Written questions by Thomas.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reducing academic barriers to entry to the nursing profession.

No such assessment has been made.Universities are responsible for setting their entry requirements in line with standards of proficiency, conduct and performance of nurses, as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in this process, to respect the independence and expertise of universities and regulators designing standards and curricular that ensure public safety.For those whom a traditional full-time university course is not practical or preferred, there is an alternative route into the nursing profession via a registered nurse degree apprenticeship.

What plans he has to increase the provision of radiographers in the NHS.

The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan, which will be published this summer, will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, including radiographers, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.To supplement the student loan support provided by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care provides non-repayable and non-income assessed funding via the NHS Learning Support Fund. All eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students, including those studying radiography, receive a grant of £5,000 per academic year. Radiography students receive an additional specialist subject payment of £1,000 per year, with a further £2,000 per year available for childcare, as well as support for placement travel and accommodation costs. Students in exceptional hardship can also access up to a further £3,000 per year.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of demand for Ozempic on the NHS.

The following table, while not reflecting demand, does provide the total number of Ozempic injections that were dispensed under the National Health Service in England, prescribed each year from January 2019 to November 2024:YearNumber of injections dispensed2019111,3882020420,9982021747,20520221,155,17420231,174,8062024794,729Total4,404,302 The Prescription Cost Analysis data release gives items and quantities of each medicine dispensed in the community in England.

When he plans to publish the terms of reference for the independent commission into adult social care to be led by Baroness Casey; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including in the terms of reference local authority funding for adult social care.

We expect to publish terms of reference when the commission formally starts in April 2025. The commission will set out a vision for adult social care, with recommended measures and a roadmap for delivery. This will include setting out the plan for how to implement a National Care Service that is able to meet the needs of older and disabled people over the coming decades.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the impact of adult social care obligations on local authorities.

Department ministers regularly discuss a range of topics with other Cabinet colleagues. In response to the pressures facing adult social care, the Government will make up to £3.5 billion of additional funding for social care authorities available in 2025/26, which includes a £680 million increase in the Social Care Grant.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the GP-to-patient ratio in Bromsgrove constituency.

In August 2024, the median number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) per 10,000 registered patients in the Bromsgrove constituency was 7.2. The median number nationally of FTE fully qualified GPs per 10,000 registered patients was 5.7.