Written questions by Pinkerton.

What recent discussions his Department has had with Surrey County Council on the provision of adult social care in Surrey Heath constituency.

Department officials maintain a range of engagement avenues with adult social care departments in local authorities across the country on a number of issues, and with the wider professional community of directors of adult services. Colleagues from Surrey County Council have been involved in a number of these discussions.In addition, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Surrey County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 20 November 2024, and is available at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/surrey-1124

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) families and (b) carers can effectively (i) raise and (ii) resolve complaints about adult social care provision in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital roles that unpaid carers and families play. The Government is committed to supporting them, including by ensuring that they can effectively raise and resolve complaints about adult social care, including in Surrey Heath.By law, all health and social care services must have a procedure for dealing efficiently with complaints. Anyone receiving adult social care or their family, carer, or representative has the right to complain about decisions, service delivery, or related issues.If an individual is not satisfied with the way a provider or local authority has dealt with a complaint, they may escalate it to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) who can investigate individual concerns. The LGSCO is the independent complaints lead for adult social care and investigates complaints from those receiving social care.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. Whilst the CQC is unable to investigate individual complaints, the CQC encourages the public to “share their experience” through an online feedback mechanism which allows them to raise concerns about the services they receive from providers. Any such cases shared with the CQC will be investigated as part of its ongoing monitoring of providers.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS public health messaging helps to protect people from the harms of health misinformation in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of information.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission in (a) identifying and (b) responding to poor standards of care in the adult social care sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

Dr Penny Dash’s review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered significant failings in the internal workings of the CQC, which had led to a substantial loss of credibility within the health and social care sectors. Following the publication of the report, the Department is supporting the CQC as well as holding it to account to ensure that improvements are made rapidly. The CQC has already taken steps to address areas of immediate concern including enabling new assessments and reducing the backlog of registration applications.The CQC is assessing how local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Surrey County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 20 November 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/surrey-1124

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) patient and (b) staff safety within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Everyone working or being treated in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe.The Government is focusing on enhancing patient safety and fostering a learning culture within the NHS. Key reforms under the 10-Year Health Plan and Dr Penny Dash’s report on the patient safety landscape aim to clarify accountability across the system.Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment for NHS staff which will cover issues relating to staff safety including tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.The Care Quality Commission is the regulator responsible for ensuring that service providers meet standards for patient and staff safety. It will do this, in future, by operating two broad models of inspections, namely rapid response inspections where serious concerns are identified and routine planned inspections.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for research into treatments for Huntington’s disease in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department of Health and Social Care delivers research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).In January 2024, the NIHR invested £6 million over three years into two Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to conduct research that informs policymaking in the Department and its health system partners. The units’ work programmes span multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease.As well as funding research itself, the NIHR invests significantly in research expertise and capacity, specialist facilities, support services and collaborations to support and deliver research in England, collectively forming the NIHR infrastructure.For example, research supported by the NIHR’s UCLH Biomedical Research Centre and Research Delivery Network has shown that AMT-130 gene therapy led to a 75% slowing in disease progression after 36 months in people with Huntington’s disease who also demonstrated slower motor and cognitive function degeneration, offering long-awaited hope to individuals and families impacted by the disease..The NIHR continues to welcome high-quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Huntington’s disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

What steps his Department is taking to improve X-ray technology through the use of artificial intelligence within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Health Service is using artificial intelligence (AI) in X-rays, with AI tools being deployed in multiple hospitals to act as a "second pair of eyes" for radiologists to catch conditions such as lung cancer sooner. This is part of the Government-backed AI Diagnostic Fund initiative, supported by a £21 million funding boost to 66 trusts across England, to speed up diagnoses and improve efficiency in areas like the detection of lung cancer, infections, and fractures. The Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, including Frimley Park Hospital which serves the Surrey Heath constituency, is benefitting from this funding.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) morale and (b) support for NHS staff in winter months in Surrey Heath constituency.

The health and wellbeing of National Health Service staff is a top priority, and not just over the winter months. All NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health. To further support this ambition, we will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce NHS urgent treatment waiting times in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises that urgent and emergency care performance has fallen short in recent years and is committed to improving urgent treatment waiting times across England, including in Surrey Heath.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. The plan will ensure that at least 78% of patients in accident and emergency departments are seen within four hours. This includes the expansion of Urgent Treatment Centres and investment in digital tools to allow for the effective streaming of patients, helping to reduce waiting times and overcrowding.The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, sets out major National Health Service reforms to move healthcare from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. A key focus of our approach will be to expand access to urgent care services at home and in the community as part of our new Neighbourhood Health model. This will improve the experience and care that people receive, thereby avoiding unnecessary hospital trips, while more timely access to primary care and better proactive care for long term conditions will reduce demand into urgent and emergency care.

What recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the length of NHS specialist waiting times for patients in Surrey Heath constituency.

No formal assessment on the trends in the length of National Health Service specialist waiting times for patients in the Surrey Heath constituency has been made, as data is not collected at constituency level. Data is, however, available at an integrated care board (ICB) level.The Surrey Heath constituency is served by both the NHS Frimley ICB and the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB. Between August 2024 and August 2025, the NHS Frimley ICB improved its referral to treatment time (RTT) 18-week performance by 5.1%, increasing to 56.6%, but sits under the national average of 61%. In the same period, the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB improved its RTT 18-week performance by 0.9%, up to 62.3%, which is above the national average.As set out in the Elective Reform Plan and Plan for Change, we are committed to returning to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029.Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets a target that 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of ovarian cancer treatment services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.

What steps his Department is taking to improve NHS public health messaging to ensure that women understand the difference between (a) cervical and (b) ovarian cancer symptoms in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for ovarian cancer (a) screening and (b) diagnosis within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department recognises that many cancer patients are still left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Surrey Heath.As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.There is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer. In June 2016, the UK National Screening Committee recommended not to introduce a national screening programme for ovarian cancer. This is because there is not a test that reliably picks up ovarian cancer at an early stage.However, NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in January 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer.NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This information outlines the differences between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/To ensure women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Surrey Heath. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for ovarian cancer research within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of the largest areas of spend at over £141.6 million in 2024/25, reflecting its high priority.Examples of NIHR investments in ovarian cancer research includes the ROCkeTS study, which aims to identify the best diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer. The NIHR has also funded the MR in Ovarian Cancer study, which studies the impact of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging on the staging and management of patients with ovarian cancer.The Frimley Park Integrated Care System, located within the Surrey Heath constituency, is part of the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network, and plays a key role in supporting the delivery of research, including into ovarian cancer.The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ovarian cancer research.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the National Health Service will improve diagnosis and outcomes, including through research, for all cancer patients in England, including for ovarian cancer.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce inequalities in accessing respiratory care services in (a) Surrey Heath constituency and (b) Surrey.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter, including in Surrey. This includes robust, consistent Infection Prevention and Control measures, and the campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations. Further details of the actions being taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/ The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests such as spirometry and full lung function tests as part of their core testing offer.The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

What steps his Department plans to take to help reduce the impact of chronic respiratory conditions on the NHS during winter months in Surrey Heath constituency.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter, including in Surrey. This includes robust, consistent Infection Prevention and Control measures, and the campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations. Further details of the actions being taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/ The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests such as spirometry and full lung function tests as part of their core testing offer.The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of respiratory diagnosis times in Surrey Heath constituency.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter, including in Surrey. This includes robust, consistent Infection Prevention and Control measures, and the campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations. Further details of the actions being taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/ The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests such as spirometry and full lung function tests as part of their core testing offer.The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

What steps his Department is taking to support people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Surrey Heath constituency.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter, including in Surrey. This includes robust, consistent Infection Prevention and Control measures, and the campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations. Further details of the actions being taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/ The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests such as spirometry and full lung function tests as part of their core testing offer.The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

What assessment his Department has been made of the potential merits of increasing funding for palliative care services in (a) Surrey Heath constituency and (b) Surrey.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB), including the Surrey Heartlands ICB, must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care services are provided by the National Health Service, we recognise the pressures hospices are facing, which is why we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The nearest hospice, the Woking and Sam Beare Hospice, received £160,768 in 2024/25 and will receive £481,630 in 2025/26.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which, until recently, was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant. The nearest children and young people’s hospice, the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, received £1,879,000 in 2025/26.I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining the drivers and incentives that are required in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.

What steps his Department is taking to improve palliative care services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB), including the Surrey Heartlands ICB, must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care services are provided by the National Health Service, we recognise the pressures hospices are facing, which is why we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The nearest hospice, the Woking and Sam Beare Hospice, received £160,768 in 2024/25 and will receive £481,630 in 2025/26.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which, until recently, was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant. The nearest children and young people’s hospice, the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, received £1,879,000 in 2025/26.I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining the drivers and incentives that are required in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.