Written questions by Dillon.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a right for every adult patient to have a named advocate or support person with them throughout their hospital stay.

We recognise the vital role that families, loved ones, advocates and carers play in supporting people to manage their health. There are rights in place to protect those most vulnerable. The Mental Health Act and the Care Act both outline the rights of individuals to appoint an advocate to support them during their care.Both outpatients and day patients can invite someone to join them at their hospital appointment, such as a carer, family member or friend.At present, the Department has not made plans to introduce a right for every adult patient to have a named advocate or support person with them throughout the duration of their inpatient stay in hospital.

How many people in Newbury constituency are waiting for an ADHD assessment; what the average waiting time is for ADHD assessments in Newbury constituency.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for assessment and diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. NHSE England has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the risk of insolvency among key providers of community equipment services.

Ministers regularly engage with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. However, My rt Hon. friends, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, have had no meetings regarding the risk of insolvency among key providers of community equipment services.Local authorities have a statutory duty under various pieces of legislation, including the Care Act 2014, to make arrangements for the provision of disability aids and community equipment, to meet the assessed eligible needs of individuals who are resident in their area. In terms of the management of the market for these services, the commissioning and oversight of their delivery rests with local authorities.

What steps he plans to take to help improve services at West Berkshire Community Hospital.

The Government is committed to shifting the focus of the National Health Service out of hospitals and into the community, and this will be referenced in our forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan. We recognise that delivering high-quality NHS healthcare services requires the right infrastructure in the right places.The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and providers have been provisionally allocated £39.3 million this financial year from our Constitutional Standards Recovery Fund to deliver new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds to increase capacity for elective and emergency care. In addition, it has been provisionally allocated £2.8 million from our Primary Care Utilisation Fund to modernise and upgrade general practice surgeries, and £37.1 million from our Estates Safety Fund to address critical infrastructure and safety risks.We are encouraging local NHS trusts and ICBs to explore possible options that could address constitutional standards recovery alongside addressing infrastructure issues, maximising value for money and patient benefits.Alongside national programme allocations, the system has been provisionally allocated £123.1 million in operational capital funding, including primary care business-as-usual capital, for 2025/26, to be prioritised according to local needs, such as investing in acute and community hospital infrastructure.

If he will support plans to relocate additional facilities to West Berkshire Community Hospital to help ease pressures at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

National Health Service commissioners are responsible for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services, rather than the Department. Local health and care organisations are best placed to make decisions on commissioning services for their communities. Decisions about services should be clinically led, following appropriate engagement with the local authority, the local population, and stakeholders.All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.Substantial planned service change is subject to a full public consultation and must meet the Government and NHS England’s ‘tests’ to ensure good decision making.

What steps his Department plans to take to raise awareness in young children about the health benefits of wearing suncream.

The Department continues to advise patients to follow National Health Service guidance on sun protection. This advice is available publicly at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/It includes guidance on the extra care that should be taken for babies and children. As their skin is much more sensitive than adults, guidance advises children under six months old to be kept out of direct sunlight. Additionally, from March to October in the United Kingdom, children should wear suitable clothing, and wear at least SPF30 suncream.The UK Health Security Agency also provides guidance which includes information on suncream and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/looking-after-children-and-those-in-early-years-settings-before-and-during-hot-weather-teachers-and-other-educational-professionalsThe toolkit is intended to provide health information and other resources that can be communicated during hot spells.

What steps his Department is taking to improve services for people with Parkinson's disease.

At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s disease in England, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically-led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time, for all neurology patients, including those with Parkinson’s.NHS England commissions the specialised elements of Parkinson’s care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. Within specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals and specialised treatment and support, according to their needs. NHS England is updating the Neurosciences specialised neurology (adults) service specification, which will: set out clear deliverables for specialised centres; provide a clearer model of care, incorporating up-to-date guidance and best practice; and set out new quality outcomes focusing on improving patient outcomes and experience. We are expecting the revised specification and standards to be published later in 2025.We have also set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and the Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s.

What plans his Department has to improve NHS dental service provision in Newbury.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Newbury constituency, this is the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB is expected to deliver 15,454 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of developing a national brain tumour strategy.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to the Hon. Member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire on 14 March 2025 to Question 36024.

What plans his Department has to improve support for family carers providing care at home for relatives with learning disabilities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the families of people with learning disabilities have the support they need.On the 7 of April 2025, the Government increased the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service highlighted the need for a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers, to improve outcomes across the board, for carers, for those they care for, and for the NHS itself.These findings will be carefully considered as part of our 10-year plan to reform and modernise the NHS, and as we continue to shape our plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families can expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.

What plans his Department has to provide support services for autistic adults in West Berkshire who are not supported (a) existing services and (b) charitable organisations.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to support for autistic adults, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance also sets out what support should be available before an assessment and what support should follow a recent diagnosis of autism based on the available evidence. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation and how they might overcome these.The Department has launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. Chaired by Baroness Louise Casey and reporting to the Prime Minister, the commission will work with people who draw on care and their families, staff, Parliamentarians, local government, and the public, private, and third sector to make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population. The Government has also made available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes a £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.

