Written questions by Stephenson.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 29563 on General Practitioners: Finance, what his planned timetable is for confirming the allocations for integrated care boards.

Integrated care boards were informed of their allocations in the planning guidance issued on 30 January 2025. The final element to be confirmed is the operation of a small element of incentives funding.The Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund was announced during the 2024 Spending Review and provides new capital funding of £102 million for the 2025/26 financial year, to support improvements in the primary care estate.Systems have also received their indicative allocations relating to this specific fund through the planning guidance, and have submitted the priority schemes they wish to support to NHS England for assessment at the regional level. The assessments are due to completed by 31 March 2025, and the systems will be notified shortly afterwards about successful schemes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 29563 on General Practitioners: Finance, what his planned timetable is for confirming funding for GP surgery projects.

Integrated care boards were informed of their allocations in the planning guidance issued on 30 January 2025. The final element to be confirmed is the operation of a small element of incentives funding.The Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund was announced during the 2024 Spending Review and provides new capital funding of £102 million for the 2025/26 financial year, to support improvements in the primary care estate.Systems have also received their indicative allocations relating to this specific fund through the planning guidance, and have submitted the priority schemes they wish to support to NHS England for assessment at the regional level. The assessments are due to completed by 31 March 2025, and the systems will be notified shortly afterwards about successful schemes.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of call waiting times for emergency support for suicidal people in Bedfordshire.

People experiencing suicidal thoughts can access emergency support through a variety of services. These include accident and emergency, mental health crisis services via NHS 111, the police, mental health street triage services, ambulance services, general practitioners, and voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations.While waiting times data is published by NHS England across many of these services, information on the reason for the call is not available.

What steps he is taking to ensure adequate support for people with postural tachycardia syndrome in Bedfordshire.

Improving health outcomes for people who live with long-term conditions, including postural tachycardia syndrome, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.The integrated care boards (ICBs), including the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB, which serves Bedfordshire, are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population. The Government expects ICBs to take account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and other best practice in designing their services to meet the needs of their local populations.The NICE publishes guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of long-term conditions for use by healthcare professionals and commissioners. The NICE has produced a clinical knowledge summary on the clinical management of blackouts and syncope, which sets out how clinicians should assess and diagnose postural tachycardia syndrome.This was last updated in November 2023, and is available at the following link: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 24312 on Health Services: Pensioners, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of holding that data centrally.

The Department does not intend to collect this data. Annual budgets given to integrated care boards cover most National Health Service spending. The allocations process uses a statistical formula to make geographic distribution fair and objective, so that it reflects local healthcare need, including demand for services during the winter period. In addition, there are no plans to link NHS activity data to data on whether an individual is drawing a pension.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of mental health services for children in Bedfordshire.

We know that waits for children and young people's (CYP) mental health services are far too long, including in Bedfordshire. That is why the NHS planning guidance for 2025/26 makes clear that one of the priorities for children's mental health services is to reduce inequalities in access to CYP mental health services. The Government will also recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across children and adult mental health services and provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Early intervention and prevention support in the community is vital. That is why we are providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 Early Support Hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community.

What steps he will take to support mental health services for children in Bedfordshire.

We know that waits for children and young people's (CYP) mental health services are far too long, including in Bedfordshire. That is why the NHS planning guidance for 2025/26 makes clear that one of the priorities for children's mental health services is to reduce inequalities in access to CYP mental health services. The Government will also recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across children and adult mental health services and provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Early intervention and prevention support in the community is vital. That is why we are providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 Early Support Hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community.

Pursuant to the Answer to Question 26150 General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, if he will make an estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029.

The Department has made no estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to treat patients on time again. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

Pursuant to the Answer to Written Question 26150 on General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, what assessment he has made of the impact of rurality on on a GPs workload.

We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring rural areas, including Bedfordshire, have the resources to continue serving their patients. We are committed to training thousands more GPs across the country, including in rural areas. We have also committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs in 2024/25 through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which will increase capacity, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and alleviate the pressure on those currently working in the system.Through the Red Tape Challenge, we are also determined to bulldoze bureaucracy and cut red tape, ensuring GPs spend less time filling in forms and more time caring for patients. We recognise it is vital for roles to be satisfying, rewarding, and sustainable, so that our experienced GPs continue to contribute throughout their career.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26149, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the performance of ICBs in addressing gaps in service.

