Written questions by Morello.

Whether his Department is taking steps to assess the (a) affordability and (b) accessibility of transferring people unable to access timely care on the NHS to private sector providers for temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) treatment is considered as planned non-emergency care. The NHS.UK website advises that it is not usually serious and generally gets better without treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/Treatment options for TMJD are:- conservative treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy, bite guards, and self-management advice. These are usually provided through primary care and would be considered as non-urgent but necessary care;- specialist referral, if conservative treatment does not help, specifically referral to oral maxillofacial surgery or a specialist pain clinic may occur. These referrals are part of the routine National Health Service pathways but are prioritised on clinical need; and- surgical treatments in severe cases, which are scheduled as planned elective procedures. In NHS terms this falls under elective care, but it is not optional in a cosmetic sense, as it is clinically indicated.NHS England Getting It Right First Time and the Royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery have produced guidance to better manage the condition, which is available at the following link:https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults-March-2024.pdfNo assessment has been made on the adequacy of the training for general practitioners and dentists on recognising and managing TMJD. The standard of training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, which are independent statutory bodies.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of not being able to access a consistent brand of Letrozole on patient adherence.

Where a prescriber specifies a specific brand or manufacturer on the prescription, the pharmacy should provide that specific product to the patient. However, obtaining a product from a particular supplier may take the pharmacy longer to source.Pharmacies are largely private businesses, which provide National Health Services and have their own buying arrangements. Not all manufacturers supply to all wholesalers and not all pharmacies use the same wholesalers. This can mean there may be some specific manufacturer’s products that a pharmacy may not easily be able to source.Where a pharmacy is unable to supply a particular medicine promptly, their professional guidance states that they should talk to the patient to discuss the possible options available to them. This includes checking whether the medicine is available at another pharmacy or offering to contact the patient’s prescriber to jointly consider whether another suitable brand or medicine is available.

If she will take steps to review pharmacy procurement practices for generic cancer drugs in rural areas.

The Department has no current plans to specifically review pharmacy procurement practices for generic cancer drugs in rural areas. Pharmacies are largely private businesses which provide National Health Services, and therefore have their own buying arrangements.The Government’s policy on generic medicines is to allow suppliers freedom of pricing for their products, relying on competition between suppliers and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to deliver value for money for the NHS.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment pathways for people with temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) treatment is considered as planned non-emergency care. The NHS.UK website advises that it is not usually serious and generally gets better without treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/Treatment options for TMJD are:- conservative treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy, bite guards, and self-management advice. These are usually provided through primary care and would be considered as non-urgent but necessary care;- specialist referral, if conservative treatment does not help, specifically referral to oral maxillofacial surgery or a specialist pain clinic may occur. These referrals are part of the routine National Health Service pathways but are prioritised on clinical need; and- surgical treatments in severe cases, which are scheduled as planned elective procedures. In NHS terms this falls under elective care, but it is not optional in a cosmetic sense, as it is clinically indicated.NHS England Getting It Right First Time and the Royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery have produced guidance to better manage the condition, which is available at the following link:https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults-March-2024.pdfNo assessment has been made on the adequacy of the training for general practitioners and dentists on recognising and managing TMJD. The standard of training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, which are independent statutory bodies.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that patients prescribed Letrozole are able to access a brand they can tolerate.

Where a prescriber specifies a specific brand or manufacturer on the prescription, the pharmacy should provide that specific product to the patient. However, obtaining a product from a particular supplier may take the pharmacy longer to source.Pharmacies are largely private businesses, which provide National Health Services and have their own buying arrangements. Not all manufacturers supply to all wholesalers and not all pharmacies use the same wholesalers. This can mean there may be some specific manufacturer’s products that a pharmacy may not easily be able to source.Where a pharmacy is unable to supply a particular medicine promptly, their professional guidance states that they should talk to the patient to discuss the possible options available to them. This includes checking whether the medicine is available at another pharmacy or offering to contact the patient’s prescriber to jointly consider whether another suitable brand or medicine is available.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of training for (a) general practitioners and (b) dentists for (i) recognising and (ii) managing temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) treatment is considered as planned non-emergency care. The NHS.UK website advises that it is not usually serious and generally gets better without treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/Treatment options for TMJD are:- conservative treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy, bite guards, and self-management advice. These are usually provided through primary care and would be considered as non-urgent but necessary care;- specialist referral, if conservative treatment does not help, specifically referral to oral maxillofacial surgery or a specialist pain clinic may occur. These referrals are part of the routine National Health Service pathways but are prioritised on clinical need; and- surgical treatments in severe cases, which are scheduled as planned elective procedures. In NHS terms this falls under elective care, but it is not optional in a cosmetic sense, as it is clinically indicated.NHS England Getting It Right First Time and the Royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery have produced guidance to better manage the condition, which is available at the following link:https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults-March-2024.pdfNo assessment has been made on the adequacy of the training for general practitioners and dentists on recognising and managing TMJD. The standard of training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, which are independent statutory bodies.

If he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on improving digital (a) access and (b) support for care users.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential merits of implementing a digital strategy to enable care users to use technology.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

What steps his Department is taking with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to support care users to use technology in day to day life.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of merging of integrated care boards on (a) Dorset and (b) other rural areas.

