Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that commitments within the Women’s Health Strategy refresh are implemented equitably to improve access to contraception at a local level.

The Government is committed to ensuring equitable access to a range of contraceptive methods including long-acting reversible contraception.The renewed women’s health strategy will set out how the Government will take the next steps to improve women's healthcare as part of the 10-Year Health Plan and create a system that listens to women, including consideration of barriers to access. Steps to improve access to contraception are being considered as part of the renewal.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential health impacts of repeated exposure to contaminated cabin air on aircrew.

In 2024, the UK independent advisory Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) published its latest statement on aircraft cabin air quality following a request from the Department for Transport. This followed a COT statement published in 2007, and a position paper published in 2013.Overall, the latest COT statement concluded that the concentrations of the chemical contaminants (organophosphates, volatile organic compounds including as mixtures, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide) reported in aircraft cabin air are unlikely to cause adverse health effects in aircrew following acute or long-term exposures.The 2024 statement on statement on aircraft cabin air quality is available at the following link:https://cot.food.gov.uk/Statement%20on%20Aircraft%20Cabin%20Air%20Quality

Whether his Department plans to (a) reinstate and (b) standardise NHS provision of ear wax removal in primary care.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes commissioning ear wax removal services in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations This may involve commissioning general practices (GPs) or other providers, to whom GPs may refer patients, to provide ear wax removal services. Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by NICE due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so GPs will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up. However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP may then refer the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

What steps his Department has taken to ensure that GP practices are able to provide NHS-funded ear wax removal services, particularly for patients at risk of hearing loss.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes commissioning ear wax removal services in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations This may involve commissioning general practices (GPs) or other providers, to whom GPs may refer patients, to provide ear wax removal services. Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by NICE due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so GPs will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up. However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP may then refer the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of access to NHS ear wax removal services on long-term costs to the NHS associated with avoidable hearing loss, including on a) mental health and b) falls of elderly persons.

The Department has not made a specific assessment. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning local National Health Servies, including ear wax removal services, and must consider how best to improve population health and achieve best value for money.ICBs commission these services in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations

For what reason the Sickle Cell day unit in Whitechapel was closed.

The same day emergency care pilot for sickle cell patients at the Royal London Hospital was commissioned locally, via the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board. The pilot finished in January 2026 as planned. The pilot was testing an alternative route for treating emergency patients with sickle cell disease who were experiencing acute pain. This was alongside the normal route of being treated through accident and emergency, which patients can still access. During the pilot, the trust has gathered internal evaluation data to monitor the impact of the pilot for patients locally, allowing them to plan for the delivery of future sickle cell services. Although NHS England did not commission this pilot, they remain committed to the reducing health inequalities faced by people living with sickle cell and will continue to work in collaboration with system partners to address these inequalities through evidence-based approach.Sickle cell disease patients still receive specialist care through the Haematology Day Unit at the Royal London Hospital, and this remains open. There has been no change for patients with regards to routine or emergency management of their condition. There are several innovations in the sickle cell service currently being implemented such as the expansion of the red cell exchange transfusion service and the delivery of novel curative gene therapies.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of other Sickle Cell Day units in the context of the closure of the Whitechapel unit.

The same day emergency care pilot for sickle cell patients at the Royal London Hospital was commissioned locally, via the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board. The pilot finished in January 2026 as planned. The pilot was testing an alternative route for treating emergency patients with sickle cell disease who were experiencing acute pain. This was alongside the normal route of being treated through accident and emergency, which patients can still access. During the pilot, the trust has gathered internal evaluation data to monitor the impact of the pilot for patients locally, allowing them to plan for the delivery of future sickle cell services. Although NHS England did not commission this pilot, they remain committed to the reducing health inequalities faced by people living with sickle cell and will continue to work in collaboration with system partners to address these inequalities through evidence-based approach.Sickle cell disease patients still receive specialist care through the Haematology Day Unit at the Royal London Hospital, and this remains open. There has been no change for patients with regards to routine or emergency management of their condition. There are several innovations in the sickle cell service currently being implemented such as the expansion of the red cell exchange transfusion service and the delivery of novel curative gene therapies.

