Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Snowden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 405 · Department of Health and Social Care
Whether guidance is being issued to pregnant people to reduce the risk of infection from Listeriosis, including from ready-to-eat and chilled foods.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the National Health Service already provide advice to pregnant people to help reduce the risk of infection from listeriosis, including advice on ready-to-eat and chilled foods, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/p...
What steps he plans to take to increase the accountability of Integrated Care Boards in relation to mental health prevention under the Health Bill.
The Health Bill will strengthen the accountability of integrated care boards (ICBs), including for the delivery of mental health prevention, by increasing my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s oversight and intervention po...
Pursuant to the Written Statement HCWS36 of 20 May 26, what proportion of the additional 8,500 mental health staff are working in community settings.
The 8,500 additional mental health staff commitment is not split or monitored separately across inpatient and community settings. The commitment is monitored using the established National Health Service mental health workforce definition and follows the ...
What role community participation and physical activity will play in the Mental Health Strategy.
The new cross-Government Mental Health Strategy for England, to be published later this year, will set a long-term direction to improve how we prevent and respond to mental ill-health through a whole-system approach. The Government recognises the importan...
What timetable has been set for publication of the new Mental Health Strategy for England.
The new Mental Health Strategy for England will be published later this year. We have launched a Call for Evidence to inform the development of the strategy, which is open for eight weeks and will close on 10 July. Further details on the Call for Evidence...
What steps he is taking to help Newly Qualified Paramedics (NQPs) into work.
Decisions on the employment of newly qualified paramedics are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliv...
What steps he is taking to increase the take-up of meningitis vaccines.
The Government is committed to stabilising and improving the uptake and access of vaccines, including those that protect against meningitis, across all immunisation programmes. This includes expanding routes to access, such as community pharmacies, as set...
What steps his Department is taking to ensure members of the public are aware of symptoms of hantavirus.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is actively monitoring the situation and is supporting the passengers’ clinical and public health assessment and isolation.UKHSA has taken the lead in providing regular updates to the public through broadcast media in...
What assessment his Department has made of the impact of long-term patient relationships in community optometry on continuity of eye care for elderly patients.
We recognise the value of providing care closer to people’s homes, including community optometry, which can support more personalised care and more continuity of care.Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local pop...
What assessment he has made of the effect of excluding independent optometry practices from participation in publicly funded eyesight testing schemes on local economic activity.
National Health Service sight testing contracts can be held by specific individuals, including those practising in partnerships or corporate bodies meeting the requirements set out in The General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008.The commissi...
What progress his Department are making towards recruiting 8,500 additional mental health staff.
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, in February the Government delivered on its commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers this Parliament, three ...
What estimate he has made of the number of vacancies for newly qualified midwives in the North West of England.
The Department does not hold information on the number of vacancies for newly qualified midwives in the Northwest of England.
If he will make an estimate of the number of appointments that were cancelled as a result of doctor strikes in Lancashire.
On 22 March 2026, the Government made a formal offer to the British Medical Association (BMA) Resident Doctors Committee (RDC) to seek to resolve their dispute. This was the product of joint negotiation with the BMA RDC officers. This offer was rejected by the committee on 25 March and the BMA RDC immediately called industrial action for 7 to 13 April 2026. In the last year, the BMA RDC have called four rounds of strike action in England.NHS England records the number of rescheduled appointments and workforce absences during strike actions, including those in Lancashire. The latest data for April is pending, but data on the from the previous three rounds in 2025 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/preparedness-for-potential-industrial-action-in-the-nhs/Due to the dedication of National Health Service staff, the NHS delivered almost 95% of planned activity during the five days of strike action in December 2025, similar to the levels of activity during the November strikes and surpassing levels in July.
Whether he plans to introduce safeguards to ensure that patients presenting with symptoms indicative of serious conditions, including heart arrhythmias, are prioritised appropriately in GP triage systems.
General practices (GPs) are independent contractors to the National Health Service and are responsible for the safe operation of their appointment and triage arrangements, including ensuring that patients with symptoms suggestive of any serious conditions are identified and prioritised appropriately.It is for individual practices to decide how triage systems are configured and overseen within local workflows, and we are clear that GPs must be able to exercise their own clinical judgement when triaging patients, so that those with potentially serious symptoms are identified promptly and directed to the right care.
