Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps he is taking to ensure timely access to treatment for children experiencing sudden medical emergencies in Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that appropriate specialist support is available for paediatric medical emergencies in their areas. In Surrey Heath, this responsibility sits with the Frimley Integrated Care System.Children who require specialist support for medical emergencies in the Surrey Heath constituency are served by their local hospital at Frimley Park which has a dedicated Paediatric Emergency Department. The Paediatric Emergency Department is a separate facility within the main department and is open 24 hours a day.Children who require treatment for sudden medical emergencies can also access the South East Coast Ambulance Service via 999. Following support from the ambulance service, children may be taken to the Paediatric Emergency Department at Frimley Park Hospital or another suitable facility.In our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, we commit to increasing the number of children seen within four hours in accident and emergency. This means thousands of children every month receiving more timely care than before.The Department continues to work with NHS England and local systems to monitor capacity so that children receive timely, specialist care in emergencies.

Whether his Department has plans to improve (a) recognition and (b) support for volunteer emergency responders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises and is grateful for the valuable contribution volunteers make in supporting National Health Service staff, patients, and services.Individual ambulance trusts are responsible for making decisions on recruiting, supporting, and developing volunteers to support their specific service needs. NHS England recently launched a single volunteer recruitment portal making it easier for trusts across the NHS to advertise volunteer vacancies, and for potential volunteer applicants to source and apply for available opportunities.There are currently no plans for the Government to review the ways that emergency responders are recruited or supported by trusts.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of staff training programmes relating to patient (a) nutrition, (b) care planning and (c) recordkeeping within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

No assessment has been made. Regulated healthcare professionals need to meet the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance set by the relevant professional regulator, which are independent of the Government. It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.

What steps he is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of volunteer emergency responders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises and is grateful for the valuable contribution volunteers make in supporting National Health Service staff, patients, and services.Individual ambulance trusts are responsible for making decisions on recruiting, supporting, and developing volunteers to support their specific service needs. NHS England recently launched a single volunteer recruitment portal making it easier for trusts across the NHS to advertise volunteer vacancies, and for potential volunteer applicants to source and apply for available opportunities.There are currently no plans for the Government to review the ways that emergency responders are recruited or supported by trusts.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of rough sleeping in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-26 on the health of rough sleepers.

The Government recognises that homelessness and rough sleeping numbers continue to remain high. That is why the Government is providing £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including funding health‑led interventions, alongside a £69.9 million top‑up announced in October 2025 to tackle additional pressures.Surrey County Council has undertaken a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, focused on housing and related support, funded by the Department through the Public Health Grant and carried out by health and wellbeing boards. More information is available at the following link:https://www.surreyi.gov.uk/jsna/jsna-housing-and-related-support/#homelessnessThe assessment requires a thorough analysis of the health and social care needs of local populations, and highlights how determinants such as housing conditions, including insecure housing and homelessness, impact health and wellbeing. This informs planning across health, social care, and housing to improve outcomes and address inequalities.

What recent assessment his Department has made of variations in the availability of wider support services for children undergoing NHS treatment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with serious health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. We know that there is variation in the availability of support across the country which is why we are taking action.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the varied needs of their local populations. Local areas will be expected to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans under the leadership of health and wellbeing boards, bringing care closer to babies, children, and young people, including those with serious health needs. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.The Medium-Term Planning Framework also sets out targets to improve children’s experiences of the health system and states that National Health Service organisations should explicitly consider the needs of children and young people in integrated plans. This will improve the consistency of support to children with serious health needs and reduce variability. The framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/After a procurement process focused on opportunities to reduce unwarranted variation and offer equitable access to community services for children across the Surrey footprint, HCRG Care Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of child and family health services, was commissioned by the Surrey ICB to manage children’s community health services in Surrey, including the Surrey Heath constituency, from 1 April 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure local health services are prepared to respond to incidents of mass carbon monoxide exposure in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

All National Health Service organisations, including in Surrey, are required to prepare for, and respond to, a wide range of incidents or emergencies that could adversely affect the health of the population.In the event of an incident of mass carbon monoxide exposure, ambulance services can dispatch a Hazardous Area Response Team. This provides the initial NHS response with trained and equipped paramedics who can safely enter a contaminated area to support casualties and provide clinical care.As an integrated care board, NHS Surrey Heartlands has policies for emergency preparedness, resilience, and response, in order to support local resilience partners and maintain critical services in the event of an incident.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve consistency in NHS support for children with serious health needs in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with serious health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. We know that there is variation in the availability of support across the country which is why we are taking action.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the varied needs of their local populations. Local areas will be expected to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans under the leadership of health and wellbeing boards, bringing care closer to babies, children, and young people, including those with serious health needs. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.The Medium-Term Planning Framework also sets out targets to improve children’s experiences of the health system and states that National Health Service organisations should explicitly consider the needs of children and young people in integrated plans. This will improve the consistency of support to children with serious health needs and reduce variability. The framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/After a procurement process focused on opportunities to reduce unwarranted variation and offer equitable access to community services for children across the Surrey footprint, HCRG Care Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of child and family health services, was commissioned by the Surrey ICB to manage children’s community health services in Surrey, including the Surrey Heath constituency, from 1 April 2025.

