Written questions by Thomas.

What information his Department holds on the number of a) complaints and b) further corrective procedures following the use of the MAKO robotic system, Stryker Triathalon PS implants, medical equipment.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the performance of surgical operations using Stryker Corporation facilities.

Awaiting answer.

How many orthapaedic surgical operations have been undertaken on NHS patients in England and Wales using a) equipment and b) equipment and facilities belonging to Stryker Corporation.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the Health and Care Professions Council meets the Professional Standards Authority Standard 15 on the time taken to conclude cases.

The Government takes the performance of the health and care professional regulators, including the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), very seriously. On 27 June 2025, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) published its 2024/25 performance review of the HCPC. The HCPC met 17 out of 18 of the PSA’s standards of good regulation but failed to meet standard 15. On 29 October 2025, I met with the Chair and Chief Executive of the HCPC to discuss the PSA’s performance review of the HCPC. I expect the HCPC to improve its performance against standard 15. During this parliamentary term, the Government will reform the HCPC’s legislative framework, which will allow it to operate a more efficient fitness to practise process.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of information to (a) patients and (b) family members of deceased patients about making a formal complaint in the event of (i) injury and (ii) death following medical treatment.

There are a wide range of sources of information for patients and family members about making a complaint about any aspect of National Health Service care, treatment, or services.Under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009, NHS organisations must make information available on their arrangements for handling complaints, and those arrangements should ensure complainants receive assistance to enable them to understand the complaints procedure.Patient Advice and Liaison Services is a free, confidential service, available in most NHS hospitals, that provides information, advice, and support to resolve issues affecting NHS patients, including how to make a formal complaint. Other sources of independent advocacy are available to support those thinking about making a complaint about NHS services, including the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service, which local authorities have a legal duty to provide.

What recent discussions he has had with the Professional Standards Authority regarding the extent to which Duty of Candour principles are embedded in the conduct of i) General Medical Council ii) Health and Care Professions Council.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) oversees the 10 statutory bodies that regulate healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom and social workers in England. This includes the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It scrutinises the work of the regulatory bodies by monitoring and reporting on their performance against its Standards of Good Regulation, auditing decisions made during investigations into complaints about registrants’ practise, and making referrals or appeals to the relevant court if it considers that a final fitness to practise decision is insufficient to protect the public. In its 2024/25 performance review assessments, the PSA reported that the HCPC had met 17 out of 18 Standards of Good Regulation and the GMC had met all 18 standards. Professional regulators are not subject to the statutory Duty of Candour, which applies to health and social care providers, nor to the professional Duty of Candour, which applies to individual registrants. However, the PSA expects regulators to operate in ways that reflect the principles underpinning the Duty of Candour, including openness, transparency, and accountability. In line with the Ministerial Code, details of all ministerial meetings, including those with the PSA, are published quarterly on the GOV.UK website, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings In January, I met with the PSA to discuss how it carries out its oversight role and the PSA’s new Standards for regulators and Accredited registers. The updated standards will strengthen requirements on regulators and Accredited Registers with regards to public protection, learning, and improvement. The new standards will also strengthen expectations that regulators’ governing bodies and senior leaders promote openness, transparency, and learning, including how organisations respond when things go wrong and how they maintain public confidence through clear accountability and reporting. Officials from the Department hold regular meetings with the PSA to discuss all aspects of its work.

If he will consider standardising the disciplinary sanctions available to healthcare regulators at the closure of cases.

The Government is committed to modernising the regulation of all healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. As a first step, on 24 March 2026, we published our Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework consultation, which sets out proposals to modernise the General Medical Council’s regulatory framework. The consultation runs until 23 June 2026. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework-consultation-documentThe draft General Medical Council Order 2026 includes a modernised fitness to practise process, including standardising the final registration measures that should be available to case examiners and fitness to practise panels at the end of fitness to practise proceedings.Subject to the outcome of the consultation and the parliamentary process, the Government plans to roll out this fitness to practise process to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions Council during this UK parliamentary term, and to all regulators in due course.

