Every parliamentary written question tabled by Luke Evans this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 101–120 of 405 · Department of Health and Social Care
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safeguards to protect mental health facility staff from patient assaults and subsequent follow-up procedures.
Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work. Violence rates in mental health settings are lower than the national average. Individual employers put in place a robust range of measures, including, security, training, and emotional support for staff that are affected by violence.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of IT issues on pharmacies claiming payment for Pharmacy First Services that they have carried out.
Payments made to pharmacy contractors in England are set out in the Drug Tariff. Within the Drug Tarif there are discretionary provisions for advanced services, including Pharmacy First, that allow contractors to receive payment if the submission of claims data was delayed by an IT issue outside the contractor’s control. All payments are subject to an investigation by the NHS Business Services Authority and the required evidence being supplied by the contractor and IT system supplier.
How many doctors have had to file an estimate for their tax returns as a result of not receiving the appropriate Pension Savings Statements before 31 January 2026.
The Department, the NHS Business Services Authority, and HM Revenue and Customs do not hold this information.
What his planned timetable is for issuing Pension Savings Statements to doctors.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is currently conducting a Pension Service reprioritisation exercise. Once this process is complete, the NHSBSA will announce expected timelines for any outstanding Pension Saving Statements to be issued.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current provision for young adults with cerebral palsy but with no diagnosed learning disability.
The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that young adults with cerebral palsy, including those without a diagnosed learning disability, can access appropriate, high‑quality services that meet their individual needs.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local populations and for commissioning the necessary services, including specialist neurodisability, therapy, community rehabilitation, and wider support for people with cerebral palsy.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a guideline for adults with cerebral palsy, reference code NG119. The guideline recommends regular reviews of clinical and functional needs, clear care pathways, and access to multi-disciplinary teams and specialist neurology services. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng119ICBs are expected to take full account of NICE guidance when designing and commissioning services for their local populations. NICE guidelines provide authoritative, evidence‑based recommendations on best practice, including clinical and cost‑effectiveness considerations. NHS England ensures that ICBs follow NICE guidance through a combination of statutory oversight frameworks, annual performance assessments, and local clinical governance requirements.The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a vision for a health and care system that delivers more personalised, integrated, and proactive care for people with long-term and complex conditions, including those with cerebral palsy but no diagnosed learning disability. By 2027, 95% of people with complex needs should have an agreed personal care plan. These will promote shared decision-making and access to personal health budgets, giving individuals more choice and control over therapies, equipment, and support tailored to their needs. Additionally, integrated neighbourhood health teams will bring together professionals across disciplines to deliver joined-up care for people with cerebral palsy.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of shortening the Pharmacy First Service claim window in June 2025 on pharmacies carrying out that service.
Pharmacy First is an essential approach to make greater use of pharmacy professionals and shift more care from hospital into the community. The service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions, enabling patients to receive a complete episode of care in the pharmacy setting, reducing pressure on general practitioners and the wider healthcare system. This shift is significant and represents a new way of working for the National Health Service that will offer patients greater choice and improve access to the care they need.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. To make this change and facilitate more timely payments, the claim window for Pharmacy First was reduced from three to one month. The new tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments. This adjustment was agreed with the sector representative body, Community Pharmacy England (CPE). Advanced notice of the change was provided to contractors by letter and in an article published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).The Department sets out the terms for remuneration for pharmacy and appliance contractors in England in the Drug Tariff, which the NHSBSA is required to follow. The Drug Tariff outlines that contractors must submit claims for payment for Pharmacy First consultations within the permitted grace period. We would expect contractors to have standard operating procedures in place to ensure claims are submitted promptly. The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff. The Department recognises the importance of ensuring pharmacy contractors are paid promptly and we are committed to making improvements where possible. That is why we have recently moved more service payments to the early advance payment to assist with contractors cashflow.The Department will continue to work with the NHSBSA and CPE recognising where improvement can be made to get the best outcomes for patients, pharmacies and the NHS.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the NHSBSA provide timely payments to pharmacists carrying out Pharmacy First consultations.
Pharmacy First is an essential approach to make greater use of pharmacy professionals and shift more care from hospital into the community. The service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions, enabling patients to receive a complete episode of care in the pharmacy setting, reducing pressure on general practitioners and the wider healthcare system. This shift is significant and represents a new way of working for the National Health Service that will offer patients greater choice and improve access to the care they need.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. To make this change and facilitate more timely payments, the claim window for Pharmacy First was reduced from three to one month. The new tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments. This adjustment was agreed with the sector representative body, Community Pharmacy England (CPE). Advanced notice of the change was provided to contractors by letter and in an article published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).The Department sets out the terms for remuneration for pharmacy and appliance contractors in England in the Drug Tariff, which the NHSBSA is required to follow. The Drug Tariff outlines that contractors must submit claims for payment for Pharmacy First consultations within the permitted grace period. We would expect contractors to have standard operating procedures in place to ensure claims are submitted promptly. The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff. The Department recognises the importance of ensuring pharmacy contractors are paid promptly and we are committed to making improvements where possible. That is why we have recently moved more service payments to the early advance payment to assist with contractors cashflow.The Department will continue to work with the NHSBSA and CPE recognising where improvement can be made to get the best outcomes for patients, pharmacies and the NHS.