What guidance his Department provides on changes to locally commissioned health services.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd

How locally commissioned health services incorporate peer-reviewed clinical outcomes into decisions on (a) service continuation and (b) withdrawal.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd

How long-term health system cost efficiency is evaluated when decisions are made to decommission locally delivered health programmes in Surrey.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of withdrawing local early-intervention health services on demand for secondary care in Surrey.

The commissioning of local National Health Services is a matter for local integrated care boards (ICBs) working together with providers and other stakeholders. Neither the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB nor the NHS Frimley ICB are aware of the withdrawal of early intervention services in Surrey.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) job security and (b) employment conditions for general practice nurses in Surrey Heath constituency.

As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is up to general practices (GPs) how they distribute pay and benefits to GP nurses and to determine their own staffing arrangements.GP contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GPs with regard to GP nurse terms and conditions.The GP workforce is developed with the support of the Frimley ICB Primary Care Training hub. The hub commissions training supported placements for trainees and adoption of primary care network learning environments, in line with the NHS People Promise and interprofessional conferences.We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) maternity and (b) neonatal care in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Frimley Integrated Care System (ICS), which covers the Surrey Heath constituency, has implemented several measures to improve maternity and neonatal care. These include the full implementation of the Saving Babies’ Lives care bundle, including an in-house stop smoking service, and the PREM7+ care bundle to improve care for preterm babies.The Frimley ICS has also launched a new antenatal education offer, is implementing the Maternity Incentive Scheme, a financial incentive that encourages trusts towards actions that improve maternity safety, and is working with the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership to provide birth boxes to improve women’s experience.At a national level, Baroness Amos is leading a rapid, national, independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to help us to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will take forward the recommendations of the investigation to develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

What steps he is taking to prevent industrial action within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and officials from the Department, on his behalf, regularly meet with representatives of the health trade unions to understand the views and concerns of the National Health Service’s workforces in England, which they represent. He has been clear that he wants to continue to work constructively with all trade unions to improve the working conditions of all NHS staff and avoid unnecessary industrial action.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has accepted all headline pay recommendations from the independent pay review bodies for 2025/26 so that all NHS staff in England received a fair and sustainable pay rise, has committed to funding improvements to the Agenda for Change pay structure for staff such as porters, nurses, and paramedics, and is working with NHS England to implement a 10 point plan to improve resident doctors’ working lives.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care made a written offer on 5 November to the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) which included measures to tackle bottlenecks in training, put money back in resident doctors' pockets, and ensure that there is consistent implementation of existing contractual entitlements. Unfortunately, the BMA RDC rejected this just hours after being set out in a letter to them, instead choosing to proceed with the damaging strike action taken between 14 and 19 November 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people waiting for NHS treatment in Surrey Heath constituency.

We are clear that the extent of waits for treatment is unacceptable, and that cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have committed to returning by March 2029 to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment.We are committed to transforming elective services to ensure patients get timely access to the care they need. This includes investing £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years for diagnostic, elective, urgent, and emergency capacity in the NHS.Between July 2024 and June 2025, we delivered 5.2 million additional appointments compared to the previous year, more than double our pledge of two million. This marks a vital first step towards delivering the constitutional standard.We promised change, and we have made good progress. As of the end of September 2025, 61.8% of pathways on the waiting list are within 18 weeks, an improvement of 3.3% since September 2024, and the number of waits over 18 weeks has reduced by almost 320,000 over the same period.Waiting list data is not available by constituency. In the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, which covers the Surrey Heath constituency, the waiting list size has fallen by over 17,000 since the Government took office in July 2024. The proportion of waits under 18 weeks has now also increased, up from 50.5% of patient pathways in July 2024 to 56.5% in September 2025, a 6.0% improvement.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of health services for men in Surrey Heath constituency.

We know that we need to do more to improve health outcomes for men across the country, including men in Surrey Heath. On 19 November, to coincide with International Men’s Health Day, we published the Men’s Health Strategy which aims to improve the health of all men and boys in England. The strategy includes tangible actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community and family networks, and address societal norms. It also considers how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, which include mental health and suicide prevention, respiratory illness, prostate cancer, and heart disease.This strategy is a crucial first step, laying the foundation from which we can learn, iterate and grow to create a society where all men and boys are supported to live longer, healthier and happier lives. As a first step, we will work with the Men’s Health Academic Network and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to develop and publish a one-year-on report, highlighting the improvements made and where future efforts will need to be targeted.

What consideration his Department has given to the potential merits of introducing further (a) professional or (b) regulatory requirements for those undertaking ultrasound scans.

The Government has no plans to introduce further professional or regulatory requirements for those undertaking ultrasound scans. While there are no legal requirements for those carrying out ultrasound in the United Kingdom to hold specific professional qualifications or registration, all providers in England who provide ultrasound scans must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and meet its fundamental standards, which includes ensuring that anyone carrying out such activity has the appropriate skills, knowledge, and experience.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) care and (b) support for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis in Surrey Heath constituency.

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

What data his Department holds on the (a) prevalence and (b) use of private ultrasound clinics.

The Department does not hold data on the prevalence and use of private ultrasound clinics. No recent discussions have taken place with regulatory bodies on the standards required of individuals providing ultrasound scans in non-National Health Service settings.While there are no legal requirements for those carrying out ultrasound in the Untied Kingdom to hold specific professional qualifications or registration, all providers in England who provide ultrasound scans must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and meet certain legal duties, which includes ensuring that anyone carrying out such activity has the appropriate skills, knowledge, and experience.