Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the diagnosis of invasive lobular breast cancer through NHS screening programmes in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Cancer Plan sets out a comprehensive programme of reform across prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, data, and research. The Government will transform early diagnosis through improved screening and proactive case‑finding, embed continuous quality improvement across cancer services, and strengthen access to innovative diagnostics and treatments. This includes scaling up clinical trials, investing in radiotherapy and surgical robotics, and making the United Kingdom a leading destination for cancer research. Combined, these measures will help move England towards world‑leading cancer outcomes by 2035.Detecting lobular breast cancer is more difficult than finding ductal breast cancer because lobular breast cancer cells can grow in lines rather than masses. This means there may not be a mass that can be felt or that a doctor can see on a mammogram.Although not specific to the Surrey Health constituency, the Breast Screening Risk Adaptive Imaging for Density trial is looking into the use of supplementary imaging techniques for women within the standard breast screening programme who are found to have radiographically dense breast tissue. The different tests include magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. The UK National Screening Committee is in contact with the researchers and is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available. It will make recommendations to ministers in light of this.Local integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning specialised services, including in the Surrey Heath constituency.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the role of sport in health outcomes for young people with Down's syndrome in Surrey.

No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Culture, Media and Sport about young people with Down syndrome in Surrey and the role of sport in health outcomes.The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines for disabled young people sets out the benefits of movement and strength activities, which includes helping to support disabled young people’s well-being, mood, development of healthy muscles, balance, and motor skills.Through our 10-Year Health Plan, Government departments are working together to break down the barriers people face and help get more people moving. This includes development of a national plan for physical activity and a new way to deliver physical education, sport, and physical activity in schools. This work provides us with opportunities to improve ways for disabled young people to enjoy and benefit from sport, play and physical activity, whether in school, through local sports clubs, or in leisure centres and play spaces, making use of parks and nature.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of private finance initiatives on NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Operational health private finance initiatives (PFI) contracts are held by individual trusts. The last PFI contract was signed in 2015.As announced at the Autumn Budget, the Department is supporting the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority to develop the new Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for neighbourhood health centres (NHCs). The new NHC PPP model will build on lessons from the past, including the National Audit Office’s 2025 report on private finance and other models currently in use. We are not bringing back PFI.The new PPP model is about delivering the infrastructure to support the delivery of neighbourhood services, and we are not using the private sector to deliver the National Health Service clinical services that will be delivered from these centres.The need for NHCs will be locally driven and will recognise what already exists and where additional provision or a new combination of services is needed. Any new PPP model will need to demonstrate value for money and affordability.

What steps he is taking to improve the diagnosis of menopause for women in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, and we acknowledge the impact that women suffering from symptoms of menopause has on their lives, relationships, and participation in the workplace.As announced in October, we will be asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS Health Check later this year. This will support eligible women across England to access high quality information on the menopause, including advice on managing symptoms, where to seek support, and a diagnosis.Menopause and menstrual health conditions will be among the priorities for the NHS’s revolutionary new online hospital when it launches next year, providing faster access to specialist care.In Surrey Heath, primary care teams across the practices are also conscious of the impact of the menopause in the local population and have seen a rise in consultations with regard to this. The multi-disciplinary teams in Surrey Heath, including general practitioners, nurses, clinical pharmacists, and others, are able to manage enquiries, consultations, and follow ups, and to offer relevant treatment across the spectrum of what is available, including hormone intrauterine devices and testosterone replacement.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent ill health in Surrey Heath constituency.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future announced ambitious measures to make the healthy choice the easy choice, including for people in Surrey Heath. This includes tackling the obesity epidemic through mandatory healthy food sales reporting, business targets to increase the healthiness of products sold, and restrictions on junk food advertising strengthening and expanding alcohol labelling and tackling air pollution. We are already delivering with our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill which will create a smoke-free United Kingdom.We will also be asking the National Health Service to do more to support our approach to prevention. This includes through our world leading immunisation programmes and screening programmes, improving the detection, treatment, and management of the behavioural and clinical risk factors that drive England’s burden of disease.NHS bodies and upper tier and unitary local authorities in England commission a range of preventative health services and are responsible for taking local decisions on the resources allocated to them. Core funding for upper tier and unitary local authorities in England public health responsibilities is through the Public Health Grant. The Government will continue to invest in local authorities' vital public health work, providing more than £13.4 billion over the next three years through a consolidated Public Health Grant, giving local authorities greater certainty to support long term prevention planning and make the best decisions to promote better population health.NHS spending will increase by £15 billion in real terms by 2028/29, taking the resource budget to £225 billion, and the health capital budget will increase to £15.2 billion by the end of the Spending Review period. The Surrey local authority will receive nearly £50 million in 2026/27 through their Public Health Grant. From 1 April 2026, Surrey Heath will fall under the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board which will see its recurrent core services allocation uplifted by 2.28% in 2026/27.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce health disparities in deprived communities in Surrey Heath constituency.