What assessment he has made of the provision for i) patients ii) family members of deceased patients to contribute to Fitness to Practice proceedings overseen by i) General Medical Council ii) Health and Care Professions Council.

The regulators of registered healthcare professionals, including the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), are independent of the Government, as they are directly accountable to Parliament and responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of their statutory duties. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.Anyone can raise concerns directly with the relevant regulator and contribute information or evidence as part of Fitness to Practise proceedings. This includes patients, family members, and third parties. Both the GMC and HCPC publish guidance and provide support for such witnesses who are involved in these proceedings.While the Department regularly engages with the GMC and HCPC on a range of issues, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not made a separate assessment of these provisions, which sit within the regulators’ statutory responsibilities.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendation for the creation of a single assurance body proposed by the Professional Standards Authority in its report Regulation Rethought.

The Government has no plans to implement the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s proposal to create a single assurance body for all healthcare professionals, as set out in its 2016 Regulation Rethought report.The Government is committed to reforming the regulation of healthcare professionals across the United Kingdom, and on 24 March published its Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework consultation, which sets out proposals to modernise the General Medical Council’s regulatory framework. The consultation runs until 23 June 2026, and further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework-consultation-documentWe also plan to deliver legislative reform for the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions Council during this UK parliamentary term.

What recent discussions he has had with the Professional Standards Authority regarding the effectiveness of the i) General Medical Council ii) Health and Care Professions Council to protect patient safety.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) oversees the 10 statutory bodies that regulate healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom and social workers in England. This includes the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It scrutinises the work of the regulatory bodies by monitoring and reporting on their performance against its Standards of Good Regulation, auditing decisions made during investigations into complaints about registrants’ practise, and making referrals or appeals to the relevant court if it considers that a final fitness to practise decision is insufficient to protect the public. In its 2024/25 performance review assessments, the PSA reported that the HCPC had met 17 out of 18 Standards of Good Regulation and the GMC had met all 18 standards. Professional regulators are not subject to the statutory Duty of Candour, which applies to health and social care providers, nor to the professional Duty of Candour, which applies to individual registrants. However, the PSA expects regulators to operate in ways that reflect the principles underpinning the Duty of Candour, including openness, transparency, and accountability. In line with the Ministerial Code, details of all ministerial meetings, including those with the PSA, are published quarterly on the GOV.UK website, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings In January, I met with the PSA to discuss how it carries out its oversight role and the PSA’s new Standards for regulators and Accredited registers. The updated standards will strengthen requirements on regulators and Accredited Registers with regards to public protection, learning, and improvement. The new standards will also strengthen expectations that regulators’ governing bodies and senior leaders promote openness, transparency, and learning, including how organisations respond when things go wrong and how they maintain public confidence through clear accountability and reporting. Officials from the Department hold regular meetings with the PSA to discuss all aspects of its work.

Whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

The Department’s financial wellbeing offer for its workforce includes access to a variety of advances including rental deposits and season ticket loans, as well as debt/budgeting advice and support through its Employee Assistance Programme.The Department does not offer credit union membership via payroll deductions and has no current plans to introduce such arrangements. Of our executive agencies, only the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has a general payroll deduction facility which could be used for such a purpose and the UKHSA includes details on its Financial Wellbeing page as to where employees can find further information on credit unions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107667, what information his Department holds on which ICB senior staff and Board members will be involved in the commissioning of neighbourhood health centres in North West London.

The selection of senior staff and board members involved in the commissioning of neighbourhood health centres will be determined by each integrated care board. As the North West and North Central London Integrated Care Boards are merging to form the West and North London Integrated Care Board from 1 April 2026, an interim structure is in place. The Chair and Chief Executive Officer have been appointed and, alongside other senior leads, will oversee commissioning of these services in accordance with forthcoming approval processes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107667 on Neighbourhood Health Centres and Urgent Treatment Centres: Greater London, which (a) health authorities and (b) related public bodies in North West London will be consulted; and who will have to agree before any neighbourhood health centres are commissioned in North West London by the relevant ICB.

