Written questions by Morgan.

In which NHS trusts Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy is available in England .

The National Health Service delivers a range of treatments for cancer, with expert clinicians working with patients to determine the most appropriate option. The Government is working with NHS England to ensure that the most effective treatments are available to patients across the country when they need them.Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is routinely available to treat several types of cancer, including some types of lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. Every NHS trust that is commissioned to provide radiotherapy services in England can offer SABR. However, not all cancer types can be treated with SABR in every radiotherapy service, because some trusts may not host the relevant specialist multi-disciplinary team.No assessment has been made of the potential for systemic anti-cancer therapies to be delivered via primary care in the community or at home. However, in line with the Government’s Health Mission shift from hospital to community, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to deliver more urgent care in the community, in people’s homes, or through neighbourhood health centres by 2035.

What steps he is taking to encourage NHS trusts to take part in clinical trials for innovative treatments.

The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and encouraging National Health Service trusts to take part through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and a four-nation UK Clinical Research Delivery Programme (UKCRD).The Department-funded NIHR funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients, the public, and NHS settings to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trials for innovative treatments. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services. Through the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network (RDN), the NIHR supports all NHS trusts in England to deliver research, operating across 12 regions throughout the country.In April 2025, the Department began publishing monthly key performance indicators on commercial clinical trial set up performance for NHS trusts in England, as part of the UKCRD programme, Study Set Up Plan. This report provides a monthly snapshot of site-level commercial study set-up performance, with the expectation that this will encourage NHS trusts to improve study set-up performance and therefore increase their participation in clinical trials for innovative treatments.

What consideration he has given to introducing an innovation incentive payment to facilitate the adoption of innovative treatments by NHS trusts.

No consideration has been given to introducing an innovation incentive payment to National Health Service trusts to facilitate the adoption of innovative treatments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the NHS on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund NICE-recommended medicines, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. The 2025/26 NHS Standard Contract, which applies to all contracts between NHS commissioners and providers, stipulates that, where any service involves or may involve the prescribing of medicines, the provider must ensure that its formulary reflects all relevant positive NICE technology appraisals.

What steps he is taking to help protect livestock from botulism disease in Shropshire.

The risk posed by botulism from poultry litter and other sources are well established in the agricultural industry. Farmers and their advisors know what measures can be taken to mitigate the risk. In some situations where risk analysis has been undertaken, several farmers opt to vaccinate cattle against the disease. There is advice available on GOV.UK on botulism in livestock at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/botulism-in-farmed-ruminants/botulism-in-farmed-ruminants The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has published review articles in veterinary journals such as In Practice, which is available at the following link: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/inpract.30.7.392 The APHA Surveillance Unit also present on the subject with food safety lecture to undergraduates at veterinary schools in the United Kingdom and at conferences for livestock vets.

If he will take steps to ensure the NHS Find a dentist online service contains accurate information.

It is a contractual requirement for National Health Service dentists to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period, and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.

What steps he is taking to increase access to Givinostat for patients in North Shropshire constituency.

The Department understands the impact that Duchenne muscular dystrophy has on those living with it and their families, and the urgent need for new treatment options.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is currently evaluating givinostat for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and its independent Appraisal Committee met to consider the evidence in July 2025.The committee identified specific areas where additional evidence is required to support a fully informed decision prior to draft guidance for consultation being published. As a result, NICE has launched a four-week targeted call for evidence from stakeholders, ahead of a further committee meeting in October.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for gynaecological referrals in Shropshire.

We are committed to driving down waiting times in England, including for gynaecological services in Shropshire. We have wasted no time in getting to work cutting National Health Service waiting lists and ensuring people have the best possible experience during their care.We promised change, and we’ve delivered early, with a reduction in the national waiting list between June 2024 and June 2025 of over 252,000, despite over 21 million referrals onto the list since July 2024.We have fulfilled our pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments early. More than double that number, 4.9 million more appointments, have now been delivered as of June 2025.This marks a vital First Step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the NHS constitutional standard, by March 2029.Between July 2024 and June 2025, the gynaecology waiting list at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust fell by 17.9%, dropping from 4,197 patients to 3,445. During the same period, the percentage of patients starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral rose significantly from 43.8% to 64.4%, marking an improvement of 20.6%.The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, committed to providing quicker access for patients to common surgical hub procedures by ramping up the number of surgical hubs over the next three years.There are currently 120 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England as of September 2025. This includes three surgical hubs within the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin​​ Integrated Care System. The most recent to open in the region was the Princess Royal Hospital Elective Surgical Hub, which opened in June 2024 and offers gynaecological services.These dedicated and protected surgical hubs transform the way the NHS provides elective care by focusing on providing high volume low complexity surgery, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.The Elective Reform Plan also commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the referral to treatment 18-week standard. There is currently one community diagnostic centre (CDC) in the region, the Shrewsbury Telford and Wrekin Community Diagnostic Centre in Telford. This CDC is providing additional diagnostic capacity to see patients away from hospital sites, providing key diagnostic tests such as computed tomography and ultrasound, thereby reducing unnecessary hospital visits.

Whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the Stroke Association’s report entitled Unlocking Potential: A Bold Vision for Stroke Care in England.

We welcome the report of the Stroke Association and its recommendations, which are closely aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan’s three big shifts of hospital to community, analogue to digital and treatment to prevention.This Government is committed to ensuring fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). That is why this Government has set an ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years.To deliver on this ambition, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England are working together to understand both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities for progress across the prevention, treatment and management of CVD.We are engaging with stakeholders to put the best available evidence and expert opinion at the heart of this ambition and to gather a diverse range of views.We have committed in the 10-Year Health Plan to publish a Modern Service Framework for CVD in 2026. This will identify and set standards for the best evidenced interventions, drive innovation in CVD prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.

