Written questions by Davies.

Whether his Department has made an assessment into the potential health benefits of encouraging care homes to have their laundry services fulfilled by an external commercial laundry provider.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the inclusion of commercial laundry in the UK Government’s Resilience Action Plan, in the context of the role the sector plays in fulfilling NHS laundry fulfilment.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to recruit and retain Blood Bike volunteers.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to help Community Diagnostic Centres to integrate digital infrastructure and data sharing into their operation.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Community Diagnostic Centres are adequately staffed without removing hospital employees from areas such as acute patient care.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of NHS dental services in Grantham and Bourne constituency.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population is delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Grantham and Bourne constituency, this is the Lincolnshire ICB.Since July 2024, the Government has been rebuilding a broken National Health Service dentistry system. 1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election, nearly half of which were delivered to children. We have reduced the underspend from £392 million in 2023/24 to just £36 million in 2024/25, maximising the treatments provided for taxpayers’ money and delivering on our aim that every penny for NHS dentistry is spent on NHS dentistry.From April 2026, we began introducing a package of reforms to address some of the pressing issues that dentists and dental teams have been experiencing. These reforms will prioritise those with the greatest need, shifting care away from clinically unnecessary check-ups.We are also committed to fundamentally reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Community Diagnostics Centres receive funding and resources to keep equipment and facilities up to date.

Awaiting answer.

When his Department plans to publish data on corridor care in hospitals.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to secure procurement pathways to ensure that Community Diagnostics Centres are equipped with up to date equipment, such as CT and MRI scanners.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department has taken to increase recruitment to clinical trials, in particular for drugs to treat rare cancers.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with rare cancers, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research. The NIHR supports the delivery of clinical trials through the Research Delivery Network, ensuring that patients across the National Health Service can participate in high-quality studies and that recruitment data is used to target support where it is most needed.As set out in our National Cancer Plan, the Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026 to make it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.Additionally, the NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest.

How many Community Diagnostic Centres are open for at least 12 hours every day.

There are currently 109 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) offering at least one diagnostic test, check or scan for 12 hours a day, seven days a week.CDCs are a shining example of the Government shifting care out of hospitals and into the community, making life easier and more convenient for patients. With many services planned to be open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, people can fit appointments around their lives, not the other way around.

What proportion of patients with urgent GP referral receive a (a) diagnosis and (b) ruling out within 28 days.

Awaiting answer.

How many patients in Lincolnshire have waited longer than 28 days to receive diagnostic tests related to cancer.

The Department does not routinely publish data on the volume of patients who have waited longer than 28 days for a diagnostic result. However, NHS England does collect and publish data on the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS). The FDS aims to ensure that patients are diagnosed or cleared of cancer within 28 days of an urgent referral.For the Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, 70.9% of patients received a cancer diagnosis or all clear within 28 days in March 2026. This is below the Operational Planning Guidance which set National Health Service systems a target of 80% by March 2026. All cancer waiting times data can be found on the NHS England website at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/

What steps his Department is taking to expand the provision of the Fracture Liaison Service by 2030; and when his Department plans to publish a national implementation plan for the expansion of the Fracture Liaison Service.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. Integrated care boards remain well-placed to make decisions according to local need. The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that integrated care boards prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.