What estimate he has made of the cost to the health service of injuries related to accidents involving hire e-bikes in the last 12 months.
The information requested is not collected centrally and no such estimate has been made by the Department.
What recent discussions he has had with NHS England on improving continuity of care between secondary care and primary care following A&E attendance.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, set out clear ambitions as part of the 10-Year Health Plan around moving the National Health Service from analogue to digital, harnessing technology to allow patients to better manage their own care. The Medium Term Planning Framework reiterates this focus, including achieving full compliance with the minimum standards set out in the Digital Capabilities Framework.NHS England is supporting integrated care boards and providers to improve information sharing and coordination at discharge from urgent and emergency care, so primary care teams have timely access to relevant clinical information and can arrange appropriate follow‑up.This includes continued rollout of the NHS Federated Data Platform, which supports integrated care systems to connect data across urgent, acute, and community services, helping to improve care transitions and follow‑up after accident and emergency attendance.We are continuing to work across Government to cut red tape and improve ways of working, including work to improve the patient experience at the interface of primary and secondary care.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of GP appointment systems for patients who do not have access to the internet.
We understand that not all patients have access to or want to use online services. The GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice (GP).The 2026/27 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will ease the pressure on phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.The Office for National Statistics’ Health Insight Survey from March 2026 shows that 73.7% of patients reported it was “easy” to contact their GP, up from 60.9% in July 2024.
What steps his Department is taking to protect young people in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire from Meningitis B.
Meningococcal disease is an uncommon but serious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. The MenACWY vaccine offers good protection against several strains of meningococcal disease and is routinely offered to teenagers in school years 9 and 10. However, it does not protect against all strains. Other strains, such as Meningitis B (MenB), can circulate among young adults. From 2015, the MenB vaccine has been available on the National Health Service as part of routine childhood immunisations, but most students would not be vaccinated.The importance of raising awareness in parents, teenagers, and other adults about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia remains key. There are a range of resources developed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), co-branded with the NHS, that set out these key messages and their importance, such as the teenage guide to immunisation. The guide is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisations-for-young-peopleThe UKHSA collaboratively produces a university vaccine communications toolkit. This is shared with the distribution lists of Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, and is available at the following link:https://find-public-health-resources.service.gov.uk/University%20vaccine%20communications%20toolkit/UNI24In addition, United Kingdom guidance on the public health management of meningococcal disease provides clear advice on the management of confirmed and probable cases of invasive meningococcal disease, including MenB, to minimise onward transmission and further associated cases. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-guidance-on-public-health-management
How many members of the NHS Pension Scheme who retired since April 2021 are awaiting revised pension calculations or backdated payments as part of the McCloud remedy.
The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.The current number of members who have retired since April 2021 and are awaiting a Remediable Service Statement that will show their choice of pension benefits is 209,989.The current number of members who have received their Remediable Service Statements and have made their choice and are awaiting backdated payments is 116.An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is ongoing. The independent review team is expected to assess this revised delivery plan shortly. Subject to the review team's assurance, we intend to issue new deadlines for the administration of remedy statements and update the House in May 2026.In the meantime, the authority continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be most affected by the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. More information is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/public-service-pensions-remedy-mccloud/making-your-decision-about-your-nhs-pension-benefitsThe Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.
Whether his Department plans to establish a national clinical pathway for the diagnosis and management of craniocervical instability in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Decisions on the development of clinical pathways, the commissioning of services, and the configuration of specialist diagnostics remain the responsibility of local integrated care boards, which are best placed to assess local population needs and ensure access to appropriate expertise and investigations.For patients with suspected craniocervical instability (CCI), the National Health Service already supports clinical assessment through neurology, neurosurgery, rheumatology, and specialist pain services, depending on presenting symptoms and co‑existing conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Where clinically appropriate, patients may be referred for imaging through NHS diagnostic pathways, in line with national evidence‑based guidance. Specialist review is arranged based on the judgement of the responsible NHS clinicians.Access to magnetic resonance imaging and other diagnostic imaging continues to expand through the Government’s wider programme of community diagnostic centres, which is increasing capacity across England and supporting earlier identification of complex conditions, such as CCI, as part of the 10‑Year Health Plan.For these reasons, the Department has no current plans to establish a national clinical pathway specifically CCI, including in patients with EDS.