Written questions by Wilkinson.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing the maximum mandatory disabled facilities grant and (b) reviewing means test arrangements for that grant.

In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes. We are providing an immediate in-year uplift of £86 million in 2024/25. This is on top of the £625 million paid to local authorities in May 2024. The Government also announced an £86 million additional investment in the DFG for 2025/26 at the Autumn Budget 2024, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £711 million.To ensure the DFG is as effective as possible, we will continue to keep different aspects of the grant under consideration. As part of this, we are reviewing the suitability of the current upper limit and will set out further detail in due course.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the physical shape of fashion models on the (a) mental and (b) physical health of women and girls.

Poor body image can be a common problem for women and girls, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors, and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.

If his Department will make an estimate of the cost to the NHS from injuries sustained from following social media trends.

Under the Online Safety Act, providers will need to take steps to protect children from encountering harmful content. This includes providing age-appropriate access to priority content, which includes content encouraging dangerous stunts and challenges. We do not currently hold an estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of injuries sustained from social media trends.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the use of weight loss drugs by celebrities on the public's (a) mental and (b) physical health.

No such specific assessments have been made. We recognise that poor body image is a common problem for both men and women, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the physical shape of celebrities on the mental health of young people.

No such specific assessments have been made. We recognise that poor body image is a common problem for both men and women, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of poor access to NHS dental services on health outcomes in Gloucestershire.

Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for the ...

What steps his Department is taking to support A&E Departments in Gloucestershire in winter 2024-25.

Local winter resilience plans and resourcing are operational matters for the National Health Service. The national approach on priorities for winter planning was issued by NHS England on 16 September, setting out the key steps to be taken to support the d...

What steps his Department is taking to improve the retention of midwives.

The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career...

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the recruitment of midwives for Cheltenham General Hospital’s Aveta Birth Centre.

Information on local plans is not collected centrally by the Department. National Health Service organisations are responsible for their own recruitment, and for developing their own workforce plans based on local service needs. At a national level, we ar...

What steps his Department taking to increase the provision of NHS dental care in Cheltenham constituency.

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 den...

What steps his Department is taking to ensure new GP surgeries are included as part of strategic housing developments.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and this means we require world class NHS infrastructure across the entire NHS estate. Beyond hospitals, we know we need the right infrastructure in the right ...

If he will make it his policy to publish A&E waiting times by department rather than by Trust.

Information on accident and emergency waiting times is published at a provider level, and is also disaggregated by the type of accident and emergency department, for instance type 1, 2, or 3.

Whether his Department plans to undertake a national audit of care needs.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility threshold, they can get support from their local authority to make their own ar...

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of waiting times for accessing services through the NHS Continuing healthcare programme on patient outcomes; what assessment he has made of the

Statutory guidance and assurance regimes are in place so that people are assessed and receive care in a timely way. For example, NHS England’s assurance standard requires that integrated care boards (ICBs) must ensure that in more than 80% of cases procee...

Whether the accident and emergency department in Cheltenham General Hospital will continue to be a Type 1 consultant-led A&E department between 8am and 8pm, in the context of proposed changes to the provision of acute medical take in that hospital.

The Gloucestershire health system carried out public consultation in 2020, as well as further engagement between 2022 and 2023, on shaping the future of hospital services. As set out in the proposals, Cheltenham General Hospital will continue to provide a consultant-led emergency department from 8:00am to 8:00pm, and a nurse-led minor injuries and illness unit from 8:00pm to 8:00am, with an intensive care service for critically unwell patients.