Written questions by McMurdock.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of disparities in therapy provision for children with hemiplegia across integrated care boards on those children.

The Government recognises the importance of access to therapy for children with neuromuscular disorders like hemiplegia, and that early intervention is shown to be the most effective.NHS England’s service specification for paediatric neurodisability services outlines that paediatric specialist neurodisability services should be delivered by paediatricians trained in neurodisability and neurology who will be the core deliverers of care. They should have a multidisciplinary team working with them comprised of a paediatric physiotherapist, a paediatric occupational therapist, and a paediatric speech and language therapist, among others.The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, has recently funded a research project with King’s College London on transforming early rehabilitation for children with hemiplegia. The Parents as Partners in Rehabilitation project was designed to enhance support for parents, providing them with the tools and guidance to take an active role in their child’s rehabilitation and giving them the confidence to deliver therapy at home. The project has brought families and clinicians together to co-design a practical, evidence-based guide to support parents partnering with therapists to continue delivering evidence-based intensive upper limb interventions at home, following hands-on learning in the clinic.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of delayed access to intensive therapy for children with hemiplegia on those children in the long-term.

The Government recognises the importance of access to therapy for children with neuromuscular disorders like hemiplegia, and that early intervention is shown to be the most effective.NHS England’s service specification for paediatric neurodisability services outlines that paediatric specialist neurodisability services should be delivered by paediatricians trained in neurodisability and neurology who will be the core deliverers of care. They should have a multidisciplinary team working with them comprised of a paediatric physiotherapist, a paediatric occupational therapist, and a paediatric speech and language therapist, among others.The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, has recently funded a research project with King’s College London on transforming early rehabilitation for children with hemiplegia. The Parents as Partners in Rehabilitation project was designed to enhance support for parents, providing them with the tools and guidance to take an active role in their child’s rehabilitation and giving them the confidence to deliver therapy at home. The project has brought families and clinicians together to co-design a practical, evidence-based guide to support parents partnering with therapists to continue delivering evidence-based intensive upper limb interventions at home, following hands-on learning in the clinic.

What the total value of compensation paid for emergency medicine negligence claims has been in each of the last three years.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR publishes data for payments made for their clinical schemes in their Supplementary Annual Statistics (SAS), which are available at the following link:Supplementary-Annual-Statistics-NHS-Resolution-2024-25-ACC-CHECKED-V4.xlsx.These tables include payments made in each relevant year for damages and legal costs, and average damages and legal costs.Please note that the values for payments reported for each year in the SAS will be different from those reported in the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA). One of the differences is that our SAS dataset will take into account the periodical payment order (PPO) payments paid after the settlement year, the ARA will not. Future PPO payments, due after 31 March 2025 are not included in the data provided to this request.Sheet 6 of the Additional Annual Statistics shows the total damages value of settled clinical claims by speciality as of 31 March 2025, including ‘Emergency Medicine’. The Additional Annual Statistics are available at the following link:https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fresolution.nhs.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FAdditional-Annual-Statistics-NHS-Resolution-2024_25-ACC-CHECKEDv2.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINKThere is a detailed explanatory note which sets out the detail of what the damages value covers.Also, in 2022 NHSR published a thematic review about learning from emergency medicine compensation claims, which can be found at the following link:https://resolution.nhs.uk/2022/03/28/learning-from-emergency-medicine-compensation-claims/

Pursuant to Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 110313 on NHS: Standards, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the variation between NHS trusts in protocols for monitoring patients after initial triage.

Patients are triaged upon initial entry to accident and emergency departments, after which their condition and any deterioration is monitored through observation at clinically appropriate intervals. How this happens and how often is down to local clinical decision making and governance.There is a national target that patients receive an initial assessment within 15 minutes of arrival in accident and emergency. 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.On 9 February 2026 NHS England published guidance on the Model Emergency Department, which is intended to set out a consistent national framework by defining the core principles and pathways of high‑performing emergency departments. The guidance recognises that there is variation in how emergency departments operate across National Health Service trusts, reflecting differences in local populations, clinical judgement, and governance arrangements.The Model Emergency Department does not remove local decision‑making, but provides a shared national model, including extended emergency medicine ambulatory care, to support greater consistency, faster decision‑making across urgent and emergency care pathways, and stronger whole‑system responsibility for performance. This approach is intended to improve patient experience and patient flow, with lower waiting times and reduced overcrowding.

