Every parliamentary written question tabled by Jim Shannon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 601–620 of 636 · Department of Health and Social Care
With reference to the report by NHS England entitled Improving the blood culture pathway, published on 29 June 2022, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the implementation of the
The Improving the blood culture pathway report was published in June 2022, and updated in March 2023. NHS England has been engaging with partner organisations, including integrated care boards, National Health Service regions, patients, industry, academia...
With reference to the report by NHS England entitled Improving the blood culture pathway, published on 29 June 2022, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the framework set o
The Improving the blood culture pathway report was published in June 2022, and updated in March 2023. NHS England has been engaging with partner organisations, including integrated care boards, National Health Service regions, patients, industry, academia...
What the formal roles and responsibilities of NHS England’s Specialised Services Devices Programme (SSDP) are; whether the responsibilities of the SSDP have been expanded to include the evaluation
NHS England owns the Specialised Services Devices Programme (SSDP), a national purchase and supply system for specific categories of devices. The NHS Supply Chain provides procurement and legal compliance support for trusts with value for money tendering ...
If he will take steps with NHS England to introduce a clear supplier roadmap for carbon reduction reporting for NHS suppliers; and what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current
In 2021, NHS England published the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, which sets out a series of milestones to support National Health Service suppliers in aligning with NHS Net Zero ambitions. The 2027 requirement for suppliers to publicly report targets and...
What estimate he has made with NHS England of the cost of carbon footprint reporting by NHS Trusts.
In 2021, NHS England published the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, which sets out a series of milestones to support National Health Service suppliers in aligning with NHS Net Zero ambitions. The 2027 requirement for suppliers to publicly report targets and...
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of minimally invasive cancer therapies; and whether his Department plans to provide funding for Integrated care systems t
The Department has not made a formal assessment. The adoption of new treatments, including increasing the number and availability of minimally invasive cancer treatments, into the National Health Service in England is generally the result of National Inst...
How many women in Northern Ireland have been awarded compensation for suffering complications from vaginal mesh implants.
Where women have received vaginal mesh implants in Northern Ireland and pursued claims for compensation having suffered complications, such claims would be pursued in Northern Ireland’s judicial system, and as such fall under the jurisdiction of the legal...
Whether his Department is taking steps to reduce (a) legal and (b) compensation costs incurred by the NHS.
The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than quadrupled in the last 17 years, and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NH...
What steps he is taking to improve (a) early intervention and (b) treatment outcomes for ovarian cancer.
It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service in catching cancer, including ovarian cancer, as early as possible, to treat it faster and more effectively, and thereby improve outcomes. This is supported by the NHS’s current ke...
What recent discussions he has had with the World Health Organisation on (a) tackling and (b) the potential threat posed to the UK by mpox.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is engaged with our international partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), European, US and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and national public health agencies, ensuring we receive up...
What steps he is taking to ensure that minimally invasive cancer therapies are available for patients across the country.
Data on the number of cancer patients that have had access to minimally invasive cancer therapies in the last year by integrated care board (ICB), is not collected. The adoption of new treatments, including increasing the number and availability of minima...
What steps he is taking to ensure that NICE guidelines on access to minimally invasive cancer therapies is followed.
The adoption of new treatments, including minimally invasive cancer treatments, into the National Health Service in England is generally the result of National Institution of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance and/or commissioner decisions. Both NHS Engl...
What steps he is taking to develop intervention strategies which tackle poor psychological wellbeing as a contributory factor to the development of dementia.
Depression and social isolation are risk factors for developing dementia. They can be caused by, or contribute to, poor psychological wellbeing. By tackling these factors, we will therefore support wellbeing and reduce the risk of developing dementia.We d...
When he plans to introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
As set out in the King’s Speech, a bill will be introduced to progressively increase the age at which people can be sold cigarettes and impose limits on the sale and marketing of vapes. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will pave the way for a smoke-free United Kingdom and will be the biggest public health intervention since the ban on smoking in indoor public places in 2007.The bill is a key pillar of the Government’s Health Mission to help people stay healthier for longer, reduce the number of premature deaths from the biggest killers like cancer, and raise the healthiest generation of children in our history.It will also save thousands of lives, break the cycle of addiction and disadvantage, and begin the immense task of fixing our broken health system and rebuilding our economy. We will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Parliament in the coming weeks.
If he will ensure that NHS workers receive above inflation pay awards.
The Government uses the independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process to set pay for all public sector workers. In reaching a decision on what to recommend, the PRBs consider recruitment, retention, funding, and the Government’s inflation target. The PRBs are also required to take account of economic and other evidence submitted by Government, professional representatives, and staff. The Government accepted the PRB’s recommendations in full on 29 July 2024.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of air ambulance response times in rural areas.
No specific assessment has been made centrally by the Department. Air ambulance response times are not routinely published by Air Ambulance Charities.
Whether he is taking steps to help people with care home fees.
Adult social care is devolved across the United Kingdom. In England, the current system of charging for care is based on a long-standing principle of personal responsibility. However, where an individual has assets of less than £23,250, they are entitled to state-funded support with their fees. Those who reside in care homes are also entitled to maintain some of their income, via the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA), after paying for care. The PEA is currently set at £30.15 per week, and allows individuals to purchase personal items that are not part of their care. Individuals can also retain any of their income, or assets, which are disregarded under the Care and Statutory Support guidance.We have had to announce that the commitment we inherited to introduce charging reform by October 2025 cannot be taken forward. The funding for the reforms was not guaranteed and councils warned that the reforms are now impossible to deliver to previously announced timeframes.
If he will hold discussion with his Northern Ireland counterpart on trends in waiting times for access to CAMHS.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care had an introductory meeting with Northern Ireland's Minister of Health on 6 July 2024. During the meeting the ministers outlined their priorities and commitment to collaboration, which included discussion on mental health.
How many people are diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome as of July 2025.
The most recent data shows that there were 186 diagnoses in the year 2021, the latest year for which data is available, which resulted in 87 live births. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/ncardrs-congenital-anomaly-statistics-annual-data/ncardrs-congenital-anomaly-statistics-report-2021
What steps his Department is taking to (a) modernise NHS IT systems and (b) protect them from cyber attacks.
The National Health Service has made significant progress in digitising and modernising their services in recent years. Notably, we are on course to ensure that 93% of NHS trusts have an electronic patient record (EPR) system by the end of this year, reducing reliance on paper and significantly improving both clinical safety and performance. We are also working to ensure that 74% of trusts meet the minimum standards for the capability of those EPR systems. Those investments will make a marked difference to the digital capabilities of dozens of trusts.The Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Adult Social Care: 2023 to 2030 sets out plans to increase cyber resilience across the system. There is on-going work through the Cyber Improvement Programme that addresses the changing cyber risk landscape, expands protection and services, and reduces the risk of a successful attack. The NHS England Cyber Security Operations Centre monitors over 1.85 million devices across the NHS IT estate, identifying and preventing cyber incidents.