Written questions by Law.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on adopting the MS Optimum Clinical Pathway for people with multiple sclerosis.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services, including hospital care, for their local population, including for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Government expects ICBs to assess the demand for service provision in designing their local services.Whilst there hasn’t been a specific discussion with NHS England regarding the MS Optimum Clinical Pathway, there are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as MS, across England. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aims to improve MS care by supporting the NHS to address variations in care and promoting best practices. The Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, published by NHS England’s RightCare Programme, supports healthcare systems in improving the care of individuals living with progressive neurological conditions, including MS. It aims to enhance local services and reduce hospital admissions by focusing on preventative care and optimising the delivery of services. NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP) is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The NTP has collaborated with clinicians and patient groups to create specific pathways for MS, aiming to improve the quality and coordination of care. NHS England has also recently updated its Specialised Neurology Services (Adults) Service Specification, which includes services for people with MS. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The refreshed service specification is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-neurology-services-adults/ The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with MS, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.

With reference to the MS Society’s report entitled A Different Path: Rethinking MS hospital care, published in September 2025, what steps he is taking to improve hospital care for people with multiple sclerosis.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services, including hospital care, for their local population, including for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Government expects ICBs to assess the demand for service provision in designing their local services.Whilst there hasn’t been a specific discussion with NHS England regarding the MS Optimum Clinical Pathway, there are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as MS, across England. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aims to improve MS care by supporting the NHS to address variations in care and promoting best practices. The Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, published by NHS England’s RightCare Programme, supports healthcare systems in improving the care of individuals living with progressive neurological conditions, including MS. It aims to enhance local services and reduce hospital admissions by focusing on preventative care and optimising the delivery of services. NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP) is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services. The NTP has collaborated with clinicians and patient groups to create specific pathways for MS, aiming to improve the quality and coordination of care. NHS England has also recently updated its Specialised Neurology Services (Adults) Service Specification, which includes services for people with MS. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The refreshed service specification is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-neurology-services-adults/ The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with MS, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of RQF Level 3-5 dental professionals from the list of Skilled Worker Visa eligible sponsored roles on patient access to dental care.

Dentists, dental surgeons, dental therapists and other dental practitioners, including orthodontists, meet the raised skills threshold of Regulation Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 or above and continue to remain eligible for the Skilled Worker visa.Those individuals already in the Skilled Worker route in dental professional roles at RQF 3 to 5, who have a certificate of sponsorship issued before 22 July 2025, can continue to work and extend their visas as long as they meet occupation salary thresholds. However, as these roles do not meet the new skills threshold of RQF level 6 or above, new visa applicants after 22 July are not eligible.The numbers recruited from overseas into the dental professions are relatively low when compared to other healthcare professions such as nurses or doctors. In the second quarter of 2025, 29 dental nurses and 38 medical and dental technicians (including, though not exclusively, dental hygienists) were granted Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visas.