There will be a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community. The Government has announced its commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 delivered by 2030, through a mix of public private partnership and public capital. Integrated care boards (ICBs) and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for Neighbourhood Health Centres.As noted in the answer on 28 January 2026 to Question 107776, ICBs are responsible for commissioning general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.The process for commissioning Neighbourhood Health Centres is currently being determined, and we anticipate that planning will be carried out collaboratively with local partners.

What estimate he has made of the number of neighbourhood health centres that will be in North West London ICB by (a) 2030 and (b) 2035.

There will be a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community. The Government has announced its commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 delivered by 2030, through a mix of public private partnership and public capital. Integrated care boards (ICBs) and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for Neighbourhood Health Centres.As noted in the answer on 28 January 2026 to Question 107776, ICBs are responsible for commissioning general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.The process for commissioning Neighbourhood Health Centres is currently being determined, and we anticipate that planning will be carried out collaboratively with local partners.

Whether he will estimate how many NHS employers offer their employees the opportunity to join a credit union by offering a payroll deduction service.

The Department does not hold this information. Local employers across the National Health Service are best placed to understand their staff’s needs and circumstances. NHS staff have access to a range of support for financial wellbeing, including credit union membership.NHS Employers have published information to support NHS trusts on salary sacrifice arrangements and tax-free childcare, with further information available at the following link:https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/salary-sacrifice-schemes

If he will publish the criteria being used to determine where new a) neighbourhood care centres and b) urgent treatment centres are being located in London.

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments to expand and improve sites over the next three years and new-build sites opening in the medium term. The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning, which includes planning, securing, and monitoring, general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. Both ICBs and Local Health Systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for NHCs. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes the expansion of co-located Urgent Treatment Centres to allow for the effective streaming of patients, helping to reduce waiting times and overcrowding.

How many people attended Northwick Park Hospital A&E Department in each of the last 6 months.

NHS England began publishing data on accident and emergency attendances at the site-level from November 2025, and therefore only two months of data are currently available. The following table shows the number of type 1 and 2 accident and emergency attendances, as well as all attendances, at Northwick Park Hospital, for November and December of 2025:MonthType 1 and 2 attendancesAll type attendancesNovember 20259,93017,410December 20259,96017,055Source: A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions 2025-26 dataset, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2025-26/ Note: the data for December 2025 is provisional, and all figures have been rounded to the nearest five in line with data suppression rules.

When he plans to make a decision on the replacement system for the NHS Electronic Staff Record.

The NHS Business Services Authority signed a contract with Infosys to deliver a new enhanced workforce management system for the National Health Service on 10 October 2025. Further details on the programme can be found at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/future-nhs-workforce-solution-transformation-programme

Whether the replacement system for the NHS Electronic Staff Record will be required to record whether (a) clinicians have condition-specific specialisations such as a Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse and (b) roles are speciality-specific such as neuro physiotherapist.

National Health Service provider trusts are required to provide core workforce data to NHS England and the Department based on definitions set out in the National Workforce Data Set (NWD). The NWD is kept under review to ensure it is kept up to date while the burden on trusts of data collection remains proportionate.The replacement system for the NHS Electronic staff Record (ESR), the Future NHS Workforce System (FWS) will make it easier to record the information that aligns with NHS organisational needs, including the skills and specialisms of staff. NHS England is currently working with the NHS Business Services Authority to make the best use of the data capture ability of the new system.There is not a hard deadline for deciding what will be recorded on the FWS. As with ESR, new fields will be able to be added to meet the changing requirements of trusts and of national workforce planning. We will though need to continue to work with trusts to ensure that the data we require them to capture is both useful, proportionate and aligned with operational needs.

If he will require NHS Trusts to offer payroll savings schemes for staff.

Local employers across the National Health Service are best placed to understand their staff’s needs and circumstances. NHS staff have access to a range of support for financial wellbeing including credit union membership, savings schemes, and access to discount schemes such as the ‘Blue Light Card’.NHS Employers has also published guidance for employers on salary sacrifice arrangements and tax-free childcare, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/salary-sacrifice-schemes