It is for integrated care boards (ICBs) to ensure there is sufficient access to local services, which would include making assessments of gaps in provision. ICBs are responsible for planning and commissioning services which meet the healthcare needs of their local population and have a duty to produce a joint forward plan outlining how this will be achieved.Under the National Health Service Act 2006, as amended by the Health and Care Act 2022, NHS England is required to assess the performance of each ICB and publish a summary of the outcomes of its assessments. This is available on the NHS England website for 2023/24.NHS England’s assessment process involves an assessment of the ICB’s capacity and capability to deliver its legal responsibility for arranging healthcare, including primary care services for which NHS England has delegated this responsibility to ICBs. The NHS Oversight Framework sets out NHS England’s overall approach to ICB oversight and support. NHS England is planning to update this framework, along with its operating model, to support ICBs to deliver neighbourhood health.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 3035 to Question 26149, if his Department will give direction to integrated care boards to provide new GP surgeries where GP to patient ratios are not keeping track with population growth.

The Primary Care Utilisation & Modernisation Fund was announced during the 2024 Spending Review and provides new capital funding of £102 million to support improvements in the primary care estate.Each general practice (GP) is required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients. There is no NHS England recommendation for how many patients should be assigned to a practice or individual general practitioner, or any set ratio of GP doctors or other practice staff to patients. Practices and commissioners consider how all staff can respond to their communities’ health needs, through both GP doctors and the range of health professionals in GP teams who work in practices and primary care networks.The National Health Service has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient medical services, including general practice, in each local area, with funding and commissioning reflecting population growth and demographic changes. As commissioners of primary care, integrated care boards (ICBs) are best placed to understand the needs of the local population, and we expect them to act if services are not meeting the reasonable needs of their patients. ICBs may consider that setting up a new practice can be patients’ interest, for example where current practices are unlikely to be able to absorb increasing demand and where Care Quality Commission inspections indicate that the quality of services is inadequate.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26149 on General Practitioners, what discussions his Department has had with the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board on GP provision.

We know that patients are struggling to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to improving GP provision across the country, including in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) area. In October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will both increase the number of GPs employed and the number of appointments delivered in general practice, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to receive the care they desperately deserve. This will also help secure the future supply of GPs and take pressure off the existing workforce. Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP contract for 2025/26, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to general practice. We are currently consulting the profession on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care and GP recruitment.The NHS Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes ICB delivered 496,000 appointments in December 2024. Comparatively, in December 2023, 423,000 appointment were delivered. This is a 17.25% increase in appointments delivered over the last year. Additionally, the ICB also saw an increase of 8.3 full-time equivalent GPs in the last year.Integrated care boards are responsible for planning and commissioning healthcare services to meet the reasonable needs of the people for whom they are responsible, including evaluating population needs and planning provision for GP services.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26149 on General Practitioners, if he will list the 200 GP surgeries being funded.

The Primary Care Utilisation & Modernisation Fund was announced during the 2024 Spending Review and provides new capital funding of £102 million to support improvements in the primary care estate. We currently do not have a list of practices that will receive this funding; however, we anticipate the scheme will support approximately 200 practices. Funding is being indicatively allocated to integrated care boards (ICBs) on a weighted population basis as part of the national allocations planning process. The Department and NHS England are working with ICBs to prioritise high-impact projects where investment can unlock significant productivity gains and additional usable space from existing buildings. Until this process is complete, we do not have a list of the approximately 200 practices which will be receiving this funding.

If he will make an assessment of the potential causes of the increase in the number of over-65s being hospitalised in November and December (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.

