Written questions by Mayer.

Whether his Department provide guidance on the handover of patient care between GPs and (a) dentists and (b) eye clinics.

The Department supports effective patient care handovers between general practitioners (GPs), dentists, and eye clinics through existing frameworks. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) 2018 guideline Emergency and acute medical care in over 16s: service delivery and organisation, code NG94, recommends structured handovers using tools like SBAR, or Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, for clear communication during care transitions that are applicable to these settings. The NICE’s 2015 guideline Medicines optimisation: the safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes, code NG5, advises sharing accurate medicine information when patients move between different providers.For dentists, the NICE’s 2015 guideline Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, code NG12, supports GP referrals for suspected oral cancer requiring clear communication. NHS England’s dental policies promote collaboration between GPs and dentists that are reinforced by the General Dental Council’s standards on documentation.For eye clinics, NHS England’s Eye Care Digital Playbook encourages secure communication for handovers between GPs, optometrists, and eye services. Referral guidance ensures GPs provide comprehensive patient details.

What steps his Department is taking to facilitate engagement with trade unions representing health and social care workers.

As we take steps to reform the National Health Service in England, the Government is committed to resetting relations with all NHS staff. As part of this, the Department engages regularly with trade unions representing staff working in the NHS and the social care sector, on a wide range of issues, including workforce policy and, more recently, the 10-Year Health Plan.This engagement includes regular, scheduled meetings with the healthcare trade unions in the national Social Partnership Forum, which I chair. We also continue to engage through national partnership structures such as the NHS Staff Council to understand unions’ views on pay and contractual arrangements.Furthermore, we are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do. As we work towards a Fair Pay Agreement, we are already consulting unions, and others from across the sector.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the polices on issuing Penalty Charge Notices for patient transport service vehicles.

No assessment has been made by this Department of the potential merits of reviewing the policies on issuing Penalty Charge notices for patient transport service vehicles.NHS Trusts are expected to comply with the NHS Car Parking Guidance, from 2022, which covers both NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts. This applies to all NHS Trusts, including those that use private parking companies to operate their hospital car parks.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the speed of the delivery of the school vaccination programme.

The National Health Service is supporting catch-up efforts to return the coverage of school aged vaccination programmes back to their pre-pandemic levels. School aged immunisation service providers are commissioned to deliver a 100% offer for adolescent vaccine programmes, including for children not in mainstream education.Catch-up initiatives are also in place via schools and community clinic settings, and those who miss out on the adolescent immunisation sessions remain eligible in older years. General practices are also commissioned by NHS England to deliver catch ups for school aged children and young people on an opportunistic basis, to maximise vaccine uptake.NHS England continues to work with all key stakeholders at a regional level to strengthen local initiatives and encourage innovative models to approach the robust delivery of school aged vaccinations.

How many dentists have been recruited via the dental recruitment incentive scheme in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England.

Within the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB), five dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment incentive scheme. In the East of England in total, 11 dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment incentive scheme. ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts.This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years.

What steps his Department is taking to support patients adversely impacted by pelvic mesh implants.

There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications due to mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse gets the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support.The Medical Devices Outcomes Registry was established by NHS England in April 2024 to fulfil Recommendation 7 of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, also known as the Cumberlege Review. The Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence registry will be launched in early 2025. This will ensure that appropriate clinical vigilance data is collected, surgical outliers can be identified, and that comparative performance and outcomes across the centres are routinely available. NHS England is extending the registry to be United Kingdom-wide, to improve the recording of patient outcomes and experience.Furthermore, the Department has commissioned, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, a £1.56 million study to develop a patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for prolapse, incontinence, and mesh complication surgery. Longer term, the PROM will be integrated into the pelvic floor registry.

How many penalty charge notices have been issued against patient transport service vehicles in each of the last five years for which data is available.

The data requested is not held centrally.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of influenza cases in hospitals in the last 12 months.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) surveillance of influenza hospitalisations operates during winter season only, where most influenza activity is typically observed. Trends vary across the season and are published weekly at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-seasonUKHSA surveillance confirmed influenza cases admitted to hospital, shows the overall influenza hospitalisation rate in the most recent published data, namely week 52 commencing 23 December 2024, was 14.09 per 100,000. For comparison, in the 2023 to 2024 season, influenza hospitalisation rates peaked in week 52, namely the week commencing 25 December 2023, with a rate of 6.65 per 100,000 and again in week 4, namely the week commencing 22 January 2024, with a rate of 7.55 per 100,000.

How many of the planned additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments a year will be in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England.

The Government is committed to tackling the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care. We are working to ensure patients can start to access 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments as soon as possible, targeting areas that need them most including the East of England. We will set out further information on this commitment, including how this will be measured, in due course.

What criteria he uses for defining whether an area is a dental desert; and in what areas dentistry graduates will receive golden hellos.

‘Dental desert’ is a term used colloquially to describe areas struggling with access to National Health Service dentistry. There are a range of metrics which can be used to assess dental access.The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. Dental practices in specific areas, determined locally, were invited by their ICBs to express interest in participating in the scheme and notified of the outcome of their application via their ICB. Further information on the process can be found in guidance issued by NHS England, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/dental-recruitment-incentive-scheme-2024-25/As of 16 December 2024, 706 Expressions of Interest have been received of which 320 have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 212 posts have been advertised, with 19 dentists commenced in post.

What his planned timetable is for recruiting 8,500 additional mental health workers.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce waiting times and provide faster treatment.We recognise that bringing in the staff needed will take t...

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on neurodiversity-affirmative approaches in schools.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions on a wide range of matters with Cabinet colleagues, including my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.

What recent steps his Department is taking to improve the availability of (a) eye clinic appointments and (b) hospital eye services.

The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care. As of October 2024, the waiting list for ophthalmology services stands at just over 593,0...

How many (a) mental health and (b) dementia related hospital admissions took place during heatwaves in 2024.

The information is not held in the format requested.

What data his Department holds on the number of A&E visits resulting from animal bites.

NHS England publishes data on the number of hospital attendances, and this information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-accident--emergency-activity/2023-24This includes the n...

What steps his Department is taking to promote the uptake of (a) Covid-19 and (b) flu vaccinations in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB area.

The 2024 Get Winter Strong campaign supports the uptake of winter vaccinations for influenza and COVID-19. Launched on 23 September, it focuses on eligible cohorts with low uptake, including pregnant women, parents of two to three-year-olds, for the flu o...

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Rare Diseases Framework to include provisions for improving patient-centred care pathways for Achalasia.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as achalasia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities, collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which include better coordination...

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of crime perpetrated by fraudsters posing as legitimate food wholesalers in the last 12 months.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not hold crime data relating to this question. Fraudsters posing as legitimate food wholesalers are committing theft, which would primarily sit under a policing remit.However, the FSA has published research on the broa...

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of variations in levels of positive autism diagnoses at NHS foundation trusts.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnoses, in line with relevant National Institute for Health ...

With reference to the data dashboard on UK gynaecology waits published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on 24 July 2024, whether his Department has made an assessment of the

It is unacceptable that patients are waiting too long to get the care they need, including the nearly 600,000 on gynaecology waiting lists.We are looking into this issue to understand what is driving demand for gynaecology and what steps we could take to ...