Written questions by Evans.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025, HCWS586, how many full-time equivalent GPs have been recruited since 1 October 2024.

Between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025, 851 fully qualified, full-time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Between 30 September 2024 and 28 February 2025, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs employed directly by practices has increased by 282. In total, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs has increased by 1,134 over this period.

With reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025. HCWS586, what proportion of the 1,500 extra GPs are full-time equivalent.

Between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025, 908 fully qualified, full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Although more recent data is available, it is provisional and subject to revision.Last year, the Department added GPs to the ARRS and provided an extra £82 million in funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks. All the 1,500 GPs referenced in the Written Ministerial Statement were recruited through the scheme.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025, HCWS586, what proportion of the 1,500 extra GPs were employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

Between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025, 908 fully qualified, full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Although more recent data is available, it is provisional and subject to revision.Last year, the Department added GPs to the ARRS and provided an extra £82 million in funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks. All the 1,500 GPs referenced in the Written Ministerial Statement were recruited through the scheme.

What steps his Department plans to take to manage existing (a) litigation and (b) other disputes involving NHS England after its abolition.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.

How many staff will form the leadership team to coordinate the transfer of NHS England into his Department.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on patient outcomes.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. This reform is about devolving resources and responsibility to the frontline, empowering staff to focus on delivering better care for patients.We will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care, so that there are no risks to patient safety.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on healthcare delivery.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate. The Government is committed to transparency, and will consider how best to ensure the public and parliamentarians are informed of the outcomes.We will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the (a) roles and (b) responsibilities of regional NHS bodies.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate.

What steps he is taking to manage the integration of NHS England's IT systems into his Department.

Ministers and senior Departmental officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and where this may have a direct impact for patients, we will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.We will put plans in place to ensure a smooth integration of IT systems; it is essential that information relating to people’s identifiable health and care is shared appropriately, lawfully and in line with their reasonable expectations.

What steps his Department plans to take to communicate changes in relation to the abolition of NHS England to the (a) public and (b) NHS staff.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure that the details of the changes are communicated to staff and the public as quickly and clearly as possible.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care also appeared in front of the Health and Social Care Committee on 8 April to communicate these plans. The Department is also committed to maintaining an ongoing dialogue with trade unions and partners throughout this period of change, and updating them as often as is possible.

What steps he is taking to maintain (a) transparency and (b) accountability in NHS operations after the abolition of NHS England.

The announcement to bring NHS England into the Department and create a new joint centre will allow the national centre to operate very differently to the current arrangements. The change will drive our reform agenda by removing layers of bureaucracy and empowering leaders within the service, and will end the duplication of work across the organisations. We are committed to transparency throughout this process.

How the abolition of NHS England will impact the management of (a) national and (b) regional NHS budgets.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate.

What consultation he undertook prior to the decision to abolish NHS England.

Through our public consultation on the 10 Year Plan, the Government has shown that we are committed to engaging with the public, patients, and clinicians.We have heard that those within the system believe it to be broken and in need of reform. Lord Darzi’s independent investigation said that the Government inherited a broken National Health Service. The report stated that the impact of the 2012 reorganisation was ‘disastrous…a calamity without international precedent’. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has also heard from frontline NHS leaders that they are overwhelmed by micromanagement from the top.The Government is committed to transparency, and once the necessary evaluations are finalised, we will ensure that all relevant information is made accessible to the public.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the effective continuation of existing contracts and agreements currently held by NHS England after it is abolished.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, and will put plans in place to ensure continuity of care.The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. We will empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up, and getting waiting times down.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the abolition of NHS England does not lead to a loss of institutional knowledge critical to NHS operations.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation.There are talented, dedicated public servants working across the country, and at every level, of NHS England and the Department. The transition team will be working at pace to develop plans for the future to give certainty to those with the talent and skills needed for the future and ensure they are retained.As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.As we work through the next steps on merging the two organisations, we will be putting in place plans to ensure there are no risks to patient safety and that critical information and systems are effectively transferred.

What estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse following the abolition of NHS England.

We recognise that there may be some short-term upfront costs as we undertake the integration of NHS England and the Department, but these costs and more will be recouped in future years because of a smaller and leaner centre. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 40282 on General Practitioners: Recruitment, what proportion of new GPs employed since July 2024 were not employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

Data on the number of recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) for which primary care networks are claiming reimbursement via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme was published by NHS England on 7 April, and showed that 41% of all new full-time equivalent GPs since July 2024 were not employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

With reference to the Written Statement of 27 March 2025 on Mental Health: Expected Spend for 2025-26, HCWS562, whether he has carried out an impact assessment of reducing the proportion of NHS spending on mental health.

For 2025/26, mental health spending is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion. This represents a significant uplift of £320 million in real terms spending on mental health compared to the previous financial year. In addition, integrated care boards are forecast to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over 2025/26, meaning that local health services will invest a greater share of their budgets into frontline mental health services. The Department continues to engage with a range of stakeholders about future plans for mental health services. No formal impact assessment has been made, as mental health spending is forecast to be almost the same as it was for 2024/25, with a small reduction of just 0.07% in the share of recurrent National Health Service spending for 2025/26. This change is driven by additional investment in the NHS to support elective recovery, and by investment to improve general practice and pharmacy services and meet the rising costs of new medicines and medical devices.

With reference to his Written Statement on 27 March 2025, HCWS562, what consultation was undertaken with stakeholders prior to the decision to reduce the proportion of NHS spending on mental health.

For 2025/26, mental health spending is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion. This represents a significant uplift of £320 million in real terms spending on mental health compared to the previous financial year. In addition, integrated care boards are forecast to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over 2025/26, meaning that local health services will invest a greater share of their budgets into frontline mental health services. The Department continues to engage with a range of stakeholders about future plans for mental health services. No formal impact assessment has been made, as mental health spending is forecast to be almost the same as it was for 2024/25, with a small reduction of just 0.07% in the share of recurrent National Health Service spending for 2025/26. This change is driven by additional investment in the NHS to support elective recovery, and by investment to improve general practice and pharmacy services and meet the rising costs of new medicines and medical devices.

With reference to the Written Statement of 27 March 2025 on Mental Health: Expected Spend for 2025-26, HCWS562, if he will publish the modelling he used to assess how the £75 million funding will affect the number of out-of-area placements.

We recognise how important it is that individuals who require mental health inpatient care are treated as close to home as possible.Integrated care boards have published plans to localise inpatient care by 2026-27 under the national commissioning framework for mental health inpatient services, improving both care quality and value for money. To support this, £75 million has been allocated in 2025-26 to assist systems and National Health Service-led Provider Collaboratives in reducing one or more of the following:out of area placements in acute care or psychiatric intensive care units; Mental Health Learning Disability and Autism inpatient rehabilitation placements far from home; and placements outside natural clinical flow in adult forensic medium and low secure services and children and young people’s inpatient services.This investment is expected to lead to a reduction of at least 580 placements which are out of area, far from home, or outside natural clinical flow for adult forensic and children and young people’s mental health inpatient services over the next two years. The funding is expected to result in 15 providers being able to end the practice altogether.Systems have been asked to model the local impact of capital investment on out of area placements activity and spending as part of their submissions to receive capital funding. The figures quoted above are based on the bids recommended for approval and were therefore modelled by the submitting integrated care boards or NHS-led provider collaboratives.