Written questions by Rosindell.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of establishment of the Staff Treatment Hubs announced in the 10 Year Health Plan.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.The commitment to staff treatment hubs draws on various evidence sources including the NHS England internal Staff Treatment Access Review, which demonstrated the clear productivity and economic argument for investing in the health of our National Health Service staff, particularly focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal treatment services as the main drivers of sickness absence in the NHS, as well as wider sectors.Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the staff treatment hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, and capacity.

What criteria his Department plans to use to determine where to locate the Staff Treatment Hubs announced as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.The commitment to staff treatment hubs draws on various evidence sources including the NHS England internal Staff Treatment Access Review, which demonstrated the clear productivity and economic argument for investing in the health of our National Health Service staff, particularly focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal treatment services as the main drivers of sickness absence in the NHS, as well as wider sectors.Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the staff treatment hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, and capacity.

What his planned timeframe is for the establishment of the first Staff Treatment Hubs.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.The commitment to staff treatment hubs draws on various evidence sources including the NHS England internal Staff Treatment Access Review, which demonstrated the clear productivity and economic argument for investing in the health of our National Health Service staff, particularly focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal treatment services as the main drivers of sickness absence in the NHS, as well as wider sectors.Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the staff treatment hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, and capacity.

What estimate he has made of the number of NHS staff that will be treated at the Staff Treatment Hubs within the first five years of their establishment.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.The commitment to staff treatment hubs draws on various evidence sources including the NHS England internal Staff Treatment Access Review, which demonstrated the clear productivity and economic argument for investing in the health of our National Health Service staff, particularly focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal treatment services as the main drivers of sickness absence in the NHS, as well as wider sectors.Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the staff treatment hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, and capacity.

How many Staff Treatment Hubs will be established as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out staff treatment hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.The commitment to staff treatment hubs draws on various evidence sources including the NHS England internal Staff Treatment Access Review, which demonstrated the clear productivity and economic argument for investing in the health of our National Health Service staff, particularly focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal treatment services as the main drivers of sickness absence in the NHS, as well as wider sectors.Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the staff treatment hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, and capacity.

What steps he has taken to improve the mental well-being of NHS staff.

Looking after the mental health of our hardworking National Health Service staff is a priority for the Government.The 10-Year Health Plan committed to roll out staff treatment hubs. These hubs will provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff, including support for mental health issues. It will build on work that NHS England has led to strengthen occupational health in the NHS and on existing mental health provision such as the Practitioner Health service.We will also 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 he has taken to help reduce levels of (a) violent and (b) sexual crime against NHS staff.

Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work.All NHS organisations should have robust policies and procedures in place to manage sexual misconduct in the workplace. In September 2023, NHS England launched the healthcare system’s first organisational Sexual Safety Charter. There are over 400 signatories to the charter across the health system who have committed to taking and enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to any unwanted, inappropriate, or harmful sexual behaviours in the workplace.In April 2025, the Government announced that the Social Partnership Forum’s recommendations on tackling and reducing violence, as part of the 2023 Agenda for Change pay deal, have been accepted. These include significant commitments to tackle violence and aggression against NHS staff, including improving data and the reporting of incidences, and ensuring strengthened risk assessment, training, and support for victims. This will be strengthened by the introduction of a new set of staff standards, as detailed in the 10-Year Health Plan, which will cover issues including tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

What steps he has taken to improve incontinence care provided by the NHS.

