Written questions by Maynard.

What steps he is taking to (a) stop and (b) reverse the decline in the numbers of district nurses in the NHS.

The Government recognises the essential role of district nurses and wider community nursing teams in delivering high-quality care closer to home, preventing avoidable hospital admissions, and supporting people to live well in their communities. We are committed to strengthening the community nursing workforce and ensuring services are equipped to meet rising demand and increasing clinical complexity.NHS England supports the development of future district nurses by funding the Specialist Practitioner Qualification either as an apprenticeship or as a full-time course at a higher education institution. The Level 7 District Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification, including the apprenticeship route, provides a sustainable and nationally consistent route into district nursing roles.Alongside this, NHS England has continued to modernise career pathways within community nursing, supporting clear progression from healthcare support worker roles through to advanced and consultant practice. This is helping to retain experienced staff and create attractive, long-term careers in community settings.We are also improving workforce planning through the Community Nursing Safer Staffing Tool. This evidence-based tool supports providers to assess and plan safe and responsive staffing levels, ensuring district nursing teams are resourced appropriately for the needs of their local population.The Government is working with NHS England and professional organisations, including the Queen’s Nursing Institute of Community Nursing and the Royal College of Nursing, as we implement the ambition of the 10-Year Health plan to deliver more care outside hospital and build Neighbourhood Teams.This includes developing principles to help organisations identify, record, and address care and population needs. We are also supporting systems to expand multidisciplinary neighbourhood teams, recognising that contemporary care is delivered by a blend of registered nurses, specialist district nurses, healthcare support workers, allied health professionals, and advanced practitioners. This approach helps manage demand, improves continuity of care, and ensures that people receive the right expertise at the right time.

How much and what proportion of his Department's funding for cancer research has been allocated to (a) brain, (b) liver, (c) lung, (d) oesophageal, (e) pancreatic and (f) stomach cancer research since 2022.

The Department invested over £133 million on cancer research for 2023/24, through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), reflecting cancer’s high priority.The following table shows NIHR funding programme awards allocated for cancer research between April 2022 and March 2025:Cancer typeTotal FundingBladder£3.0 millionBrain Other CNS & Intracranial Tumours£0.6 millionLiver£2.6 millionLung£16 millionOesophagus£9.4 millionPancreas£0.9 millionStomach£3.3 millionSource: NIHRNotes: This table includes new research programme funding awards made during this period. It does not include additional studies that have had funding approved but remain in the contracting process. It does not include NIHR infrastructure support for research given this information is not currently available for all tumour types included, or ongoing spending on existing research. The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer and remain committed to the role of research to improve outcomes for patients. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including cancer.

What recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Research on how much of the £40 million funding for brain tumour research has been spent.

Between 2018/19 and 2022/23 DHSC directly invested £11.3 million in brain tumour research projects through the NIHR, plus an estimated £31.5 million in infrastructure enabling 8,500 patients to participate in wider brain cancer research. We are committed to increasing support and last September announced new research funding opportunities, bringing the brain cancer research community together to drive a step change for patients.

If he will publish monthly statistics on (a) the number of brain tumour patients who have received whole genome sequencing of their tumour and (b) the number of people diagnosed with brain tumours in the UK, by (i) NHS trust, (ii) histological tumour type and (ii) whether it is an adult or paediatric patient.

The Department does not hold publishable data to identify where whole genome sequencing has taken place and cannot identify tumours by histological type. NHS England holds data that provides a count of hospital activity only, not by the number of patients. This means that a patient may have had more than one admission within this requested timeframe and may therefore be counted multiple times. This data is held for England only and may not reflect when a patient was initially diagnosed.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the efficacity of the Asthma Friendly Schools initiative and (b) the potential merits of (i) supporting and (ii) promoting the scheme.