What plans he has to improve (a) the referral process and (b) treatment for people with brain tumours.

The Department recognises that cancer patients, including those with brain tumours, are often waiting too long for referral and treatment. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including brain tumours, earlier, and to treat them faster, so more patients survive, and patient experience improves across the system.As the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, NHS England has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week since the start of this administration.The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. The Government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In the five years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) directly invested £11.3 million in brain cancer research projects, plus an estimated £31.5 million to enable brain tumour research to take place through NIHR research infrastructure, namely facilities, services, and the research workforce, enabling delivery of 227 studies involving 8,500 people.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. Research is a key focus of the plan, and the Department will work closely with partners, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research, on this.The Department, with NHS England, will develop the plan, which will address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce cancer waits. The Government’s goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years, including to brain tumours.The Department expects to publish the National Cancer Plan later this year, following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan.

What plans his Department has to improve the standard of care for people with Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Newbury constituency.

Dermatology services are being transformed to make sure that patients are seen on time. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme for dermatology is working with National Health Service trusts to deliver rapid clinical transformation. The work brings together clinicians and operational teams to work collectively to transform patient pathways, reduce unnecessary appointments, and improve access and waiting times for patients, including for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. A clinical transformation group for dermatology was established in summer 2023, focusing on sharing and learning from best practice. Topics for collaboration have included innovative clinic models, for instance super clinics, best practice in the use of technology for telemedicine, best practice in reducing did not attends, reducing unnecessary follow ups through patient initiated follow-up, the role of artificial intelligence, how to develop nurses into advanced roles, and factors to help motivate and retain staff. GIRFT is also planning a programme to support primary care colleagues, offering training for new staff to recognise harmless skin lesions such as moles and warts, with the aim of reducing unnecessary referrals to hospital and freeing up capacity for other patients on the waiting list. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published technology appraisal guidance recommending two biologics, adalimumab and secukinumab, for the treatment of moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, opening the way for patients with this condition to access these medications on the NHS.

What steps his Department plans to take to provide funding to increase the availability of medical equipment in local communities.

At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over the financial years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 will be set through phase two of the Spending Review, which will conclude and be published in June 2025.Local authorities and National Health Service procuring authorities are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment suppliers, which will take into account the resources available to them. Economic growth is the Government’s number one mission and the Government supports businesses to invest, grow, and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. To support the growth mission, the Government is driving forward work to implement a modern Industrial Strategy, reset trade relations, support small business, and deliver a new deal for working people.

What plans his Department has to increase treatment options for individuals with chronic UTIs.

NHS England’s urinary tract infection (UTI) reduction workstream was established as part of delivery of the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to-2029The workstream aims to enhance prevention, support early and accurate diagnosis and improve the treatment of UTIs through identifying and adopting best practice and interventions for different populations.The effective treatment of chronic UTIs is dependent on accurate testing. The importance of accurate testing to guide effective antibiotic use is highlighted in the action plan, and NHS England is supporting research into newer point-of-care tests for UTIs, such as via the Toucan study, with more information available at the following link:https://www.phctrials.ox.ac.uk/recruiting-trials/toucan-platform-for-uti-diagnostic-evaluationNHS England has been working with other public bodies, including UK Health Security Agency to strengthen the guidance about the appropriate use of diagnostics including dipsticks. General practitioners can request testing for chronic UTIs via several pathways, including at point-of-care, via community diagnostic centres, or via laboratories. Laboratories across England adhere to stringent quality standards, including the UK Accreditation Standard ISO 15189, and implement robust internal and external quality assurance schemes, ensuring accuracy of tests used.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce mental health treatment waiting lists in line with those for physical health treatments.

Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we are committed to ensuring we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health so that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.This includes recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers, introducing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, rolling out Young Futures hubs and modernising the Mental Health Act.Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise the funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement & Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.We have also committed £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on busy emergency mental health and accident and emergency services and ensuring people have the support they need when they need it.

What steps his Department plans to take with community care providers to help reduce hospital discharge waiting times.

We will tackle delayed discharges by developing local partnerships between the National Health Service and social care, and making sure people get the right support to return home.Every acute hospital trust has access to a care transfer hub. These hubs bring together professionals across health, social care and other partners, including community providers, to manage discharges for people with more complex needs.We have published Neighbourhood Health Guidelines to help local health and care systems progress neighbourhood health in 2025/26. Integrated intermediate care supports hospital discharge and is a core component that we are asking systems to focus on this year. Close partnership working between adult social care, the NHS and other community partners is vital to the successful delivery of intermediate care.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) support services, (b) treatment access and (c) care pathways for people diagnosed with ADHD.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.We are supportive of a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase funding for social care providers; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of social care funding levels.

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care into account as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process.To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.The additional funding available to West Berkshire in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 5.7% in cash terms.Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a public consultation on the proposed changes to ADHD assessment procedures.

The proposed 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme makes no changes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment procedures.