone alongside support for self-care, which is an essential service all pharmacies provide. This includes free healthcare advice, public health interventions, and signposting to relevant organisations and services.The Department is aware of the challenges in the ability of some community pharmacies to provide some substance misuse services such as dispensing, supervised consumption of methadone, and needle and syringe programmes.The Department has been supporting drug and alcohol treatment services to identify local solutions, including increased payment and some alternative models of provision of these services.

What plans he has to support the continued delivery of SOS buses.

The Department is supportive of the work of volunteer initiatives, such as SOS buses. Voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) play a vital role in supporting communities up and down the country with a huge variety of issues. However, I recognise that the last few years have created a difficult environment for VCSEs, due to a number of challenges including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living, and many are seeing increased financial pressures.The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is supporting VCSEs with their financial sustainability, including through the delivery of a number of grant programmes, growing other sources of funding such as the social investment market, and supporting the viability of local government contracts. There are a number of ways in which organisations can find available funding opportunities, including:the Find a Grant service, which allows you to search for Government grants. The filtering system allows you to select grants which are open to applications from non-profits, with further information available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-government-grants;funding opportunities hosted by The National Lottery Community Fund, with further information available at the following link: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding;funding and income guidance from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which includes a section on where to find grants available to charities, with further information available at the following link: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/funding-income/#/;most areas of the country have Community Foundations that manage at least one local grant fund, or can offer guidance, with further information available at the following link: https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/; andlocal civil society infrastructure organisations may be able to signpost people to local grants and funding. The National Association for Voluntary and Community Action members often provide this type of support, with further information available at the following link: https://www.navca.org.uk/find-a-navca-member.The Government has made it a priority to reset the relationship with civil society and build a new partnership to harness its full potential by developing a Civil Society Covenant.Further, if local healthcare commissioners judge that SOS buses would help meet the healthcare needs of their respective populations, they can choose to commission those services.Such a decision would be taken at the local level as integrated care boards across England are responsible for managing the National Health Service budget and arranging NHS healthcare services which meet the needs of their respective populations.

What support his Department is providing to NHS trusts to support mental health inpatient wards operating above safe occupancy levels.

Individual mental health trusts and local health systems are expected to effectively assess and manage their bed capacity. NHS England’s mental health, learning disability, and autism inpatient quality transformation programme is supporting cultural change and a new model of care across all National Health Service-funded mental health inpatient services, so that people can access timely, high-quality community support, closer to their families and loved ones. Local health systems have now published their three-year plans for localising and realigning inpatient care, in line with this vision.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we are focussing on treatment that is away from hospital and inpatient care and are making sure that more mental health crisis care is delivered in the community through new models of care and support, so that fewer people need to go into hospital.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the UK does not fall behind other countries in access to innovative treatments for secondary breast cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. To enable rapid access for NHS patients to new and effective life-extending treatments, NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund the use of NICE approved cancer medicines. NICE has recommended 24 out of the 25 breast cancer treatments it has assessed since April 2018. These medicines are now available to NHS patients in England.The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention and research. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Research and innovation are key focuses of the National Cancer Plan. The plan will look to build on the success of our life sciences sector and projects such as the NHS cancer vaccine launch pad, and will also consider the ways that we can accelerate the uptake of innovative, life-saving treatments so all NHS patients can benefit.The plan is due to be published later this year and will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the time taken to diagnose brain tumours.

Improving diagnosis rates is a key priority for the Government for all cancer types, including brain cancers. To achieve this, we are 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 Government has now exceeded its pledge to deliver two million extra operations, scans, and appointments, having delivered 4.5 million additional appointments as a first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029.Furthermore, NHS England is delivering a range of interventions to support general practices in diagnosing brain cancer earlier, for example through the early cancer diagnosis service specification for primary care networks. This specification is designed to support improvements in rates of early cancer diagnosis by requiring primary care networks to review the quality of their general practices’ referrals for suspected cancer and take steps to improve this, where appropriate.

What steps he is taking to ensure that people living in Essex who are digitally excluded have full access to the healthcare services they need.

We are working to improve access to digital services, outcomes, and experiences for the widest range of people, based on their preferences. Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support, with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services. NHS England has successfully run a number of programmes to support patients, carers, and health service staff with their digital skills. These include:- the Digital Health Champions programme, a proof of concept to support citizens who have no or low digital skills with understanding how to access health services online;- the Widening Digital Participation programme, aimed to ensure more people have the digital skills, motivation, and means to access health information and services online; and- the NHS App ‘Spoken Word’ Pilot project, designed to test the efficacy of promoting National Health Service digital health products and services in languages other than English. NHS England has published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to treatment for people with chronic migraine disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Headaches: Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults, updated in December 2021, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people who suffer from headaches, including migraine. It aims to improve the recognition and management of headaches and migraine.At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine, including the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit, and the Neurology Transformation Programme. The GIRFT Programme published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving the recognition and diagnosis of migraine by general practitioners. Additionally, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders.The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed two e-learning modules about migraine and cluster headaches, which aim to raise awareness amongst primary care clinicians about the different types of migraine and their associated symptoms, and how to differentiate between them.Over the last four years, a new class of drugs, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors, has been made available on the National Health Service for the prevention and treatment of episodic and chronic migraines. On 15 May 2024, Atogepant became the latest CGRP inhibitor for which the NICE has published guidance. The NICE recommended Atogepant for use as a preventive medication for the treatment of migraine on the NHS in England.

What steps he is taking to increase public awareness of chronic migraine disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, Headaches: Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults, updated in December 2021, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people who suffer from headaches, including migraine. It aims to improve the recognition and management of headaches and migraine.At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine, including the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit, and the Neurology Transformation Programme. The GIRFT Programme published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving the recognition and diagnosis of migraine by general practitioners. Additionally, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders.The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed two e-learning modules about migraine and cluster headaches, which aim to raise awareness amongst primary care clinicians about the different types of migraine and their associated symptoms, and how to differentiate between them.Over the last four years, a new class of drugs, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors, has been made available on the National Health Service for the prevention and treatment of episodic and chronic migraines. On 15 May 2024, Atogepant became the latest CGRP inhibitor for which the NICE has published guidance. The NICE recommended Atogepant for use as a preventive medication for the treatment of migraine on the NHS in England.

What steps he is taking to increase research into (a) the causes of and (b) treatment options for chronic migraine disease.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) into a range of conditions, including chronic migraine. The NIHR promotes participation in research through the Be Part of Research service, which features chronic migraine research studies seeking participants. Further information is available at the following link: https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/ The NIHR also invites proposals for new research into the causes and treatment of conditions through its website, which is available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the quality of mental health services in (a) England and (b) Essex.

NHS England uses the Oversight Framework to assess the quality and safety of all mental health inpatient services in England, including services in Essex. Risks and issues are escalated nationally using the quality risk and escalation framework.National Health Service commissioners in England are responsible for ensuring that mental health services are safe, effective, sustainable and meet the needs of the population.In addition, the Care Quality Commission carries out monitoring and assessments of providers in England to ensure they are providing safe and quality care to people using their services. The Care Quality Commission has a duty under the Mental Health Act 1983 to monitor how services exercise their powers and discharge their duties when patients are detained in hospital or are subject to community treatment orders or guardianship.