Every parliamentary written question tabled by Lee Dillon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 152 · Department of Health and Social Care
What steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to timely treatment for common eye conditions in England.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet the needs of their local population. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services, including community minor and urgent eye...
What steps he is taking to enable community pharmacy to improve patient access and continuity of care, particularly for people with long term conditions and complex needs.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will play an important role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers to deliver more joined-up, accessible, and innovative care closer to patients’ h...
What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for ophthalmology services in Newbury constituency.
We are committed to returning by March 2029 to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, across all specialties. In March 2026, we hit our first interim...
What assessment he has made of trends in child mortality rates among children living in temporary accommodation in England in each of the last six years; and what steps his Department is taking to
The Department is building on the ambitious action set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, by working across-Government to support children in temporary accommodation. We will introduce a clinical code for children in temporary accommodation, ensuring these f...
What consideration he has given to introducing a graded model of miscarriage care across England.
Miscarriage can have a devastating impact on women and their families, and we are determined that they receive the support they need. As part of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy, we have committed to closely reviewing the findings presented in the Tomm...
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to maternity pathways, including tailored support for pregnant people experiencing homelessness.
We are committed to improving outcomes for women and babies from vulnerable and underserved groups, including those experiencing homelessness, to ensure access to safe, personalised, and equitable maternity care.That is why the Government has committed to...
What steps his Department is taking to improve GP awareness and training on vestibular conditions.
General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on vestibular conditions, remains up to date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include t...
Whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for research into the diagnosis and treatment of invasive lobular breast cancer.
The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer, including lobular breast cancer.Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care with research delivered b...
What assessment he has made of the availability of targeted treatments for invasive lobular breast cancer compared with other forms of breast cancer.
The National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) assesses new breast cancer medicines based on how well they work and whether they are good value for money. In doing so, it usually looks at factors such as the stage of the cancer and whether it has parti...
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of signposting to information and support organisations for people with balance disorders and vestibular conditions.
The Government recognises that patients experiencing serious balance disorders, including vestibular conditions, may face challenges in accessing appropriate diagnostic and specialist services, and that more consistent provision of is needed. Services for...
What plans he has to expand access to specialist diagnostic services for patients with symptoms of serious balance disorders.
The Government recognises that patients experiencing serious balance disorders, including vestibular conditions, may face challenges in accessing appropriate diagnostic and specialist services, and that more consistent provision of is needed. Services for...
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of research funding into endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.
The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In 2024/25, through the NIHR, the Department committed £1.3 million for new research projects on gynaecological conditions and mens...
What steps his Department is taking to improve training for healthcare professionals on recognising and managing endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.
The Government acknowledges the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are adequately trained and educated on women’s health conditions including endometriosis and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) and we have taken action to addres...
What steps he is taking to support people with myalgic encephalomyelitis.
As part of the final delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), that was published in July 2025, the Government committed to supporting people with ME/CFS. The plan focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.We are developing a template service specification for mild and moderate ME/CFS, in conjunction with NHS England. The template will set out examples of best practice for the commissioning of services for ME/CFS to ensure consistent and high-quality care across integrated care boards. The Department, together with ForwardME, is developing a Language Matters Guide to accompany this to ensure that terminology is consistent and well understood.To help support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme for healthcare professionals. All sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one, two, and three having universal access, whilst the final session on managing severe ME/CFS being only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288.
What funding his Department is providing for research into the genetic differences between people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and those without the condition.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council have dedicated £3.2 million to the DecodeME study. This study aims to understand the genetic differences between those who have myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and those who do not, and in doing so increase our understanding of ME/CFS to support the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments. Preliminary findings from DecodeME indicate genetic differences in eight areas linked to the immune and nervous systems in people with ME/CFS. This discovery of specific genetic signals may help us understand the biological pathways involved in ME/CFS in the future.
What steps he is taking to ensure that community pharmacies are adequately funded to maintain opening hours and patient access.
In 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This included funding for the Pharmacy Access Scheme, which provides additional funding to more isolated pharmacies to support patient access.The Department is currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.
What steps his Department is taking to support community pharmacies.
As we shift care from hospital and into the community, pharmacies have a vital role to play as an essential front door to the NHS for the public. After years of neglect this Government agreed a record uplift of 3.1 billion pounds for pharmacies in 25/26, a 19% increase over two years. We are also currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on funding arrangements to support pharmacies in 2026/27.
What assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of commissioning MenB vaccination programmes through community pharmacies.
The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.
Whether his Department is considering commissioning MenB vaccination programmes through community pharmacies.
The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.
What assessment he has made of the potential role of community pharmacies in delivering a MenB vaccination catch-up programme for students and other at-risk groups.
The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.