What estimate he has made of the (a) number of pharmacy contractors who are due outstanding payments from the NHSBSA for Pharmacy First Services and (b) total value of outstanding payments.
Pharmacy First is an essential approach to make greater use of pharmacy professionals and shift more care from hospital into the community. The service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions, enabling patients to receive a complete episode of care in the pharmacy setting, reducing pressure on general practitioners and the wider healthcare system. This shift is significant and represents a new way of working for the National Health Service that will offer patients greater choice and improve access to the care they need.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. To make this change and facilitate more timely payments, the claim window for Pharmacy First was reduced from three to one month. The new tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments. This adjustment was agreed with the sector representative body, Community Pharmacy England (CPE). Advanced notice of the change was provided to contractors by letter and in an article published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).The Department sets out the terms for remuneration for pharmacy and appliance contractors in England in the Drug Tariff, which the NHSBSA is required to follow. The Drug Tariff outlines that contractors must submit claims for payment for Pharmacy First consultations within the permitted grace period. We would expect contractors to have standard operating procedures in place to ensure claims are submitted promptly. The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff. The Department recognises the importance of ensuring pharmacy contractors are paid promptly and we are committed to making improvements where possible. That is why we have recently moved more service payments to the early advance payment to assist with contractors cashflow.The Department will continue to work with the NHSBSA and CPE recognising where improvement can be made to get the best outcomes for patients, pharmacies and the NHS.
What estimate he has made of the NHS's refusal rate in paying pharmacies for carrying out Pharmacy First Services.
Pharmacy First is an essential approach to make greater use of pharmacy professionals and shift more care from hospital into the community. The service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions, enabling patients to receive a complete episode of care in the pharmacy setting, reducing pressure on general practitioners and the wider healthcare system. This shift is significant and represents a new way of working for the National Health Service that will offer patients greater choice and improve access to the care they need.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. To make this change and facilitate more timely payments, the claim window for Pharmacy First was reduced from three to one month. The new tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments. This adjustment was agreed with the sector representative body, Community Pharmacy England (CPE). Advanced notice of the change was provided to contractors by letter and in an article published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).The Department sets out the terms for remuneration for pharmacy and appliance contractors in England in the Drug Tariff, which the NHSBSA is required to follow. The Drug Tariff outlines that contractors must submit claims for payment for Pharmacy First consultations within the permitted grace period. We would expect contractors to have standard operating procedures in place to ensure claims are submitted promptly. The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff. The Department recognises the importance of ensuring pharmacy contractors are paid promptly and we are committed to making improvements where possible. That is why we have recently moved more service payments to the early advance payment to assist with contractors cashflow.The Department will continue to work with the NHSBSA and CPE recognising where improvement can be made to get the best outcomes for patients, pharmacies and the NHS.
What estimate he has made of the number of pharmacies who have not been paid for carrying out Pharmacy First Consultations due to a shortening in the claim window in June 2025.
Pharmacy First is an essential approach to make greater use of pharmacy professionals and shift more care from hospital into the community. The service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions, enabling patients to receive a complete episode of care in the pharmacy setting, reducing pressure on general practitioners and the wider healthcare system. This shift is significant and represents a new way of working for the National Health Service that will offer patients greater choice and improve access to the care they need.As part of delivering the Pharmacy First service, pharmacy contractors receive a monthly fixed payment if they meet specific requirements, which include minimum activity levels. From June 2025, pharmacies delivering 20 to 29 consultations receive £500, while those with at least 30 consultations continued to receive £1,000 monthly. To make this change and facilitate more timely payments, the claim window for Pharmacy First was reduced from three to one month. The new tier of payment supports pharmacies with lower potential for delivery and has increased the number of pharmacies qualifying for Pharmacy First fixed payments. This adjustment was agreed with the sector representative body, Community Pharmacy England (CPE). Advanced notice of the change was provided to contractors by letter and in an article published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).The Department sets out the terms for remuneration for pharmacy and appliance contractors in England in the Drug Tariff, which the NHSBSA is required to follow. The Drug Tariff outlines that contractors must submit claims for payment for Pharmacy First consultations within the permitted grace period. We would expect contractors to have standard operating procedures in place to ensure claims are submitted promptly. The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff. The Department recognises the importance of ensuring pharmacy contractors are paid promptly and we are committed to making improvements where possible. That is why we have recently moved more service payments to the early advance payment to assist with contractors cashflow.The Department will continue to work with the NHSBSA and CPE recognising where improvement can be made to get the best outcomes for patients, pharmacies and the NHS.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of job places available for newly qualified physiotherapists.
The requested data is not held.
What information his Department holds on the number and proportion of newly qualified physiotherapists that have secured work within 12 months of qualifying.