How many sickle cell day centres have closed in the last 5 years; and how many sickle cell day centres remain operational.

The same day emergency care pilot for sickle cell patients at the Royal London Hospital was commissioned locally, via the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board. The pilot finished in January 2026 as planned. The pilot was testing an alternative route for treating emergency patients with sickle cell disease who were experiencing acute pain. This was alongside the normal route of being treated through accident and emergency, which patients can still access. During the pilot, the trust has gathered internal evaluation data to monitor the impact of the pilot for patients locally, allowing them to plan for the delivery of future sickle cell services. Although NHS England did not commission this pilot, they remain committed to the reducing health inequalities faced by people living with sickle cell and will continue to work in collaboration with system partners to address these inequalities through evidence-based approach.Sickle cell disease patients still receive specialist care through the Haematology Day Unit at the Royal London Hospital, and this remains open. There has been no change for patients with regards to routine or emergency management of their condition. There are several innovations in the sickle cell service currently being implemented such as the expansion of the red cell exchange transfusion service and the delivery of novel curative gene therapies.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to funding for non-clinical NHS departments on a) patient wait times, b) hospital running costs and c) hospital administration.

National Health Service providers are funded under the NHS payment scheme. When providing funding for services, the clinical and non-clinical elements of service provision are not distinguished, as a single overall price is provided.We have, however, been clear about the need for providers to reverse the growth in corporate costs, which since 2018/19 have risen by 40%, or £1.85 billion, excluding pay and pensions. Providers have been asked to reduce that growth in corporate costs by half.Those savings can then be reinvested in patient care, including to improve patient wait times.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of the utilisation of hospice beds on NHS capacity and costs; and if he will make it his policy to allocate £100 million funding for hospices in 2025-26 and a further £100 million in April 2026.

As hospices are independent, charitable organisations, the Department and NHS England do not collect data on the level of utilisation of hospices. Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that hospices also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones, as well as alleviating pressure on NHS services.In December 2024, we announced that we were providing £100 million of capital funding for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England. This was split across two financial years, with hospices receiving £25 million to spend in 2024/25 and £75 million to spend in 2025/26.I am pleased to say that we can now confirm we are providing a further £25 million in capital funding for hospices to spend in 2025/26.Furthermore, children and young people’s hospices have received £26 million of revenue funding for 2025/26 and we are also providing £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients.We are in a challenging fiscal position across the board. At this time, we are not in a position to offer any additional funding beyond that outlined above. However, we are trying to support the hospice sector in other ways.The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. As part of the MSF, we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting integrated care boards to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 87401 on Prosthetics and Wigs: Ethnic Groups, whether he will ensure that there is guidance or a requirement for NHS Trusts to procure breast prosthesis and wigs which meet the diverse needs of their patients, beyond the availability of such products through the NHS Supply Chain frameworks.

NHS Supply Chain manages a framework agreement for the provision of external breast prosthesis and chest support garments, only which was renewed in November 2024. The framework provides the breadth of products available to meet National Health Service trusts and/or foundation trusts assessment and patient choice requirements.The product ranges on the framework include a variety of materials, types, shapes, sizes, and colours to meet diverse needs, and all suppliers have some product ranges available in more than one colour. Some products are better suited to exercise and swimming, but the provision of a prosthesis is limited to a softie, which is textile based, immediately after surgery and a silicone based prosthesis once wounds have healed.NHS trusts and foundation trusts are responsible for their own procurement activity to meet the requirements of their patients and clinicians. NHS England has a list of approved regional and national frameworks that NHS provider organisations can use, and they are encouraged to buy from a framework if it catalogues the particular product or service.The accreditation standards required to be on the list cover a range of areas, from minimum contractual terms and conditions, robust supplier appointment and value for money assessment processes, through to the sharing of commercial and commission data with NHS England.  Details and the list of accredited host organisations can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/system-guidance-for-the-implementation-of-framework-host-management/NHS Supply Chain is on this list and is the main supplier of goods and services into the NHS.

Pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 87400 on Prosthetics and Wigs: Ethnic Groups, whether he will make an assessment of the impact of limited access to suitable breast prosthesis on those patients.

NHS Supply Chain manages a framework agreement for the provision of external breast prosthesis and chest support garments, only which was renewed in November 2024. The framework provides the breadth of products available to meet National Health Service trusts and/or foundation trusts assessment and patient choice requirements.The product ranges on the framework include a variety of materials, types, shapes, sizes, and colours to meet diverse needs, and all suppliers have some product ranges available in more than one colour. Some products are better suited to exercise and swimming, but the provision of a prosthesis is limited to a softie, which is textile based, immediately after surgery and a silicone based prosthesis once wounds have healed.NHS trusts and foundation trusts are responsible for their own procurement activity to meet the requirements of their patients and clinicians. NHS England has a list of approved regional and national frameworks that NHS provider organisations can use, and they are encouraged to buy from a framework if it catalogues the particular product or service.The accreditation standards required to be on the list cover a range of areas, from minimum contractual terms and conditions, robust supplier appointment and value for money assessment processes, through to the sharing of commercial and commission data with NHS England.  Details and the list of accredited host organisations can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/system-guidance-for-the-implementation-of-framework-host-management/NHS Supply Chain is on this list and is the main supplier of goods and services into the NHS.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of nurses and other healthcare professionals currently exposed to hazardous medicinal products.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for St Ives on 5 November 2025 to Question 84136.

For what reason 'Latin American' is not listed as an ethnicity option on blood donation forms.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

Whether he has discussions with NHS Blood and Transplant on the potential merits of including Latin American as a monitored ethnicity at the Brixton donation centre.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

What steps he is taking to raise awareness of sickle cell disease amongst the Latin American and Latinx community.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Increasing awareness of rare diseases in healthcare professionals is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.In England, there are approximately 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with approximately 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of black African and black Caribbean heritage, 77% of patients, however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remains committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.Our national Can You Tell its Sickle Cell campaign launched in 2022, to boost public awareness of sickle cell disease, including in the Latin American and Latinx community, and help staff better understand the condition, crises, and how to care for patients during their greatest hour of need. Co-developed with NHS England’s patient advisory group, clinical experts, and the Sickle Cell Society, the campaign included staff resources as well as hand-held patient cards distributed via haemoglobinopathy coordinating centres. The campaign was relaunched as part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month in 2025, and an information toolkit remains available on the national Campaign Resource Centre.

What steps his Department is taking to increase diagnosis of sickle cell amongst patients of Latin American descent.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Helping patients get a final diagnosis faster is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.In England, there are around 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with around 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage (77% of patients) however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remain committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.All pregnant women in England are offered a blood test to find out if they carry a gene for thalassaemia. Those at high risk of being a sickle cell carrier are offered a test for sickle cell. As part of the National Health Service Antenatal Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia (SCT) Screening Programme, the Family Origin Questionnaire (FOQ) is mandatory for all booking blood requests. By recording accurate family origin details, the FOQ enables midwives to identify women at higher risk. For example, women with Latin American ancestry extending back two generations are considered high risk and are offered screening accordingly.

What steps his Department is taking to increase blood donations among Latin American people in (a) Lambeth and (b) the rest of the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of supporting a formal bilateral exchange of medical expertise between Cuba and the United Kingdom to promote health equity.

In our ever more interconnected world, international cooperation is fundamental to driving medical breakthroughs and saving lives. By sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise, international collaborations can overcome limitations faced by individual nations and achieve breakthroughs that benefit patients all over the world.The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to international collaboration on health and highly values the bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Cuba. The Government has a longstanding policy of engagement with Cuba, including positive collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

Whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of collaboration between UK and Cuban research institutions on (a) public health and (b) genetic medicine.

In our ever more interconnected world, international research cooperation is fundamental to driving medical breakthroughs and saving lives. By sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise, international collaborations can overcome limitations faced by individual nations and achieve breakthroughs that benefit patients all over the world.Whilst no assessment has been undertaken on the specific merits of research collaboration with Cuba, through the Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department works internationally to fund, support, and enable high impact research to address national and global health challenges.