Written questions by Morris.

What steps NHS England took to consult with(a) diving organisations, (b) local health trusts and (c) emergency services in the North East it decided to decommission hyperbaric chamber services in the north of England.

NHS England has not decided to decommission hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services in the North of England.NHS England undertook stakeholder testing and a public consultation on the revised service specification for HBOT services. The main impact of the proposals was the reconfiguration of the number of commissioned HBOT centres in England, from eight centres to six.The review was led by the chair of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Clinical Reference Group and the lead commissioner for the service, and was supported by a Specification Working Group (SWG). Membership of the SWG included a patient representative, clinical leads from current commissioned providers, consultants in public health, and members of the British Hyperbaric Association. Specialist advice was sought on relevant inter-dependent services including adult critical care, HM Coastguard, adult critical care transfer services, and children’s services.Stakeholder testing on the revised service specification took place from 8 June 2024 to 25 June 2024. 14 responses were received, six of which were on behalf of organisations and eight from individuals. Public consultation was carried out from 13 September to 12 October 2024. A total of 923 individuals responded to the public consultation, from across all regions and devolved nations of the United Kingdom.NHS England actively encourages individuals and organisations to register as stakeholders to ensure a full range of views are included in any service developments. Stakeholders can register their interest in services commissioned by NHS England on their website, which includes a special interest group for HBOT.Any individuals or organisations who sign up are kept informed when NHS England engages on potential changes to the way that these services are commissioned. NHS England also encourages stakeholders to cascade invitations to provide feedback across their networks.

How many newly qualified nurses were employed in the NHS as a band 5 nurse after three months of being a qualified in (a) 2024, (b) 2023 and (c) 2022.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

How many newly qualified nurses were employed in the NHS as a band 5 nurse after six months of being a qualified in (a) 2024, (b) 2023 and (c) 2022 .

The Department does not hold the information requested.

How many nurses qualified to work in the NHS (a) 2024, (b) 2023 and (c) 2022.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) publishes information on the number of nurses joining their register for the first time, who are resident in England. It is important to note that newly registered nurses may choose to work in a range of settings, including National Health Service trusts, private or third sector bodies, who may undertake NHS work, or social care settings. The following table shows the number of nurses joining the NMC register in England for the first time by financial year: Financial yearNumber of registered nurses joining the NMC register for the first time in England2022/2324,1082023/2428,0492024/2529,210Source: Nursing and Midwifery Council, March 2025 Annual Data Report, available at the following link:https://www.nmc.org.uk/about-us/reports-and-accounts/registration-statistics/The information may slightly undercount first time register joiners in England as it is based on the address registered with the NMC.

If he will make it his policy for newly qualified nurses to be guaranteed a job in the NHS.

Decisions on the employment of newly qualified nurses are a matter for individual National Health service trusts, which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.We are working closely with NHS England, employers, and educators to ensure support is in place to help graduating nurses transition into the workforce.

How many band 5 nurse role were advertised for internal applicants in (a) 2024, (b) 2023 and (c) 2022.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

How many band 5 nurse roles were advertised for external applicants in (a) 2024, (b) 2023 and (c) 2022.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for mental health treatment services.

The Government is delivering new and innovative models of care in the community. We have launched six neighbourhood adult mental health centres that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to bring together community, crisis, and inpatient care.NHS England’s Planning Guidance for 2025/26 makes clear that for this year, to support reform and improvements, we expect all providers to reduce the variation in children and young people accessing services and improve productivity.We are also improving data quality so we can support providers in understanding demand across their areas. Since July 2023, NHS England has included waiting times metrics for referrals to urgent and community-based mental health services in its monthly mental health statistics publication, to help services target the longest waits.Our 10-Year Health Plan will inform the future vision and delivery plan for mental health services in England. Earlier intervention remains a key focus of the plan, with the aim of reducing pressure on mental health services.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists entitled Co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, published on 13 May 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting more cohesive and joined-up care between mental health services and substance use services, to ensure people no longer fall through the gaps of treatment.We know that, between 2023 and 2024, 72% of people starting drug and alcohol treatment also had a mental health treatment need. Furthermore, approximately 30 to 50% of people with serious mental illness have co-existing drug or alcohol use conditions. However, as the Royal College of Psychiatry’s report highlights, too often, people with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs do not receive the joined up, person-centred care they require and deserve.In response to this, the Department and NHS England are finalising the Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Action Plan. In developing this plan, NHS England and the Department have worked with subject matter experts, including people with lived experience, academics, clinicians, and service providers, to set out a path to improving service provision for those with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs.The action plan will build on current structures and initiatives such the Commissioning Quality Standard published in 2022. This standard provides guidance for drug and alcohol treatment commissioners on improving services for people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol or drug conditions and how local services need to work together so that people can access the help they need.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 47191 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, if he will ensure that trusts outside of (a) London and (b) the South East are prioritised for future funding (i) to replace radiotherapy equipment and (ii) for additional radiotherapy treatment.

NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers, including those outside of London and the South East, inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines.To help to address accessibility to radiotherapy, the Department has allocated £70 million in funding for 28 new radiotherapy machines to trusts across the country to replace outdated machines, 18 of which are located outside of London and the South East of England.All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26 will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 41044 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, whether there is funding remaining for hospital trusts wishing to submit late applications for radiotherapy equipment.