The requested data is not held.
What the most recent competition ratio is for newly qualified physiotherapists.
The requested data is not held.
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 96945 on Ophthalmic Services, what steps his Department is taking to share best practice between Integrated Care Boards in order to reduce regional inequalities in access to eye care services.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are encouraged to share best practice to help reduce regional inequalities in access to eye care services via the NHS Future Platform The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme also has best practice guidance for ophthalmology. More information is available at the following link:https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/surgical_specialties/ophthalmology/
Whether he has made an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of the Pharmacy First Model in Scotland and (b) potential merits of expanding a similar service in England.
Pharmacy First in England was launched on 31 January 2024. This incorporated existing elements under the former Community Pharmacist Consultation Service and introduced a new clinical pathways element. The new clinical pathways element allows patients to receive treatment for seven common health conditions without the need for a general practitioner (GP) appointment.As health is a devolved matter, the Pharmacy First service in Scotland is commissioned separately to the one in England. The conditions covered by the English and Scottish schemes do differ slightly, but the services operate in a similar manner. Both operate a consultation service under which pharmacists can provide some prescription only medicines without the need to see a prescriber. In addition, Scotland commissions the expanded Pharmacy First Plus service, which has a broader scope and can be provided by pharmacists with a prescribing qualification. In line with the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to giving pharmacists in England more ability to prescribe and to manage a range of health conditions.The Department has not formally assessed the Scottish scheme, but the Pharmacy First service design was informed by best practice from similar locally commissioned services and services commissioned by the devolved governments. NHS England will keep the clinical scope of the service under review.
What steps is the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions taking to capture the views of people with lived experience of mental health conditions, ADHD and autism as part of the review process.
The independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism will appoint an advisory working group. This will be a multidisciplinary group of leading academics, clinicians, epidemiological experts, charities, and people with lived experience to directly shape the recommendations and scrutinise the evidence.
Pursuant to WPQ 94952 answered on 10 December 2025 about Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, when in 2026 will Diagnosis Connect be rolled out across England to provide tailored information and support to newly diagnosed Chohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis patients.
Initially, the Diagnosis Connect Service will be piloted across a small number of long-term conditions which will be determined based on conditions diagnosed and referred from primary care, and readiness of the charities to proceed, as well as considerations around which diagnostic pathways might most benefit from this approach.The aim will be to focus more support going to those with greatest need and areas with the worst health outcomes, therefore impacting on inequalities.An open procurement process will enable us to secure a partnership with three or more specialist charities which have the infrastructure, capabilities, and networks to deliver a successful pilot for patients and the National Health Service, ahead of a full rollout across the wider health system.
Pursuant to WPQ 95192 answered on 11 December 2025 about men's health, will he include information about the mental and physical health impact of [a] anabolic steroids and [b] ipeds as part of the men's health literacy programme announced as part of the Men's Health Strategy.
As set out in the Men’s Health Strategy, we have committed to a range of actions to improve men’s health literacy, from building the evidence base to identifying ways to build media and health literacy skills in men.We are now turning our focus to implementing these commitments. We will consider the evidence base on anabolic steroids and image and performance enhancing drugs in defining the scope of our actions.By investing in innovative, evidence-based, and locally led community programs, we aim to address health inequalities, improve health literacy, and challenge societal norms that may hinder men from seeking care. This targeted approach lays the foundation for long-term, meaningful change in men's health outcomes.
Pursuant to WPQ 94952 answered on 10 December 2025 about Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, what steps is [a] DHASC and [b} NHS England taking to monitor the effectiveness of the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme in the field of supporting people living with Chrohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
NHS England supports local integrated care boards to deliver high-quality, timely services through initiatives such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme.As part of its work within the gastroenterology specialty, GIRFT is sharing a template and best practice for the use of advice and guidance, and advice and referencing to promote earlier diagnosis, and is also encouraging the use of single point of access models, which can help patients get earlier access to specialist opinions, advice, and treatment.GIRFT has also recently published a new inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) handbook pulling together examples of innovative practice, proven solutions, and practical actions to help optimise the care of National Health Service patients with IBD. The GIRFT IBD pathway and associated handbook include specific guidance for paediatric care and transition to adult services, recognising the unique needs of children and young people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The handbook is available at the following link:https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/practical-advice-and-key-actions-in-new-girft-handbook-for-optimising-the-care-of-patients-with-ibd/GIRFT is also working with providers on a Further Faster Follow-Up programme, which introduces key protocols for gastroenterology, with IBD and suspected IBD being included, and is also collaborating on national work to develop a digital IBD pathway. It is too early to assess the effectiveness of these initiatives.
What steps is the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions taking to capture the views of medical professionals working with patients with mental health conditions, ADHD and autism as part of the review process.
The independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism will appoint an advisory working group. This will be a multidisciplinary group of leading academics, clinicians, epidemiological experts, charities, and people with lived experience to directly shape the recommendations and scrutinise the evidence.