Written questions by McMurdock.

What discussions he has had with local authorities in Essex on commissioning adequate local adult social care provision.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. Under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for services, including residential and nursing care, and must consider how providers might meet that demand. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including those related to the commissioning described above. As part of their assessment process, the CQC collects a range of evidence and engages directly with local authorities to inform assessment outcomes. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene.All reports are made available on the CQC’s website. Essex County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 27 June 2025 and can be found at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/essex-0625

What steps he is taking to increase residential and nursing care capacity to reduce the need for out-of-area placements.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. Under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for services, including residential and nursing care, and must consider how providers might meet that demand. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including those related to the commissioning described above. As part of their assessment process, the CQC collects a range of evidence and engages directly with local authorities to inform assessment outcomes. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene.All reports are made available on the CQC’s website. Essex County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 27 June 2025 and can be found at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/essex-0625

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled NHS patients and British businesses to benefit from historic changes to medicines access following pharmaceutical partnership with USA, published on 2 April 2026, what measures are in place to monitor whether the accelerated access to new treatments is translating into measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

The Department will continue to work with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and NHS England to monitor and assess access to medicines in the United Kingdom and to monitor patient outcomes through the NHS Outcomes Framework Indicators.There are no plans to routinely monitor the direct impact of accelerated access to new medicines on patient outcomes.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled NHS patients and British businesses to benefit from historic changes to medicines access following pharmaceutical partnership with USA, published on 2 April 2026, what modelling his Department has undertaken of the long-term cost implications for the NHS of the changes to medicines access and pricing.

The Department has already been clear that the estimated costs of the United Kingdom’s medicines pricing commitments are approximately £1 billion in England over the remaining three-years of the Spending Review. The final and longer-term costs of these changes will depend on future growth in spending on medicines.This is not something that we can pre-empt at this time as it depends on which drugs come to market and which are assessed as approved for use on the National Health Service accordingly.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled NHS patients and British businesses to benefit from historic changes to medicines access following pharmaceutical partnership with USA, published on 2 April 2026, what plans his Department has to report to Parliament on the outcomes of the partnership and its effects on NHS spending and patient access.

The Government has already enabled parliamentary scrutiny on this subject and will continue to follow standard processes to update Parliament on developments as appropriate.Members of Parliament continue to have the opportunity to table parliamentary questions on this subject.

What discussions he had had with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust about staff satisfaction levels.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not held direct discussions with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) on staff satisfaction levels.The wellbeing and staff satisfaction in EEAST is a priority, and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is committed to working with NHS England to support EEAST to deliver the urgent reforms required with staff and patient voices at the heart of our approach.EEAST is engaging with NHS England to oversee and support sustained momentum in delivering cultural change within ambulance trusts. NHS England central and regional teams are working closely with the trust on other actions to support the workforce more widely, including on safeguarding, mental health support, and external Freedom to Speak Up provision.

What steps he is taking to support the retention of ambulance service staff.

People working in the National Health Service do so because they want to make a significant difference in people's lives by providing great quality healthcare. In turn, we need to ensure that we support them throughout their careers, providing access to training and development, and that they can work in an environment that is supportive, rewarding and inclusive.NHS England already has an extensive retention programme that addresses matters that are important to staff such as good occupational health support, options for working more flexibly and better culture and leadership.Targeted retention work continues through the NHS Retention Programme, which works with trusts to help them understand why staff have left. This has focused on better support for line managers including a staff retention guide, improved support for new joiners to the NHS and enhanced support for staff going through the menopause.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will deliver this change by making sure that staff are better treated, have more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future. This includes the development of a new set of staff standards for modern employment which will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention, and which are likely to focus on flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance with national guidance on the monitoring of patients in accident and emergency waiting rooms.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 March 2026 to Question 110313.

What recent assessment he has made of awareness levels among teenagers and young adults regarding their risk of meningitis B.

In a 2023 survey of 1,003 teenagers aged 13 to 16 years old, when asked ‘How serious would it be if you got each of the following diseases?’ awareness of the seriousness of meningitis and septicaemia was very high. 98% of respondents answered that septicaemia would be very or fairly serious and 96% for meningitis. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/parental-attitudes-to-vaccination-in-young-children#what-young-people-and-their-parents-think-about-teenage-vaccination-in-englandA similar survey was completed in December 2025, and the summary findings from this survey will be published in the coming months. Information about the early signs of invasive meningococcal disease and septicaemia are available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/Further information about the outbreak in Kent is available at the following link:https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/18/meningitis-b-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know/The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published information via social media, news stories, and a blog to provide accurate information about invasive meningococcal disease.Charitable organisations, including Meningitis Now, have launched targeted campaigns to improve understanding of symptoms and promote vaccine uptake where available.The UKHSA and the National Health Service will continue to work with partners to promote awareness of invasive meningococcal disease symptoms, encourage vaccination where appropriate, and support young people in understanding how best to protect themselves.In addition to this work, the UKHSA produces a university vaccine communications toolkit in collaboration with charities and university organisations, which is available at the following link:https://find-public-health-resources.service.gov.uk/University%20vaccine%20communications%20toolkit/UNI24This document collates key messaging around vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases, including invasive meningococcal disease, and the resources freely available to universities and other higher education institutions to support key messaging. This is updated each year and shared with the distribution lists of Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education.

