Written questions by Eccles.

What steps the department is taking to establish a universally commissioned emergency eye care pathway to end the postcode lottery of these service in England.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet local need. This can include community minor and urgent eye care services, with decisions on provision made locally to reflect population need and existing service capacity.Optometrists are required to follow local protocols for referring patients into secondary care including for emergency and urgent cases. These pathways will take into account National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance where appropriate.

What steps the NHS takes to provide healthcare to pupils with medical conditions in schools.

Awaiting answer.

What steps the NHS takes to support pupils with medical conditions in schools.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that referral services for women and girls impacted by violence and abuse will be evidence-based.

As part of the cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, the Department has committed to roll-out a domestic abuse and sexual violence referral service, “Steps to Safety” across all integrated care boards by 2029.This will ensure that all clinical and non-clinical staff in general practices in every area of England can connect victims and survivors with specialist services. The programme builds on innovative, evidence-based approaches already operating in England, and will include evaluation of the services in order to continue building a strong evidence base for what works to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a 36-hour week for full time NHS staff at no loss of pay.

This specific assessment has not been made.National Health Service staff covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system in England work 37.5 hours per week in line with the terms set out in Section 10 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook (TCS), also referred to as the AfC terms and conditions. The NHS Staff Council is responsible for maintaining the handbook. There are no current discussions between Government and the NHS Staff Council about reducing the number of hours full time AfC staff work in England.The number of full-time hours for medical staff in England as stipulated in their respective TCS is 40 hours. Less than full time options are available to all staff. A flat allowance of £1,000 is received by any less than full time resident doctor, which recognises the relative increased costs of training that doctors training less than full time face as a result of being less than full time.

How many medical students graduated from UK universities in each of the last five years; and how many doctors completed foundation training in each of the last five years.

Data published by the General Medical Council (GMC) provides information on the number of doctors with a United Kingdom Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ) by year. The following table shows the number of doctors graduating from UK medical schools in each of the last five years who then registered with the GMC:PMQ YearTotal20207,38120217,35620227,81020238,27920249,26120259,734Source: General Medical Council, UK graduates summary data, with further information available at the following link: https://gde.gmc-uk.org/medical-schools/uk-graduates/uk-graduates-summary-data Note: total represents the total number of doctors with a UK Primary Medical Qualification in that year who went onto register with the GMC.Medical graduates complete a two-year Foundation Programme following graduation from medical school. Successful completion of the programme occurs at the end of Foundation Year Two (F2). Data on the number of doctors completing foundation training is published by the GMC through its Education Data Tool. Successful completion of foundation training is interpreted as completion of F2.The following table shows data published by the GMC on the number of doctors completing F2 in each of the last five years:Foundation Two YearNumber of F2 doctors20197,19520207,37920217,68620227,65520237,591Source: General Medical Council, Education Data Tool Progression Reports, with further information available at the following link: https://edt.gmc-uk.org/progression-reports/recruitment-from-f2

Whether (a) guidance has been provided to Dudley Council on the treatment of Armed Forces compensation in means-testing for Disabled Facilities Grants and (b) the Government’s commission on adult social care will consider reform to the treatment of Armed Forces compensation in means testing for the Disabled Facilities Grant.

In March 2022, the Government published Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) guidance for local authorities in England. It includes a section on the Armed Forces community and can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-facilities-grant-dfg-delivery-guidance-for-local-authorities-in-englandThe Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government funds Foundations, the national body for the Disabled Facilities Grant and Home Improvement Agencies, to work with local authorities on all aspects of delivery. We are not aware of any specific guidance provided to Dudley Council; however, local authorities have a considerable degree of discretion in how they deliver home adaptation grants. This includes the power to fully disregard all military compensation payments in the application of the means test.Baroness Casey, chair of the Independent Commission into adult social care, is looking at what fundamental reforms will be needed in adult social care. The Commission's Terms of Reference is sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future.

When he plans to publish the outcomes of the Extend medicines responsibilities for allied health professions consultation which closed in October 2025.

The Department is currently analysing the large number of respondents received, and a Government response detailing next steps will be published in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times from referral to specialist appointment in the Black Country.

We’ve cut waiting lists in the Black Country by more than 10% in the past year, including through the deployment of digital tools and AI to ensure more time is dedicated for patient care. But we are committed to going even further through the investment and modernisation set out in our Elective Reform Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting lists for people needing urgent allergic care.

The Department is working closely with a range of stakeholders from across the Government, the National Health Service, voluntary organisations, and patient representative groups, including the National Allergy Strategy Group, to consider how allergy care and support could be improved.The Government is committed to returning accident and emergency waiting times to the safe operational waiting time standards set out in the NHS Constitution. In doing so, we will be honest about the challenges facing the health service and serious about tackling them. The Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 was published on 6 June 2025 and focuses on improvements that will make urgent and emergency care better every day. The plan will: ensure that at least 78% of patients in accident and emergency departments will be seen within four hours; andreduce the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission or discharge from an emergency department to less than 10%. Further information on the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/ In July 2025, we published the 10-Year Health Plan to create a new model of care, to be fit for the future. This includes establishing the Neighbourhood Health Service, to shift care into the community and reduce demand in emergency departments, which is backed by almost £450 million of capital investment. Further information on the 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future

Whether the upcoming NHS Workforce Plan will include measures to improve the recruitment and retention of staff in women’s health services.

