Written questions by Chope.

With reference to his Department's of 3 June 2025, what options his Department is considering for (a) reform of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme reform and (b) the situation of those (i) injured or (ii) bereaved as a result of Covid-19 vaccines.

The Government recognises how difficult it is for those individuals who have sadly experienced harm following vaccination. Ministers are considering several options covering both potential reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, and the situation of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination.

If he will make a comparative estimate of the number of people who underwent NHS elective care in Dorset in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial years; and how many people were forecast to undergo elective care in the 2025-26 financial year (i) with and (ii) without elective Care demand management.

In the financial year 2023/24, there were 17,411,620 completed Referral-to-Treatment (RTT) pathways in the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board. In the financial year 2024/25, there were 18,116,099 completed pathways. Please note that patients may be on more than one RTT pathway. These figures exclude non-consultant led care, and the subsequent care or monitoring that occurs after a patient has had their first definitive treatment. Forecasts of those who will undergo elective care in 2025/26, with and without elective care demand management, are not available.

With reference to the letter of 16 May 2025 from NHS England to ICBs on referrals for elective surgery, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the rate of referrals for elective surgery on waiting times for NHS operations in Dorset.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of reducing the rate of referrals for elective surgery on waiting times for operations in Dorset.Actions to ensure care is delivered in the most appropriate clinical setting, to reduce unnecessary demand on elective care, are set out in the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, which also details all the reform efforts needed to deliver our commitment that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029.The Government has set out expectations that integrated care boards (ICBs) should focus on strategic commissioning, by planning services that meet the needs of local populations. In this regard, NHS England’s letter of 16 May 2025 calls on ICBs to implement strategies to reduce unwarranted demand for all elective care, including surgery. By reducing unnecessary appointments and tests, these interventions will free up clinical time and resources for patients who do require elective surgery and other forms of elective care, and will reduce the time these patients wait for their care.

How many patients were registered at (a) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (b) Christchurch Medical Centre, (c) Burton Brunch Surgery, (d) Stour Surgery and (e) The Grove Surgery on (i) 1 June 2024 and (ii) 14 May 2025.

The data below shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2025, as this is the most recent available data, and as of 31 March 2024, to align with the most recent data.Data for the Burton Medical Centre is not available as it was a branch of the Christchurch Medical Practice. The Burton Medical Centre became a branch practice in October 2017 and was subsequently closed in October 2024. The following table shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2025: Practice nameTotal patientsHighcliffe Medical Centre15,308Christchurch Medical Practice16,303Stour Surgery10,684The Grove Medical Centre12,978 In addition, the following table shows the number of registered patients at the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Practice, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Medical Centre as of 31 March 2024: Practice nameTotal patientsHighcliffe Medical Centre15,153Christchurch Medical Practice16,938Stour Surgery10,399The Grove Medical Centre13,016

What information his Department holds on the number of new patients registered at (a) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (b) Christchurch Medical Centre, (c) Burton Brunch Surgery, (d) The Stour Surgery and (e) The Grove Surgery in the (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25 financial years; and how much was paid to each practice for those additional patients.

Changes in the number of registered patients reflects both new registrations as well as existing patients being taken off a practice’s list, such as where they have moved practice or have died. As a result, it is not possible to identify the number of new registrations from the published data, and it is not possible to determine the additional funding practices have received from new registrations. Practices receive global sum payments based on their registered patient list, which are weighted using the Carr-Hill formula. This takes into consideration factors such as the age and sex of patients, and additional pressures generated by factors such as geographical location and patient turnover.

How much was spent on GP services by Dorset Integrated Care Board in Christchurch in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-25; and what the budget is for 2025-2026.

In 2022/23, total National Health Service payments to general practices in the Christchurch constituency, including COVID-19 and primary care network payments, were £17,452,214, including any deductions for Pensions, Levies and Prescription Charge Income. Data for the years after 2022/23 has not been published yet.

How many full-time equivalent (a) GPs and (b) other clinical practitioners were employed at (i) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (ii) Christchurch Medical Centre, (iii) Burton Brunch Surgery, (iv) Stour Surgery and (v) The Grove Surgery on (A) 1 June 2024 and (B) 14 May 2025.