It is a priority for the Government to increase the amount of time people spend in good health and prevent premature deaths.A core mission of the 10-Year Health Plan is to reduce the persistent inequalities that shape people’s health, including within communities. The plan’s three shifts all serve one purpose, to improve outcomes for those who face the greatest disadvantage.We know everyday life poses greater health risks to those living in deprived communities, whether it is the price of healthy food, the level of pollution, or the quality of jobs available. Therefore, we are focussing on flagship prevention policies like reducing obesity and smoking and taking co-ordinated action across Government on the wider determinants of health priorities like air quality and fuel poverty. We are also taking a range of cross-Government action to tackle health inequality. This includes the introduction of Awaab’s Law, ensuring landlords will have to fix significant damp and mould hazards, and we are also legislating for a new statutory health and health inequalities duty for strategic authorities.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ South East Regional Team provides system leadership for population health and reducing health inequalities across the South East, including Surrey. Local authorities, both upper tier and unitary, in England are responsible for improving the health of their local population and for reducing health inequalities. The Department provides them with the ring-fenced public health grant to carry out these duties.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of health-related funding for specialist sexual violence support services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) provide crisis care, and medical and forensic assessment for people who have experienced sexual assault. NHS England’s funding for sexual assault and abuse services has increased year on year, with £57.632 million provided nationally in 2024/25. A free at the point of use, confidential SARC is available in Surrey 24/7, 365 days a year.As set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in December 2025, the Department will:roll out, with funding, a domestic abuse and sexual violence referral service across integrated care boards (ICBs) by 2029, starting with up to ten ICBs in 2026, and will include a specialist support worker for every general practice (GP) to draw on and training for GP staff to spot the signs of violence and abuse;invest a further £5 million each year for the next three years to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence; andprovide up to £50 million to roll out specialist services for child sexual abuse victims to each NHS region in England.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) early detection and (b) diagnostic pathways for heart valve disease in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has made no specific assessment. The Frimley Health Foundation Trust (FHFT) has been developing a pathway for breathlessness to support diagnosis and will be providing access for Surrey residents, including through a community diagnostic centre (CDC).The FHFT is also testing a new rapid access diagnostic pathway with a multi-disciplinary team for respiratory and cardiology, to agree a diagnosis and treatment plan for people with heart valve disease. The new pathway has been tested at Heatherwood Hospital and is shortly going live in the CDC. The FHFT will also roll this pathway out more widely across the trust shortly.Nationally, the Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework is currently in development.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve timely diagnosis and access to treatment for heart valve disease in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has made no specific assessment. The Frimley Health Foundation Trust (FHFT) has been developing a pathway for breathlessness to support diagnosis and will be providing access for Surrey residents, including through a community diagnostic centre (CDC).The FHFT is also testing a new rapid access diagnostic pathway with a multi-disciplinary team for respiratory and cardiology, to agree a diagnosis and treatment plan for people with heart valve disease. The new pathway has been tested at Heatherwood Hospital and is shortly going live in the CDC. The FHFT will also roll this pathway out more widely across the trust shortly.Nationally, the Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework is currently in development.

What assessment he has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Surrey Heath constituency compared with the national average.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Surrey Heath and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)Surrey Heath715550England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Surrey can be found at the following link: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E10000030/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of a respiratory Modern Service Framework on winter pressures on NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Surrey Heath and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)Surrey Heath715550England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Surrey can be found at the following link: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E10000030/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

What consideration the Department has given to end-of-life decision-making in cases involving progressive loss of capacity, including advanced dementia.

We recognise that high-quality palliative care and end-of-life care should include the opportunity for individuals to discuss their wishes and preferences so that these can be taken fully into account in the provision of their future care, also known as advance care planning (ACP).  ACP is a voluntary process of person-centred discussion between an individual and their care providers about their preferences and the priorities for their future care.In order to facilitate a consistent national approach to ACP, NHS England has published Universal Principles for ACP, which are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/universal-principles-for-advance-care-planning/The universal principles sets out that ACP should take place while a person has the mental capacity to engage in these conversations. An output of these discussions may include an advance statement of wishes, preferences, and priorities. An advance statement is not legally binding, but it is useful to inform and guide decision-making in the future if a person subsequently loses their capacity to make decisions about their care. A person can also nominate a Lasting Power of Attorney who is then able to make decisions on behalf of that person should they lose capacity to make decisions about their care.Additionally, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on dementia includes recommendations on ACP and involving people living with dementia in decisions about their care. The NICE guidance recommends using an anticipatory healthcare planning process for people living with dementia who are approaching the end of life. It recommends involving the person and their family members or carers, as appropriate, as far as possible and using the principles of best-interest decision-making if the person does not have capacity to make decisions about their care. Further information on the NICE guidance on dementia is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97

What recent estimate has been made of the number of patients waiting for extended periods in corridors in accident and emergency departments in Surrey Heath constituency.

