Written questions by Cooper.

What steps he is taking to increase the facilities available for critical adolescent mental health cases.

If children and young people do need to be admitted to inpatient services for mental health treatment, they should be accommodated in an environment that is suitable for their age. In some instances, clinically urgent situations will sometimes necessitate children and young people being placed on wards that are not specialised for children and young people’s mental health services, or away from their home and family. In these situations, patient safety, the least restrictive environment, and clinical need remains paramount.The model of provision of National Health Service funded inpatient treatment for children and young people is being re-designed to support the move to community-based provision, where children and young people are able to access appropriate support in a timely, effective, and patient-centred way, close to home and in the least restrictive environment.This transition is being supported by the introduction of provider collaboratives to support place-based commissioning and to develop local services that meet the needs of their communities. Options may include increased day provision, and the new model will see a change to how inpatient environments are best utilised.

How much his Department has allocated for smoking cessation campaigns in the 2025-26 financial year; and whether he has made an assessment of the number of additional quit attempts that may be made as a result of these campaigns.

The 2025/26 budget for smoking cessation campaigns has not yet been confirmed.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent childhood obesity.

Obesity robs our kids of the best possible start in life, and is particularly concentrated in the most deprived areas. Supporting people to stay healthier for longer is at the heart of our Health Mission. We face a childhood obesity crisis and this govern...

Whether his Department plans to expedite implementation of the recommendations from the Hughes report, published on 7 February 2024; and whether he plans to prioritise establishment of (a) interim

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report. The report sets out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, including proposals for a financial s...

By what procedure central government funding is allocated to institutions providing hospice care.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in ...

What steps he is taking to monitor the rise in cases in the more spreadable variant of mpox now detected in the UK.

There are two distinct types of the mpox virus: clade I and clade II. The previous significant outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2022 was from clade II. Clade I is currently classified as a high consequence infectious disease. The risk to the UK populatio...

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of anaesthetic workforce shortages on the NHS’s ability to tackle the elective backlog.

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We have committed to getting back to the NHS Constitutional standard that at least 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment within our first term. As a first step t...

What estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) doctors and (b) anaesthetists preparing to leave the profession; and what steps he is taking to improve retention.

The Government is committed to tackling the workforce crisis across the National Health Service. This will be achieved through better workforce planning, which will address the recruitment and retention challenges facing the NHS.NHS England continues to l...

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of anaesthetists.

NHS staff have been overworked for years, with staff being burnt out and demoralised.We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will e...

Whether he plans to increase the number of medical speciality training places (a) in total and (b) in anaesthesia.

NHS staff have been overworked for years, with staff being burnt out and demoralised.We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will e...

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the provision of advice on plant-based diets by clinicians in primary care settings on (a) achieving the aim in the NHS Long Term Plan of su

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) discussed the topic of plant-based diets at its horizon scan meetings in 2022 and 2024. The SACN concluded it is an important topic and will continue to grow in interest, particularly from a sustainabi...

With reference to Lord Darzi's Independent investigation of the NHS in England, published on 12 September 2024, what steps his Department is taking to support integrated care boards to increase cap

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, which means we require world class NHS infrastructure across the entire NHS estate. Beyond hospitals, we know we need the right infrastructure in the right pla...

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing a National GP Retention Strategy backed by ring-fenced funding.

The Government has committed to increasing the number of general practitioners (GPs), and this includes doing more to address GP retention and the reasons why GPs leave the profession. The 10-Year Health Plan, which will be published in spring 2025, will ...

With reference to paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, what support his Department plans to give to GP practices unable to access the fund for GP surgery upgrades.

There is no additional national funding for those not prioritised by their local systems to access the capital fund of £102m for GP upgrades allocated in the 2024 Autumn Budget.This capital fund is in addition to annual capital allocations to Integrated C...

Whether he plans to provide additional support for people with (a) arthritis and (b) musculoskeletal conditions.

Services for those with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including arthritis, are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). The Department expects MSK services and fragility fracture to be fully incorporated into integrated care system plann...

Whether he plans to provide additional funding to (a) community musculoskeletal services and (b) physiotherapy.

The Government recognises the importance of improving health for the 20 million people in the United Kingdom who live with a musculoskeletal condition. This forms a key part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future...

With reference to paragraph 2.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, how many new surgical hubs will focus solely on orthopaedic procedures.

The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, will outline details of the funding allocation for surgical hubs at the earliest opportunity. This will include the number of hubs to be established, and their specialty focus. Each hub will be developed ...

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring NHS Trusts to amalgamate patient data across primary care.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced the intention for there to be a single patient record, including primary care and hospital data, so professionals have the data they need when treating patients and are abl...

What assessment he has made of the impact of surgical hubs on waiting times for (a) trauma and (b) orthopaedic treatment.

No formal assessment has been made on the impact of surgical hubs on waiting times for trauma and orthopaedic treatment.Surgical hubs enable trusts to increase resilience for elective procedures and minimise cancellations during periods of high pressure. ...

If he will include enforcement measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to prevent the sale of tobacco products on the internet to those under age.

Selling tobacco to someone underage, whether in person or online, is a serious criminal offence which carries a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction in a magistrates’ court. It is the responsibility of all retailers including those online to ensure their cu...