Women’s health is a priority for this government, which is why we are implementing the Women’s Health Strategy. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for women, when they need it. We are working through how the Plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.

What steps he is taking to ensure the operation of NHS Practitioner Health beyond March 2026.

Looking after the mental health of our hardworking National Health Service staff is a priority for the Government.The National Staff Mental Health Treatment Service currently supplied by NHS Practitioner Health is funded until March 2026, and work is being completed to re-commission this service for the next three years, aligned to the Multi-Year Spending Review, from 2026 to 2029.More recently, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to roll out Staff Treatment Hubs. These hubs will provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff.

If he will make his policy to introduce a Long service and good conduct medal for (a) doctors and (b) nurses.

Employers across the National Health Service are best placed to identify and reward staff for either long service or excellence in the delivery of healthcare. Most organisations have developed a wide range of schemes to celebrate long service in the NHS and these include celebratory events, commemorative badges, and monetary awards and gifts.For NHS employees who have made an outstanding contribution, the honours system celebrates those who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better. Nominations can be made online via the Cabinet Office website.There is also the opportunity for members of Parliament to acknowledge the work of NHS staff in their constituency through the NHS Parliamentary Awards, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-parliamentary-awards/about/

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that essential NHS staff in Band 2 and Band 3 roles are eligible for inclusion on the (a) Health and Care Worker visa and (b) the Immigration Salary List.

National Health Service staff working in Agenda for Change band 2 roles have never been eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa as they do not meet the skills threshold of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 diploma.On 9 April, the minimum salary for Health and Care Worker visa holders increased to £25,000 per year. This applies to new Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after that date.Entry-level band 3 roles do not meet the new minimum salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa. However, band 3 staff currently on the Health and Care Worker visa are not required to meet the new minimum salary threshold until the point at which they need to renew their visa. At that point, we expect the majority of staff to have accrued two or more years of experience, and therefore be at the top of band 3, which is above the new minimum salary threshold.The expanded Immigration Salary List allows time-limited access to the United Kingdom’s immigration system for selected occupations of skill levels RQF 3 to 5 until the end of 2026, with restrictions on bringing dependants. The list includes occupations that the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) identified as being in shortage in its 2023 review and 2024 rapid review.No new roles will now be added to the list, as it is being phased out at the end of 2026. The MAC has been commissioned to advise on a future Temporary Shortage List.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 Year Health Plan for England on the Black Country.

The 10-Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or geography. The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver more care locally, including in urban areas like the Black Country, supporting people to stay healthier.The neighbourhood health service will reflect the specific needs of local populations. Over the course of the plan, neighbourhood health centres will be available in every community, including the Black Country, providing easy access to general practitioners, nurses, and wider support, such as employment advisers, all under one roof. The Government will begin establishing neighbourhood health centres in places where healthy life expectancy is lowest.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of oral nicotine pouches on public health.

Nicotine is the active ingredient in oral nicotine pouches, which is a highly addictive drug. Unlike vapes, nicotine pouches currently have no set nicotine limits, and nicotine strengths can be extremely high. The use of nicotine pouches is increasing, particularly among young men. Among adults in Great Britain, 5.4% tried nicotine pouches in 2024.The Government is committed to protecting future generations from the harms of nicotine addiction. That is why, alongside vapes, we are taking action to control these products through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of all consumer nicotine products, ban their sale to anyone under 18 years old, and prohibit free distribution. The bill also provides powers to regulate the flavours, ingredients, which includes nicotine strength, packaging, and displays of vapes and nicotine products.

What estimate he has made of the cost of new technology for cancer screening.

Capital spend for new screening technology is held under the same budget as wider spend on diagnostic equipment for the National Health Service, and therefore we cannot provide the specific information requested.

What steps he is taking to improve the waiting times for diagnoses of endometriosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are taking action to ensure that individuals with endometriosis receive a timely diagnosis and effective treatment. That is why, alongside committing to return to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by March 2029, our Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out a range of efforts to reduce the time patients wait for gynaecological care. This includes rolling out innovative models of care that offer care closer to home and in the community. We also provided additional investment in the Autumn Budget that has enabled us to exceed our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over three million more appointments across elective services, as a first step to achieving the 18-week RTT standard.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also updated its guidelines on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis, which will help women receive more timely care. This updated version in November 2024 includes updated recommendations that for women with symptoms of endometriosis, initial pharmacological treatment should take place in primary care, and that this can take place in parallel with additional investigations and referral to secondary care if needed. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73

What assessment he has made of trends in the length of NHS waiting lists in the Black Country since 4 July 2024.

In July 2024, the waiting list at the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) was 192,268. Of these, 110,482, or 57.5% of pathways, were waiting within 18 weeks.The latest data shows that as of March 2025, the waiting list at the Black Country ICB has decreased by over 13,631, to 178,637 since July 2024. Of these, 102,618, 57.4% of pathways were waiting within 18 weeks.We promised change, and we’ve delivered early, with a reduction in the list of over 200,000 pathways. We have also now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over 3.5 million more appointments across the country.This marks a vital First Step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029.

What steps he is taking to improve palliative care.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.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 voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.In recognition of this, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England for 2024/25 and 2025/26, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.Additionally, children and young people’s hospices will receive £26 million in revenue funding for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.More widely, As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative care and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.