What steps is he taking to inform individuals born before 2015 that they are not routinely vaccinated against meningitis B.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) vaccine schedule links are covered in the UKHSA blog at the following link:https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/20/who-is-eligible-for-the-menb-vaccine-and-do-i-need-it-myself/This includes links to the teenage vaccine leaflet on the GOV.UK website on Immunisation for teenagers and young people, which states:“MenACWY vaccine does not protect against MenB. MenB is caused by different group of the bug which commonly affects young infants. A different vaccine, which protects against MenB, is given to very young babies. Some adults and older children considered at risk may be eligible on the NHS. You can find out more about how to get the MenB vaccine through the charity websites.”This is alongside the MenACWY vaccine leaflet, which states:“The MenACWY vaccine will increase your protection against MenC and help to protect you against three other meningococcal groups (A, W and Y). This vaccine will not protect you against all forms of meningococcal disease, like MenB, and so it is still important to be aware of signs and symptoms.”These leaflets can be accessed directly on the GOV.UK website, at the following two links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisations-for-young-peoplehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menacwy-vaccine-information-for-young-people

What information his Department holds on the average cost for individuals to obtain the MenB vaccine privately; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cost on vaccine uptake.

The UK Health Security Agency is not able to advise on the cost of meningococcal B vaccines on the private market. Private market supply and pricing is a matter for suppliers and those offering private vaccination services directly.

Pursuant to Answer of 23rd March 2026 to Question 115902, on Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards, what estimate he has made of the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in Accident and Emergency before being seen by a doctor.

The 12‑hour accident and emergency (A&E) performance metric recorded and reported by National Health Service trusts measures the time from a patient’s arrival in an emergency department to their admission, transfer, or discharge. This period includes triage, clinical assessments, diagnostics, and treatment, and patients may be seen by one or more clinicians during this time, or in some cases may not require assessment by a doctor depending on their acuity and care pathway.There is a national target that patients receive an initial clinical assessment within 15 minutes of arrival in A&E. This assessment considers patient acuity, ensuring those most unwell and at greatest risk are identified and prioritised, so that clinical oversight can be adjusted accordingly and to ensure the sickest patients are seen first.The Department does not hold an estimate of the number of patients who wait more than 12 hours in A&E before being seen by a doctor, as “being seen by a doctor” is not a data point that is routinely captured or reported.

Whether workforce levels in a) urgent treatment centres, b) same-day emergency care and c) NHS 111 are adequate to deliver the objectives of the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan.

Decisions on workforce levels and recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage resources at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What plans he has to introduce a catch-up MenB vaccination programme for those born before May 2015 who were not eligible for the routine infant programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI have been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent meningococcal B vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending MenB vaccinations to all teenagers and university students on public health.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI have been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent meningococcal B vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.

What the main causes of delays are between triage and clinical assessment in accident and emergency departments.

We remain committed to improving patient experience and reducing waiting times across all accident and emergency departments.While NHS England sets expectations that patients attending accident and emergency departments should receive an initial clinical assessment within 15 minutes, this is guidance rather than a target and as such, performance is not routinely monitored centrally for all trusts for all patients.Triage is a clinical assessment of a person's presenting need and urgency, and it can be part of the initial clinical assessment or completed prior to it, depending on patients' needs. We do not routinely collect data about the reasons for any delays between these two parts of clinical assessment, where they are conducted separately.NHS England continues to monitor urgent and emergency care performance through a range of indicators, including waiting times, time to treatment, and overall patient flow. Work is ongoing to improve timely assessment and care, including through investment in workforce, streaming models, and front-door clinical triage.

Whether the target for initial assessment within 15 minutes in accident and emergency departments is being met in each NHS trust.

We remain committed to improving patient experience and reducing waiting times across all accident and emergency departments.While NHS England sets expectations that patients attending accident and emergency departments should receive an initial clinical assessment within 15 minutes, this is guidance rather than a target and as such, performance is not routinely monitored centrally for all trusts for all patients.Triage is a clinical assessment of a person's presenting need and urgency, and it can be part of the initial clinical assessment or completed prior to it, depending on patients' needs. We do not routinely collect data about the reasons for any delays between these two parts of clinical assessment, where they are conducted separately.NHS England continues to monitor urgent and emergency care performance through a range of indicators, including waiting times, time to treatment, and overall patient flow. Work is ongoing to improve timely assessment and care, including through investment in workforce, streaming models, and front-door clinical triage.

What plans he has to make compliance with the Model Emergency Department mandatory for NHS trusts.

The Model Emergency Department, published in February 2026, sets out a consistent national framework describing the core principles and pathways of high-performing emergency departments, including a national model for extended emergency medicine ambulatory care. The approach is intended to support improved patient flow, lower waiting times, and reduced overcrowding. The guidance provides a shared national model to support greater consistency and faster decision-making across urgent and emergency care pathways, while maintaining local decision-making.We do not plan to make the Model Emergency Department mandatory for National Health Service trusts. We have developed a Model Emergency Department in partnership with clinical experts to enable trusts to implement the urgent and emergency care pathways that we know improve the quality and timeliness of care. On this basis would expect those trusts who are able to implement, to do so without the requirement to mandate.NHS England has asked providers to begin developing improvement plans aligned with the guidance, including demand and capacity modelling, with the aim of supporting consistent implementation from 2026/27.

What assessment he has made of the primary causes of care home closures in England.

The Department does not collect data on the causes of care home closures in England. Adult social care services are provided through a largely outsourced market of commercial organisations and charities. Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations, and to develop and build local market capacity.Care providers entering and exiting is a normal part of a functioning market, and local authorities should have appropriate contingency plans in place depending on the services being provided. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities also have a temporary duty to ensure continuity of care in the event of business failure. This means that people continue to receive the care and support they need if their adult social care provider is no longer able to carry on delivering services.

What estimate his Department has made of future demand for care home beds over the next ten years.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people.In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for such services and consider how providers might meet that demand.