NHS England publishes information on admissions by age group, including for those aged 65 years old and over. The proportion of admissions has remained relatively stable between the years at approximately 4%. There is a long-term growth trend overall in the number of hospital admissions. The following table shows the number of admitted hospital attendances for people aged 65 years old and over, and the proportion of total admitted attendances for people aged 65 years old and over, in England, in November and December 2023 and in November and December 2024:MonthAdmitted hospital attendances for people aged 65 years old and over, EnglandProportion of total admitted attendances for people aged 65 years old and over, EnglandNovember 2023141,50045%December 2023154,66547%November 2024160,63043%December 2024154,99545%Source: NHS England, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/Notes:this data is provided as a percentage of total admissions, therefore, the figures have been calculated from these percentages and rounded to the nearest whole number; andthe data publication is released monthly, with December 2024 being the most recent publication, and therefore the December figures are provisional and are subject to revisions.

How much funding will be allocated for (a) Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and (b) Milton Keynes Hospital through the New Hospital Programme.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out a credible and deliverable plan for the new hospital schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on 20 January 2025, following the conclusion of the review of the NHP. The Plan for Implementation was laid in the House Library and published on the GOV.UK website, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcomeAs confirmed by the publication, the estimated cost for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital scheme and the Milton Keynes Hospital scheme is £500 million or less for each scheme. However, these are estimates and the exact funding for the schemes is determined through the review and through the agreement of the individual hospital scheme business cases, as is usual for large infrastructure projects.

Whether his Department plans to allow bids for the New Hospital Programme from hospitals which did not bid previously.

At this stage, the Government does not have plans to add additional schemes into the New Hospital Programme (NHP) but is committed to tackling the crumbling estate through the full breadth of capital investment, of which the NHP is only one element.The purpose of the review into the NHP was to put the programme onto a realistic and sustainable footing through a new costed and prioritised timetable for the delivery of the schemes already in the NHP. The NHP’s Plan for Implementation sets out the outcome of the review, is published on the GOV.UK website, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcomeThe Department has a £13.6 billion capital settlement for 2025/26, from which the Department has allocated £4 billion to integrated care boards in annual operational capital allocations. These allocations are managed locally, with funds allocated towards local priorities. In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, also committed over £1 billion to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance and to tackle dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. £1.35 billion will be allocated to systems to support their progress towards achieving constitutional standards, with a focus on improving the efficiency and productivity of existing workforces as well as capacity. Capital funding levels for future years will be determined through the current Spending Review which concludes in June 2025. This combined investment will be felt in all parts of the National Health Service estate in England.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for her policies of the length of Speech and Language waiting lists.

We recognise the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy can have on the individual, and their families and carers. The Department and NHS England are committed to reducing long waits and improving timely access to community health services, including speech and language therapy.We continue to improve access to speech and language therapy by including the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinder project within the Department for Educations’ existing Change Programme, in partnership with NHS England.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population.

If he will make an estimate of what the GP-to-patient ratio will be in Bedfordshire in July 2029.

There is no NHS England recommendation for how many patients a general practitioner (GP) should have assigned, or the ratio of GPs or other practice staff to patients.The demands that each patient places on their GP are different and can be affected by many different factors, including rurality and patient demographics. It is necessary to consider the workforce for each practice as a whole, not only GPs but also the range of health professionals available who are able to respond to the needs of their patients.

If he will make an estimate of the number of new GP surgeries that are projected to open each year till July 2029.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone can access primary care when needed. At the Autumn Budget, a £102 million capital fund was announced for 2025/26 to deliver approximately 200 general practice (GP) surgery upgrades across England, improving existing facilities, boosting productivity, and enabling the delivery of more appointments. This funding represents a first step in delivering the additional capital the primary care sector needs.Decisions on new GP surgeries are made locally by commissioners based on the needs of their populations. Integrated care boards are responsible for planning and commissioning healthcare services to meet the reasonable needs of the people for whom they are responsible, including evaluating population needs and planning provision for GP services. Their annual commissioning plans consider requirements for new practices, such as those driven by population growth, contract expiries, or unplanned closures. Commissioners are expected to address gaps in service, and in the event of a closure, assess whether a replacement provider is needed before transferring patients to other local practices.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of NHS treatment for pensioners in winter (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2023-24.

The information requested is not held centrally.