Millions of men, women, young people, and children of all ages are living with bowel and bladder problems. All continence problems can be debilitating and life changing. They affect a wide range of care groups and can be a particular concern for the ageing population.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published five guidelines on the management of urinary and faecal incontinence to date. These guidelines cover the management of urinary incontinence in people with neurological disease, the prevention and management of pelvic floor dysfunction, and pelvic organ prolapse in women. NICE has also published a further 14 products in relation to urinary incontinence and 12 in relation to faecal incontinence.The Department has also commissioned NICE to produce late-stage assessment guidance on one-piece closed bags for colostomies and intermittent urethral catheters for chronic incomplete bladder emptying in adults. These late-stage assessments gather the views of clinical experts and patients to help NICE assess and compare the value of products in widespread use across the National Health Service.The NHS must also have regard to the Excellence in Continence Care guidance, published in 2018. This provides advice for commissioners, providers, and healthcare staff on understanding and addressing continence needs within their local population. This guidance is supported by British Society of Urogynaecology. Further information on the Excellence in Continence Care guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/NHS England has also produced Safer Bowel Care for Patients at Risk of Autonomic Dysreflexia, a serious medical emergency that can occur in people with spinal cord injuries, which offers resources to support safer bowel care practice and highlights the importance of implementing the Excellence in Continence Care framework.In addition to national guidance, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has professional standards relating to bladder and bowel nursing care. The NMC Code places strong emphasis on the principle of “Prioritising People”, which sets out the expectation that registrants should always respond to individual patient needs.NHS England is also developing a best practice catheter care pathway across all settings to be completed by the end of this year.Our focus on the shift from hospital to community will help to drive more joint working in neighborhoods between primary care, pharmacies, community health care, and social care, to help people to manage incontinence at home, by giving them access to the right self-care, the right professional support, so they aren’t passed from service to service, and reducing their need for emergency admissions to hospital.

What steps he has taken to ensure the preparedness of NHS hospitals for extreme weather conditions.

The Government continues to support the resilience of the healthcare estate through substantial capital investment. National Health Service trusts are responsible for maintaining their estate, including adapting premises to reduce risks associated with climate change and severe weather, as set out in the NHS Standard Contract. The Department is supporting the improvement of NHS sites by investing £30 billion over the next five years in day-to-day maintenance and repair, with £5 billion allocated specifically to address the most critical building issues. We are also continuing delivery through the New Hospital Programme, where schemes will achieve a minimum Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method rating of ‘Excellent’ for new builds, and ‘Very Good’ for refurbishments, including a key focus on climate adaptation. In addition, all NHS investments in new buildings and upgrades to existing facilities that are subject to the HM Treasury business case approval process must align with the NHS Net Zero Building Standard, which includes a focus on overheating risks.

What steps he has taken to reduce the number of allergy-related deaths.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 July 2025 to Question 64001.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing enforcement (a) powers and (b) resources available to (i) Trading Standards and (ii) local authorities to tackle the sale of illegal tobacco by businesses.

There are a range of tools available to enforce the sale of illicit tobacco, which reflect the severity of the offence committed. Trading Standards can seize illicit goods and refer cases to HM Revenue and Customs to make decisions about penalties, which can include fines of up to £10,000 and deactivation of a business's economic operator ID, restricting or removing their ability to purchase or sell tobacco in the United Kingdom. Further details are set out in HM Revenue and Customs’ Illicit Tobacco Strategy, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stubbing-out-the-problem-a-new-strategy-to-tackle-illicit-tobacco/stubbing-out-the-problem-a-new-strategy-to-tackle-illicit-tobaccoThe Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers selling illegal and unregulated tobacco and vape products to children and young people. The Bill introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain tobacco and vape offences, including underage sales, and enables the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold on the UK market.Alongside the bill, we are investing £30 million of new funding for enforcement agencies in 2025/26, including Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs, and Border Force. This funding is being used to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and the implementation of the measures in the bill, including a boost to the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

What steps he has taken to help improve the post-treatment recovery of NHS cancer patients.

Where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including a holistic needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes the provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and their treatment. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns.Moreover, the NHS Cancer Programme, through local Cancer Alliances, is working to ensure that physical activity is fully integrated across the whole cancer pathway, which includes opportunities within rehabilitation for people who have undergone treatment.The National Cancer Plan, due to be published later this year, will set out plans to improve the experiences and outcomes for people at every stage of the cancer pathway, including post-treatment.

Whether his Department has considered (a) requiring non-medical practitioners to be shadowed during treating grade two aesthetic procedures and (b) undertaking an independent review of (i) statistics and (ii) petition responses to inform the development of a regulatory model that (A) safeguards public health and (B) supports (1) businesses and (2) (a) female entrepreneurs and (b) other working parents in the aesthetics sector.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector and has been exploring options for further regulation in this area. In doing so, the Government recognises the contribution the cosmetics industry makes to the economy, the entrepreneurship it fosters, and the employment opportunities it provides. Ministers recognise that Government action in this space must be proportionate if it is to protect the public from harm, whilst not unnecessarily restricting the activities of legitimate businesses. Any future changes to the regulation of the sector would be subject to public consultation, impact assessments, and the parliamentary procedure.We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish at the earliest opportunity.