To reduce avoidable deaths, improve the quality of life for children and young people with asthma, and to raise the profile of this work, NHS England published the first National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma in September 2021. Through this workstream, asthma care has received higher prioritisation within systems, regional leadership, system led governance, and increased accountability, to improve outcomes for children and young people in England. Further information on the National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-bundle-of-care-for-children-and-young-people-with-asthma/ The Asthma Friendly Schools Programme has been very successful in embedding asthma knowledge and management within teaching and non-teaching professionals in schools. Initially developed by a team in London, the approach has been shared through networks and nationally led meetings. NHS England has encouraged integrated care systems to develop similar approaches or programmes to ensure representation of their local requirements and to build synergy between healthcare, education, and local authority teams. As part of the National Bundle of Care, specially designed courses have been developed to educate all professionals, healthcare and non-healthcare, on children and young people with asthma, with further information available at the following link: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/children-and-young-peoples-asthma/ These courses have been extremely popular, and over two years there were over 80,000 first tier completions. 74% of these completions have been by teaching or school staff. Further data can be found at the children and young people’s asthma dashboard and the dashboard for asthma metrics and dispensing. The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) published a report in December 2024, reviewing the deaths of children and young people with asthma in England between April 2019 and March 2023. Between this period, there were 54 deaths due to asthma. For the second iteration of the National Bundle of Care, NHS England is adapting the structure to include recommendations from the NCMD and develop a more systems first approach with additional resources for ongoing support. Further information on the NCMD’s report is available at the following link: https://www.ncmd.info/publications/child-deaths-asthma-anaphylaxis-allergy/#:~:text=This%20NCMD%20thematic%20report%20aims%20to%20identify%20trends,children%20and%20young%20people%2C%20and%20those%20involved%20in

How many school age children die each year from Asthma in England and Wales.

To reduce avoidable deaths, improve the quality of life for children and young people with asthma, and to raise the profile of this work, NHS England published the first National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma in September 2021. Through this workstream, asthma care has received higher prioritisation within systems, regional leadership, system led governance, and increased accountability, to improve outcomes for children and young people in England. Further information on the National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-bundle-of-care-for-children-and-young-people-with-asthma/ The Asthma Friendly Schools Programme has been very successful in embedding asthma knowledge and management within teaching and non-teaching professionals in schools. Initially developed by a team in London, the approach has been shared through networks and nationally led meetings. NHS England has encouraged integrated care systems to develop similar approaches or programmes to ensure representation of their local requirements and to build synergy between healthcare, education, and local authority teams. As part of the National Bundle of Care, specially designed courses have been developed to educate all professionals, healthcare and non-healthcare, on children and young people with asthma, with further information available at the following link: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/children-and-young-peoples-asthma/ These courses have been extremely popular, and over two years there were over 80,000 first tier completions. 74% of these completions have been by teaching or school staff. Further data can be found at the children and young people’s asthma dashboard and the dashboard for asthma metrics and dispensing. The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) published a report in December 2024, reviewing the deaths of children and young people with asthma in England between April 2019 and March 2023. Between this period, there were 54 deaths due to asthma. For the second iteration of the National Bundle of Care, NHS England is adapting the structure to include recommendations from the NCMD and develop a more systems first approach with additional resources for ongoing support. Further information on the NCMD’s report is available at the following link: https://www.ncmd.info/publications/child-deaths-asthma-anaphylaxis-allergy/#:~:text=This%20NCMD%20thematic%20report%20aims%20to%20identify%20trends,children%20and%20young%20people%2C%20and%20those%20involved%20in

What steps his Department is taking to prevent asthma deaths in school children in England and Wales.

To reduce avoidable deaths, improve the quality of life for children and young people with asthma, and to raise the profile of this work, NHS England published the first National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma in September 2021. Through this workstream, asthma care has received higher prioritisation within systems, regional leadership, system led governance, and increased accountability, to improve outcomes for children and young people in England. Further information on the National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-bundle-of-care-for-children-and-young-people-with-asthma/ The Asthma Friendly Schools Programme has been very successful in embedding asthma knowledge and management within teaching and non-teaching professionals in schools. Initially developed by a team in London, the approach has been shared through networks and nationally led meetings. NHS England has encouraged integrated care systems to develop similar approaches or programmes to ensure representation of their local requirements and to build synergy between healthcare, education, and local authority teams. As part of the National Bundle of Care, specially designed courses have been developed to educate all professionals, healthcare and non-healthcare, on children and young people with asthma, with further information available at the following link: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/children-and-young-peoples-asthma/ These courses have been extremely popular, and over two years there were over 80,000 first tier completions. 74% of these completions have been by teaching or school staff. Further data can be found at the children and young people’s asthma dashboard and the dashboard for asthma metrics and dispensing. The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) published a report in December 2024, reviewing the deaths of children and young people with asthma in England between April 2019 and March 2023. Between this period, there were 54 deaths due to asthma. For the second iteration of the National Bundle of Care, NHS England is adapting the structure to include recommendations from the NCMD and develop a more systems first approach with additional resources for ongoing support. Further information on the NCMD’s report is available at the following link: https://www.ncmd.info/publications/child-deaths-asthma-anaphylaxis-allergy/#:~:text=This%20NCMD%20thematic%20report%20aims%20to%20identify%20trends,children%20and%20young%20people%2C%20and%20those%20involved%20in