Figures are provided in the tables below on full time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs) and other clinical practitioners employed at the practices for which the Department holds data. We have provided the most recent data available, which captures staff employed on 31 March 2025, and compared this to 31 March 2024.Data for the Burton Medical Centre is not available as it was a branch of the Christchurch Medical Practice. The Burton Medical Centre became a branch practice in October 2017, and was subsequently closed in October 2024.The following table shows the number of FTE GP doctors and other clinical staff in the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Centre, the Burton Brunch Surgery, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Surgery, as of 31 March 2025:Practice nameGP doctorsOther clinical staffHighcliffe Medical Centre9.911.4Christchurch Medical Practice10.221.7Stour Surgery4.77.1The Grove Medical Centre11.116.2 In addition, the following table shows the number of FTE GP doctors and other clinical staff in the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Centre, the Burton Brunch Surgery, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Surgery, as of 31 March 2024:Practice nameGP doctorsOther clinical staffHighcliffe Medical Centre8.711.4Christchurch Medical Practice10.723.0Stour Surgery4.97.1The Grove Medical Centre1217.3Notes:the data does not include estimates for practices that did not provide fully valid staff records; andFTE refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work. 1 would indicate they work a full set of hours, 37.5 hours, and 0.5 that they worked half that time. For GPs in training grade contracts, 1 FTE is equal to 40 hours, and in this table these FTEs have been converted to the standard Workforce Minimum Data Set measure of 1 FTE equalling 37.5 hours, for consistency.

What information his Department holds on the number of (a) face-to-face and (b) other GP appointments conducted at (i) Highcliffe Medical Centre, (ii) Christchurch Medical Centre, (iii) Burton Branch Surgery (iv) The Stour Surgery and (v) The Grove Surgery in (A) 2022-23, (B) 2023-24 and (C) 2024-25.

A table showing the number of face-to-face and other general practice appointments conducted for the Highcliffe Medical Centre, the Christchurch Medical Centre, the Stour Surgery, and the Grove Surgery is attached. Data for the Burton Medical Centre is not available as it was a branch of the Christchurch Medical Practice. The Burton Medical Centre became a branch practice in October 2017, and was subsequently closed in October 2024.

How many patients at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon died from hospital acquired pneumonia in (a) December 2024, (b) January 2025 and (c) February 2025.

10 patients died from hospital acquired pneumonia at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon in December 2024. Figures for January 2025 and February 2025 cannot be provided until May 2025.

With reference to his oral contribution in response to the hon. Member for Christchurch of 25 March 2025, Official Report, column 773, whether he has received an update from the Dorset Integrated Care Board about the Burton Branch Surgery application.

The NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB) has received applications to open a branch surgery in the Village of Burton, near Christchurch in Dorset. Applications are currently going through the ICB governance process, which is expected to conclude following the ICB Prevention, Equity and Outcomes Committee on 23 April.Following a local practice closure in August 2024, the ICB is assessing capacity in the area, which remains good. Access to general practice (GP) services for local residents remains very good, with a choice of five practices in the Christchurch area that are all accepting new patients and growing their lists. The NHS Dorset ICB is engaging with local partners, other GP practices, and the Wessex Local Medical Committees to ensure views are collated while going through our governance processes.

When he plans to reply to the correspondence of 5 February 2025 from the hon. Member for Christchurch relating to a constituent.

We have received the Hon. Member’s correspondence of 5 February 2025, and we will respond shortly.

What was the (a) maximum and (b) minimum time between Crawford & Co completing a medical review of applications for vaccine damage payments and the applicant being informed of the decision in in the period January 2024 – December 2024.

Between January and December 2024, the maximum time between Crawford & Co completing a medical assessment of an application to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme and the applicant being informed by the NHS Business Services Authority of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision as to whether they are entitled to a payment under the scheme was 518 days. The minimum time was zero days, with the claimants informed of the outcome on the same day that the medical assessment was completed.Over the same period, the average time between Crawford & Co completing a medical assessment of an application and the applicant being informed of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision was 14 days.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 41384, what the (a) maximum and (b) minimum time was between a Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme application being made to the NHS Business Services Authority and being submitted to Crawford & Co for review.

The submission of applications to Crawford & Co is dependent on the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) receiving the relevant medical records from healthcare providers.As of 3 April 2025, the maximum time between an application being made to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme and that application being submitted to Crawford & Co for review was 1,339 days. The minimum time was 14 days, and the average time was 199 days.The NHSBSA is working with healthcare providers to speed up the rate at which these medical records are shared.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39387 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, if he will make an estimate of the number of assessments that have missed the 95 per cent target; how many of those have been delayed by more than (a) one, (b) six and (c) 12 months; and whether penalties have been imposed on Crawford & Company for missed deadlines.