No mergers involving the seven integrated care boards (ICBs) in the South West NHS England footprint have been approved.The Dorset ICB, the Somerset ICB, and the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB are preparing to ‘cluster’ by April 2026, and this will see increased joint working across the three ICBs to achieve the running cost reductions for ICBs announced by the Department. Formal approval for the merger of ICB footprints will not be given before a comprehensive assessment of the local circumstances and rationale. Our commitment to coterminous boundaries wherever possible will be at the forefront of our decision-making.As part of cluster preparation arrangements, every ICB will complete an Equality Impact Assessment, which will consider the footprint population and the impact of the changes to ICB working arrangements.ICBs and regional leaders assessed potential clustering arrangements using the design criteria.

How many overheating incidents have been logged in NHS hospitals in the South West in each of the last five years.

Data on overheating incidents is collected as part of the Estates Return Information Collection, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collectionThe following table shows how many overheating incidents have been logged in National Health Service hospitals in the South West in each of the last five years:YearOverheating incidents2023/244132022/232592021/221912020/21Not collected2029/20Not collectedTotal863Source: Estates Returns Information Collection dataset, published January 2025.

If he will bring forward legislative proposals for unpaid carers to claim respite breaks in West Dorset constituency.

The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.In addition, through measures in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are equipping and supporting carers by making them more visible, empowering their voices in care planning, joining up services, and streamlining their caring tasks by introducing a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App.

If he will make it his policy to introduce free personal care for (a) elderly and (b) disabled residents in West Dorset constituency.

Local authorities have the power to charge for care, and it is for them to decide whether to do so. Two local authorities in England currently offer free home care to their residents.Where local authorities do choose to charge for care, they must do so in accordance with the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, and they must act under the Care and Support Statutory guidance.We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission, which began work in April 2025, will be comprehensive and will build on the expert proposals of other reviews, including that of Sir Andrew Dilnot into care funding and support.

What assessment he has made of the potential benefits of a Royal College of Care Workers to support rural care staff in West Dorset constituency.

The Department has no current plans to introduce a Royal College of Care. The Government is committed to transforming adult social care to create a National Care Service and to improving the lives of people drawing on care, unpaid carers, and the social care workforce. We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Casey, as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future.

How many overheating incidents have been logged in NHS hospitals in West Dorset constituency in each of the last five years.

Data on overheating incidents is collected as part of the Estates Return Information Collection, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collectionThe following table shows how many overheating incidents have been logged in National Health Service hospitals in the South West in each of the last five years:YearOverheating incidents2023/244132022/232592021/221912020/21Not collected2029/20Not collectedTotal863Source: Estates Returns Information Collection dataset, published January 2025.

What discussions he has had with the Chair of the independent commission into adult social care on progress to completing the first stage in 2026.

The Independent Commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, has begun its work on how to build a social care system fit for the future, and will first report in 2026.The commission is independent, and Baroness Casey has the autonomy to decide when in 2026 she reports, and to define her own engagement plans, including with ministers, as she believes is most appropriate for the commission’s work.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to ensure that unpaid carers are guaranteed respite breaks.

The Government is determined to recognise the crucial role that unpaid carers play in caring for family and friends and helping people to remain at home. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.In addition, through measures in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are equipping and supporting carers by making them more visible, empowering their voices in care planning, joining up services, and streamlining their caring tasks by introducing a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that people in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural areas benefit from technology enabled independent living.

As part of the immediate reforms announced in January 2025, the Government has committed to setting new national standards for care technologies and to developing trusted guidance. This information will help people who draw on care, and their loved ones, to confidently buy effective, compatible products for their homes.Furthermore, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are working together to ensure people in hard-to-reach communities who require care technology to live independently can access fast, reliable connectivity. This includes continued investment in Project Gigabit to expand gigabit-capable broadband, and the Shared Rural Network, which has already extended 4G coverage to 95% of the United Kingdom.

Whether his Department plans to establish a Royal College of care workers.

The Government is committed to a well-supported adult social care workforce who are recognised as the professionals they are. Enhancing the skills of staff working in adult social care is vital to ensure that the care provided is of good quality, fair, personalised, and accessible. Promoting opportunities to develop skills and knowledge is essential to raise the status of adult social care as a career. We have expanded the first ever national career structure for adult social care, the Care Workforce Pathway, adding new roles and clear career pathways. Backed by £12 million for training through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, this supports staff development and recognises the vital work care professionals do.The Department has no current plans to introduce a Royal College of care. The Government is committed to transforming adult social care to create a National Care Service and to improving the lives of people drawing on care, unpaid carers, and the social care workforce. We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Casey, as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a personal care allowance for people who are assessed as needing personal care.

Local authorities are required to undertake a needs assessment for any individual who requests it, which will consider all of the adult’s care and support needs. As part of this process, the local authority will provide the person with a personal budget, which is an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the local authority meeting their eligible needs.Direct payments are one of the ways adults receiving local authority support with their social care costs can choose to receive their personal budget. Direct payments provide people with greater independence, choice, and control by enabling them or their nominated representative or representatives to commission their own care in order to meet their eligible personal care and support needs.