The bidding round has been completed and there are no plans to accept further applications.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 41044, what was the criteria for the award of this funding to NHS foundation trusts.

In 2024/25, we prioritised funding for a small number of trusts to replace the most aged radiotherapy equipment. Funding was allocated based on the age of the equipment to be replaced, replacement machine availability, and the trust’s ability to take delivery and pay for the equipment by 31 March 25.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 41043, what the criteria was for these funding awards to NHS foundation trusts.

Funding was allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused on the age of the machine being replaced, the proportion of older machines in use within the trust, and the trust’s performance on radiotherapy.

How much and what proportion of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant was allocated to rough sleeping drug and alcohol treatment in each of the last five financial years.

Through the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant (DATRIG), the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted funding to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support.Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services to meet local need. Further details are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-allocations-2025-to-2026For 2025/26, the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) component of the DATRIG was published separately. £58.7 million is being provided through this component to support people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough with drug and alcohol treatment needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-grant-2025-to-2026-funding-allocationsDue to there being some local authority flexibility around DATRIG spend, the previously separate grant components, other than the RSDATG element, have not been published.The DATRIG is new for this financial year. Before 2025/26, the RSDATG was a standalone grant, and up to £186.5 million was available between 2022 and 2025 to fund targeted drug and alcohol treatment services and support for the rough sleeping population in 83 local authorities and via five pan-London projects. Up to £75 million was available for the RSDATG programme between 2020 and 2022.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 41043 on Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment, what his Department's process of advertising the funding applications to NHS foundation trusts was.

In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines.

How much and what proportion of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant will be allocated to (a) inpatient detoxification, (b) housing support, (c) rough sleeping drug and alcohol treatment and (d) supplemental substance misuse and recovery elements in the 2025-26 financial year.

Through the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant (DATRIG), the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted funding to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support.Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services to meet local need. Further details are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-allocations-2025-to-2026For 2025/26, the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) component of the DATRIG was published separately. £58.7 million is being provided through this component to support people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough with drug and alcohol treatment needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-grant-2025-to-2026-funding-allocationsDue to there being some local authority flexibility around DATRIG spend, the previously separate grant components, other than the RSDATG element, have not been published.The DATRIG is new for this financial year. Before 2025/26, the RSDATG was a standalone grant, and up to £186.5 million was available between 2022 and 2025 to fund targeted drug and alcohol treatment services and support for the rough sleeping population in 83 local authorities and via five pan-London projects. Up to £75 million was available for the RSDATG programme between 2020 and 2022.

Whether he plans to (a) decentralise the commissioning of radiotherapy and (b) give English regions more control over (i) treatment pathways and (ii) new radiotherapy technologies.

The Government is investing £70 million of central funding to replace radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it, however since April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines has been with local systems.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those undergoing radiotherapy treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.

When the most recent new NHS radiotherapy centre was built that was not linked to the closure of an existing centre in (a) England and (b) the North East.

The Department does not collect information as to why new radiotherapy centres were built, and what links may exist with closures of radiotherapy centres. This is because decisions about radiotherapy treatment are made at local level.However, the most recent NHS radiotherapy centre in England that opened was the Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre in Milton Keynes which opened to patients in January 2025. The most recent radiotherapy centre to open in the North East of England is at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough, which opened in May 2012.

What data his Department holds on the availability of Buvidal, broken down by region.

Ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice have discussed the issue. The Department of Health and Social Care advises local areas that they can use the funding given to them to deliver drug and alcohol treatment to enable prescribing of buprenorphine long-acting injection in their areas, and advises and supports local areas to establish, maintain and grow this provision and this includes for those who leave prison.It is a clinical decision whether to offer this treatment, based on an individual assessment and personal choice. Buvidal is available in all regions in England; the following table shows its availability in community structured treatment as a proportion of the overall population in treatment for opiate use, broken down by region, for the fourth quarter of 2023/24, the latest period for which data is available:RegionAdults in treatment for opiatesBuprenorphine long lasting injectionBuprenorphine long lasting injection (%)East Midlands116191841.58%East of England108862262.08%London176306863.89%North East101213293.25%North West241169393.89%South East144852821.95%South West133712882.15%West Midlands166663422.05%Yorkshire & the Humber183555292.88%England13724938052.77%Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System March 2024

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 31856 on Buprenorphine, if he will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of ensuring Buvidal is made available on release from prison to all people who have received Buvidal whilst in prison.

Ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice have discussed the issue. The Department of Health and Social Care advises local areas that they can use the funding given to them to deliver drug and alcohol treatment to enable prescribing of buprenorphine long-acting injection in their areas, and advises and supports local areas to establish, maintain and grow this provision and this includes for those who leave prison.It is a clinical decision whether to offer this treatment, based on an individual assessment and personal choice. Buvidal is available in all regions in England; the following table shows its availability in community structured treatment as a proportion of the overall population in treatment for opiate use, broken down by region, for the fourth quarter of 2023/24, the latest period for which data is available:RegionAdults in treatment for opiatesBuprenorphine long lasting injectionBuprenorphine long lasting injection (%)East Midlands116191841.58%East of England108862262.08%London176306863.89%North East101213293.25%North West241169393.89%South East144852821.95%South West133712882.15%West Midlands166663422.05%Yorkshire & the Humber183555292.88%England13724938052.77%Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System March 2024