Between January 2024 and December 2024, the percentage of medical assessment reports returned within 15 working days of receipt of a fully completed medical record was 99.8%. In the same period, 10 medical assessment reports were not returned within the 15-day timeframe. Of these, nine reports were returned within a month, with one report delayed by more than a month. No medical assessment reports were delayed either by more than six or 12 months.The supplier has previously had service credits applied as a result of not returning medical assessment reports to the NHS Business Services Authority within 15 working days. As the supplier has achieved above 95% in relation to this target since August 2023, no service credits have been applied since 2023.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March to Question 39386 on NHS Business Services Authority: Crawford & Company, how much of the budget of £38.6m is set aside for the payment of VDPS claims; and what the forecast is for the number of applications to the VDPS to be processed by Crawford & Co for 2025-26.

For the 2025/26 financial year, the budget allocated for the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is £38.6 million. The forecasted amount within this budget for vaccine damage payments is approximately £9 million. The budget for the 2025/26 financial year is based on estimates that approximately 8,500 assessments, including mandatory reversals, will be carried out in 2025/26.The budget allocated for payments has no bearing on the outcomes of individual assessments. The NHS Business Services Authority will request additional funding from the Department to process additional claims if needed, for example if the number of claims received is more than forecasted.

For what reason applicants seeking mandatory reversal of decisions made by the NHSBSA on vaccine damage claims are required as a precondition to adduce fresh evidence without which no mandatory reversal is possible; and whether there is statutory provision for such a restriction.

If a claimant to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) wants to challenge a decision about their claim, they can ask for the decision to be reviewed. This is known as a ‘mandatory reversal’.In accordance with the legislation which governs the VDPS, when applying for a mandatory reversal, claimants must provide an explanation of why they think that the original decision is wrong, and they may provide further evidence to support their request. They can also ask the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the VDPS, to request additional medical records from healthcare providers.However, providing further evidence to support their request for a mandatory reversal is not a legal or operational requirement. The answer given by the Department to PQ39388 incorrectly stated that claimants must provide additional evidence to their claim before a mandatory reversal is undertaken. This response has been corrected.

With reference to his Department's contract entitled Medical Assessments: Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, procurement reference, CF-0724900D0O000000rwimUAA, whether Crawford & Company are required to respond to Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme claims within a specified time period; and whether they receive rewards on account of the speed of assessments.

The length of time it takes to process a Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) claim varies from case to case. This is because medical records will often be gathered from claimants’ healthcare providers before a claim undergoes medical assessment, and receiving a claimant’s records can take time.95% of the assessments that are shared with an independent medical assessor should be returned to the VDPS administrators, the NHS Business Service Authority, within 15 working days. Sometimes this can take longer because medical assessments are complex, and these medical assessors will review individual medical records, which can be thousands of pages.No rewards are provided within the contract.

For what services the NHSBSA paid Crawford & Co; and what the budget for expenditure on the services of Crawford & Co is for the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for 2025-26.

Crawford & Company currently provides a medical assessment service for the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). The VDPS budget for 2025/26, including payments to claimants, the budget for Crawford & Company, and the budget for the operation of the scheme by the NHS Business Services Authority, is £38.6 million. Final expenditure by Crawford & Company will depend on a number of variables, including the number of claims received.

If he will make an estimate of the number of Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme claims on Covid-19 vaccinations which have been accepted following mandatory reversal based upon (a) additional evidence provided and (b) existing evidence.

Claimants to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) can ask for a reassessment, known as a mandatory reversal, if they disagree with the decision on the eligibility of their claim. Additional evidence can be added before it is reassessed, and this can include medical records.Between 1 November 2021, when the NHS Business Services Authority took over administration of the VDPS, and 20 March 2025, 25 claims have been awarded a Vaccine Damage Payment following a mandatory reversal. Additional evidence was provided for all of these claims.Claims without additional evidence are received and reassessed through the mandatory reversal process. However, no claims without additional evidence have been awarded a Vaccine Damage Payment.

When the application by the South Coast Medical Group for the establishment of a surgery in Burton as a Branch of The Grove Surgery was made; and when a decision will be given.

The Department does not hold information on applications for the establishment of new surgeries as it is for integrated care boards, as part of their commissioning responsibility for primary care, to consider applications for any new general practice surgeries.The hon. Member may wish to raise this issue with the local integrated care board directly, so it can investigate this further. Their contact details at available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-your-local-integrated-care-board/