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of waiting times for (a) diagnosis and (b) beginning treatment for patients with Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis in West Oxfordshire.

No formal assessment has been made. Patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need. Tackling waiting lists, including in respiratory medicine, is a key part of our Health Mission. We have delivered almost 2.2 million extra appointments, seven months ahead of schedule, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring that patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks. This includes operations, consultations, diagnostic tests, and treatments. The Elective Reform Plan, launched as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, sets out how we will get back to the NHS Constitutional Standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by the end of this Parliament, while also ensuring that patients have the best possible experience of care. The Government has also secured an investment of £1.5 billion to fund new surgical hubs, diagnostics scanners, and beds across the estate, which will support the diagnosis and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis.

Whether the National Cancer Plan will include policies on (a) identifying and (b) treating brain tumours.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has announced that a National Cancer Plan for England will be published this year. The Prime Minister’s Health Mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future, and an essential part of this is achieving our goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer.The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, and will apply to all cancer types, including brain tumours. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.We are committed to working closely with partners and patient groups to shape the long-term vision for cancer. The Department is planning to engage with cancer partners, charities, and those within the cancer community, seeking the views of individuals, professionals, and organisations to understand how we can do more to achieve this ambition.To do this, on 4 February 2025, we launched a Call for Evidence, in which the views of people from across the country will inform our plan to improve cancer care. Those who wish to share their views can do so on the new online platform, Shaping the national cancer plan, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-planAlongside this work, the Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients.NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients are offered Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. As well as this, all patients, including those with secondary cancers, will have access to the right expertise and support, including a Clinical Nurse Specialist or other support worker.Further to this, in September 2024, the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure that the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of specialist care for people with Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis for people in West Oxfordshire.

NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of interstitial lung disease (ILD) services and funds the anti-fibrotic treatments that are part of the treatment pathway for ILD.No assessment of the West Oxfordshire service has been made. However, the national service specification describes the standards required of clinical teams to support patients physically and emotionally with the diagnosis and management of people with ILD. Information on the specification is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/interstitial-lung-disease-adults-service-specification/NHS England is also supporting systems to improve outcomes for people with a range of respiratory conditions, for example through enabling access to pulmonary rehabilitation through the publication of commissioning standards together with the provision of funding. It has also extended the scope of the National Respiratory Audit Programme’s pulmonary rehabilitation audit so that all patients who participate in pulmonary rehabilitation are captured in the audit, irrespective of their condition. Along with providing a more complete picture of participation, the decision to extend was made to recognise and reinforce the value of pulmonary rehabilitation to all who are eligible with chronic respiratory conditions other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including interstitial lung disease.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS dental services in (a) Witney constituency and (b) West Oxfordshire.

Dental Statistics - England 2023-24, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available from the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324The data for Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, which includes the Witney constituency and West Oxfordshire, shows that 36% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 57% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

If he will meet the hon. Member for Witney to discuss the availability of (a) NHS dentistry and (b) diagnostic testing in Witney constituency.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.Recovering diagnostic services, including in Witney, is a priority for the Government, as part of our ambition to return NHS waiting lists to meeting constitutional standards. It is unacceptable that some patients are waiting more than six weeks for a diagnostic test.Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding Community Diagnostic Centres, and better use of technology.The responsibility for commissioning primary care, including dentistry and diagnostic activity, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Witney constituency, this is the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB.I will write to the hon. Member to provide further detail.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of adding a QR code to the NHS App on the (a) speed and (b) safety of the processing of patients (i) in vaccination clinics and (ii) generally.

There are no firm plans to incorporate Quick Response (QR) codes into the vaccination user experience, for example, in invitations, booking confirmations, at the point of care more generally, or in the NHS App specifically.Work for the QR code feature is ...