On data on corridor care, NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements to drive improvement and transparency. We are now reviewing the data internally and will begin publishing it shortly.On services in Surrey Heath, residents there primarily access urgent and emergency care services at Frimley Park Hospital, which is run by the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust within the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board footprint.NHS Frimley has implemented winter urgent and emergency care plans to manage increased demand, including maintaining patient flow, expanding same-day emergency care, strengthening community and primary care alternatives, and working with local authorities and community providers to support timely discharge.We keep performance in all local systems under regular review through established daily operational oversight and escalation arrangements, with patient safety remaining the overriding priority.

What recent assessment has been made of whether accident and emergency departments have sufficient capacity to meet current levels of patient demand in Surrey Heath constituency.

On data on corridor care, NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements to drive improvement and transparency. We are now reviewing the data internally and will begin publishing it shortly.On services in Surrey Heath, residents there primarily access urgent and emergency care services at Frimley Park Hospital, which is run by the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust within the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board footprint.NHS Frimley has implemented winter urgent and emergency care plans to manage increased demand, including maintaining patient flow, expanding same-day emergency care, strengthening community and primary care alternatives, and working with local authorities and community providers to support timely discharge.We keep performance in all local systems under regular review through established daily operational oversight and escalation arrangements, with patient safety remaining the overriding priority.

How nursing needs are (a) assessed and (b) categorised when determining eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service where the individual has been assessed and found to have a ‘primary health need’.An individual has a primary health need if, having taken account of all their needs, the main aspects or majority of the care they require is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. In deciding whether a person has a primary health need, the integrated care board (ICB) must consider whether the support required by that person is above the limits of what the local authority can provide. Under Section 22 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are generally prevented from meeting needs by offering services that the NHS must provide under the National Health Service Act 2006.As far as is reasonably practicable, the ICB must consult with the relevant local authority before making any decision about an individual’s eligibility for CHC.

How the boundary between NHS and local authority responsibilities is applied in practice when assessing eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service where the individual has been assessed and found to have a ‘primary health need’.An individual has a primary health need if, having taken account of all their needs, the main aspects or majority of the care they require is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. In deciding whether a person has a primary health need, the integrated care board (ICB) must consider whether the support required by that person is above the limits of what the local authority can provide. Under Section 22 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are generally prevented from meeting needs by offering services that the NHS must provide under the National Health Service Act 2006.As far as is reasonably practicable, the ICB must consult with the relevant local authority before making any decision about an individual’s eligibility for CHC.

What recent estimate his Department has made of ambulance handover times at accident and emergency departments in Surrey Heath constituency.

Surrey Heath is served by the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAMB). The most recent National Health Service performance figures show that the average handover time in SECAMB is 18 minutes and 37 seconds. This is over two minutes faster than the same period last year.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out clear actions to deliver improvements this winter and make services better every day, including reducing ambulance handovers to a maximum of 45 minutes, helping get more ambulances back on the road for patients, and reducing category 2 ambulance response times to 30 minutes on average. NHS England continues to monitor average hospital handover times, sharing data with regions to support focussed discussions and identify improvement actions with those trusts not achieving handovers in 45 minutes.

Whether he plans to provide additional funding for research into kidney disease within NHS services in Surrey.

The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and social care, including kidney 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. Funding opportunities are openly published on the NIHR website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/One can propose research topics to the NIHR at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topicIn the last five financial years between 2020/21 and 2024/25, the NIHR has spent £37,529,199 in direct research on kidney disease. Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, approximately 10,871 people participated in NIHR-supported kidney disease studies. In the same time period, 152 studies relating to kidney disease were supported through the NIHR Research Delivery Network, with 34 of these studies having recruitment sites in Surrey. There were 65 NIHR-funded research and career development awards focusing on kidney disease research started between 2020/21 and 2024/25, with a combined funding of approximately £44 million.One can find out more information about the work NIHR does to support and deliver research into kidney disease, including case studies, on the NIHR website at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/support-and-services/support-for-delivering-research/specialties-and-settings/specialties

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of corridor care on patient (a) safety and (b) dignity in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet so patients can be treated with dignity. We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and we are committed to eradicating it from our NHS.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. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care, which will be published shortly.We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.

What assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of corridor care within NHS services in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet so patients can be treated with dignity. We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and we are committed to eradicating it from our NHS.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. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care, which will be published shortly.We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.