What steps he is taking to support public education platforms that promote safe aesthetic treatment practices for (a) consumers and (b) practitioners.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector and has been exploring options for further regulation in this area. In doing so, the Government recognises the contribution the cosmetics industry makes to the economy, the entrepreneurship it fosters, and the employment opportunities it provides. Ministers recognise that Government action in this space must be proportionate if it is to protect the public from harm, whilst not unnecessarily restricting the activities of legitimate businesses. Any future changes to the regulation of the sector would be subject to public consultation, impact assessments, and the parliamentary procedure.We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish at the earliest opportunity.

If he will take steps to introduce (a) subsidised costs for (i) medical oversight and (ii) job support schemes and (b) other financial assistance for non-medical aesthetic practitioners.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector and has been exploring options for further regulation in this area. In doing so, the Government recognises the contribution the cosmetics industry makes to the economy, the entrepreneurship it fosters, and the employment opportunities it provides. Ministers recognise that Government action in this space must be proportionate if it is to protect the public from harm, whilst not unnecessarily restricting the activities of legitimate businesses. Any future changes to the regulation of the sector would be subject to public consultation, impact assessments, and the parliamentary procedure.We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish at the earliest opportunity.

If he will make it his policy to publish (a) a consultation and (b) an impact assessment before implementing regulations affecting non-medical aesthetic practitioners.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector and has been exploring options for further regulation in this area. In doing so, the Government recognises the contribution the cosmetics industry makes to the economy, the entrepreneurship it fosters, and the employment opportunities it provides. Ministers recognise that Government action in this space must be proportionate if it is to protect the public from harm, whilst not unnecessarily restricting the activities of legitimate businesses. Any future changes to the regulation of the sector would be subject to public consultation, impact assessments, and the parliamentary procedure.We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish at the earliest opportunity.

What steps he has taken to improve state funded maternity care.

While there are outstanding examples of care in NHS maternity services, we know this is not the experience that all women have, and there are significant issues that need addressing.My Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, recently announced an independent Investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care. This will produce, by December 2025, one clear set of national recommendations to achieve high quality, safe care across maternity and neonatal services.The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care also announced the establishment of a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that will use the recommendations from the Investigation to develop a national plan, with families and partners, to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.We are also taking a set of immediate action to start delivering the changes needed.These include actions to boost accountability and safety as part of the Government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future, and actions to hold the system to account. Specific actions include embedding a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality. Although significantly more action is required, there has been some good progress made in a range of areas. They include:Achieving full population coverage of Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services for women with or at risk of mental health issues.Rollout to every Trust in England of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, helping to reduce still births and pre-term birth.As of February 2025, having a record number of full-time equivalent midwives in post, totalling 24,991. This is over 1,400 (6.1%) more full-time equivalent midwives compared to July 2024.Nationally rolling out a new programme to reduce avoidable brain injuries in childbirth, following a successful pilot.

What steps he has taken to improve state funded physiotherapy.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning the majority of health and care services, including physiotherapy, in England. ICBs arrange healthcare services to meet the needs of their local population, within available resources.NHS England is supporting ICBs to make informed decisions about the provision of physiotherapy services so that they can provide consistent, high quality, and integrated care.

What steps he has taken to improve health outcomes for homeless people.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2025 to Question 66125.

What steps he is taking to improve the health outcomes of veterans.

As well as being able to access all national health services across the United Kingdom, NHS England has also introduced several bespoke services to improve healthcare support available to veterans. These are: Op RESTORE which supports veterans with service-related physical health problems; Op COURAGE which supports veterans with a mental health pathway; and Op NOVA which supports veterans in the justice system.In addition, the veteran-aware trust and the veteran-friendly accreditation schemes raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals of the specific needs of veterans. These schemes provide support to ensure appropriate signposting and referrals to relevant veteran and wider services within the National Health Service.In May 2025, a national training and education plan was announced to help veterans benefit from improved and targeted healthcare. NHS staff across England will receive dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. This will be rolled out across the NHS from 1 October 2025.