What steps he is taking to increase funding and research into polycystic ovary syndrome and associated treatments and care pathways.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, funds a range of research to improve health outcomes for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), including studies aimed at enhancing treatment and care pathways. For example, the NIHR is currently funding a £2.3 million trial to evaluate the effectiveness of different medication combinations for ovulation induction, directly informing clinical practice for fertility treatment in PCOS. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including PCOS-associated treatment and care pathways.

What steps he is taking to ensure NHS services in North Shropshire are adequately equipped to provide care for people with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The Government recognises that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), have been failed for far too long, and we acknowledge the impact it has on women’s lives, relationships and participation in education and the workforce. We know that more needs to be done to support women with gynaecological conditions.Patients who are concerned they have symptoms which may be caused by PCOS should seek help from their general practitioner (GP) who can arrange the necessary investigations, make a diagnosis, and discuss initial treatments. Patients with more complex symptoms of PCOS can be referred to gynaecology or endocrinology services provided by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust, and those who need support related to fertility can be referred to Shropshire and Mid Wales Fertility Clinic in Shrewsbury which offers fertility evaluations and treatments.NICE is currently developing a guideline on the assessment and management of PCOS and published the scope of the guideline in July 2025, which includes “information resources, models of care, cultural and linguistic considerations” and “management of psychological features”.

What steps he is taking to increase awareness of the impact of polycystic ovary syndrome among NHS professionals.

This Government recognises that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome, have been failed for far too long. We acknowledge the impact these conditions have on women’s lives, relationships and participation in education and the workforce. We know that more needs to be done to support women with gynaecological conditions.As set out in the women’s health strategy, women's health is included in the Royal College of General Practitioners curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology. The curriculum also covers the health care needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.

What steps he is taking to improve access to respite care for unpaid carers in North Shropshire constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support they need. 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.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 61929 on Integrated Care Boards: Redundancy, whether he is providing new funding to integrated care boards to cover the cost of redundancies.

The Department continues to work with NHS England to manage all financial risk, including the best way to manage cost pressures arising from any redundancy schemes once realised.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 61959 on Dentistry: Recruitment, how many (a) recruited dentists and (b) dental posts are being advertised per region in England.

Data on Golden Hellos will be published by the end of August 2025. Once a publication date has been confirmed, this will be announced on the NHS England website.

When he expects the next Learning from Lives and Deaths report to be published.

The Learning from Lives and Deaths reports are a crucial source of evidence which help to identify the key improvements needed to tackle health disparities and prevent the avoidable deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people. We are committed to publishing the latest report soon after Parliament returns, alongside a Written Ministerial Statement.

Whether he has made an assessment of the financial viability of providers of community equipment.

The Department is aware of concerns raised by community equipment suppliers. NHS England has published planning guidance setting out the funding available to integrated care boards and the overall approach to funding National Health Service providers in the next financial year, which takes account of a variety of pay and non-pay factors and pressures on providers of secondary healthcare. The NHS Payment Scheme is equally applicable to NHS and non-NHS providers of secondary healthcare.Local authorities and local NHS procuring authorities, whether integrated care boards or NHS providers, are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment providers, which will consider the resources available to them. At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over both the last financial year and this year. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 have now been set through phase 2 of the Spending Review. This includes £29 billion more day-to-day funding in real terms than 2023/24 for the NHS, and the largest ever health capital budget, with a £2.3 billion real terms increase in capital spending over the Spending Review period.

What discussions he has had with providers of community equipment on the financial resilience of those providers.

The Department is aware of concerns raised by community equipment suppliers. NHS England has published planning guidance setting out the funding available to integrated care boards and the overall approach to funding National Health Service providers in the next financial year, which takes account of a variety of pay and non-pay factors and pressures on providers of secondary healthcare. The NHS Payment Scheme is equally applicable to NHS and non-NHS providers of secondary healthcare.Local authorities and local NHS procuring authorities, whether integrated care boards or NHS providers, are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment providers, which will consider the resources available to them. At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over both the last financial year and this year. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 have now been set through phase 2 of the Spending Review. This includes £29 billion more day-to-day funding in real terms than 2023/24 for the NHS, and the largest ever health capital budget, with a £2.3 billion real terms increase in capital spending over the Spending Review period.

Whether his Department holds information on the (a) most common illnesses among babies and children in temporary accommodation and (b) incidence of each of those illnesses in the most recent period for which data is available.

The Department does not hold this information for primary care data due to a lack of granularity in the data.

What information his Department holds on the number of children living in temporary accommodation who presented to A&E with an injury or illness in the 2024-25 financial year.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

What guidance his Department has issued on whether (a) a family and (b) babies and children living in temporary accommodation can remain registered at their GP surgery if they live (i) in the area and (ii) outside the area but within reasonable travelling distance.

Patients have the legal right to choose a general practice (GP) that best suits their needs. If a patient moves outside of their practice’s catchment area, the patient’s permanent practice must not de-register them, unless the patient is away from that practice’s area for more than three months. In those cases, the patient must be informed of this where practicable, and some practices may accept that you remain registered as an out of area patient. Housing status should not affect anyone’s ability to register with a GP. Patients who are homeless or in temporary housing do not need a fixed address to be registered.