Pursuant to Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 110313 on NHS: Standards, whether any national guidance exists on the reassessment of patients whose clinical condition deteriorates while waiting in Accident and Emergency departments.

Patients are triaged upon initial entry to accident and emergency departments, after which their condition and any deterioration is monitored through observation at clinically appropriate intervals. How this happens and how often is down to local clinical decision making and governance.There is a national target that patients receive an initial assessment within 15 minutes of arrival in accident and emergency. 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.On 9 February 2026 NHS England published guidance on the Model Emergency Department, which is intended to set out a consistent national framework by defining the core principles and pathways of high‑performing emergency departments. The guidance recognises that there is variation in how emergency departments operate across National Health Service trusts, reflecting differences in local populations, clinical judgement, and governance arrangements.The Model Emergency Department does not remove local decision‑making, but provides a shared national model, including extended emergency medicine ambulatory care, to support greater consistency, faster decision‑making across urgent and emergency care pathways, and stronger whole‑system responsibility for performance. This approach is intended to improve patient experience and patient flow, with lower waiting times and reduced overcrowding.

Whether he plans to introduce national service standards for Patient Advice and Liaison Services.

No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues affecting NHS patients informally and, in some areas, formally through the NHS complaints process. It is for NHS trusts to determine the provision of PALS within their hospitals.The 10-Year Health Plan committed the Department and NHS England to improving the handling of patient complaints, including to update of complaint regulations. It is intended that this will also consider related matters, such as the introduction of new forms of feedback and the role of PALS. This will be within the portfolio of the new National Director for Patient Experience, for which recruitment will soon be underway.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of variation between NHS trusts in the a) operation and b) resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services.

No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues affecting NHS patients informally and, in some areas, formally through the NHS complaints process. It is for NHS trusts to determine the provision of PALS within their hospitals.The 10-Year Health Plan committed the Department and NHS England to improving the handling of patient complaints, including to update of complaint regulations. It is intended that this will also consider related matters, such as the introduction of new forms of feedback and the role of PALS. This will be within the portfolio of the new National Director for Patient Experience, for which recruitment will soon be underway.

What steps he is taking to improve access to treatment and engagement with services for people experiencing alcohol dependence in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with an alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, including in South Basildon and East Thurrock, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their alcohol and drug treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners. From 2026/27, all alcohol and drug treatment and recovery funding will be ringfenced and channelled through the Public Health Grant. Through the ringfenced funding, Essex will receive £11,023,044 in 2026/27 and indicative totals of £11,247,572 and £11,466,588 for 2027/28 and 2028/29 respectively. Thurrock will receive £1,588,644 in 2026/27 and indicative totals of £1,621,003 and £1,652,567 for 2027/28 and 2028/29 respectively.The Department, with the support of partners from the devolved administrations, has developed and published the first ever United Kingdom clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment. This is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/clinical-guidelines-for-alcohol-treatmentThe aim of the guidelines is to promote and support good practice and improve the quality of service provision, resulting in better outcomes for people experiencing harmful drinking and alcohol dependence.

Pursuant to his Department's press release entitled Health service to save millions with boost to electrify NHS fleet, by what date he anticipates the electrification of the NHS fleet of ambulances will complete.

The 10-Year Health Plan committed to support the National Health Service’s Net Zero ambitions. This includes NHS England’s Net Zero travel and transport strategy, published in 2023, which set a target date of 2040 for full decarbonisation of the NHS fleet, including ambulances.

Pursuant to his Department's press release entitled Health service to save millions with boost to electrify NHS fleet, published on 27 February 2026, by what date the additional hundreds of EV charging sockets funded by the £4 million boost will be installed across NHS sites in England; and how many of those are in Essex.

This £4 million in capital funding will be provided via a budget transfer from the Department for Transport to the Department of Health and Social Care in the financial year 2026/27, and capital will only be available for projects in that year. Projects have not yet been selected, and NHS England is leading the selection process, working in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.

What proportion of doctors completing general practice speciality training remained practising in NHS general practices three years after qualification, in each of the last five years.

This data is not held by the Department or NHS England.

Pursuant to Answer of 20th February 2026 to Question 109501, for what reason some NHS overseas cost recovery claims take up to four years to settle.

Deadlines for settling claims between the United Kingdom and member states are set out in the implementing provisions of the UK’s agreements with the European Union, the European Economic Area, and with European Free Trade Association states, namely Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. These agreements include common rules for settling claims between states which have Social Security Coordination agreements. The relevant articles in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are SSCI.47 to SSCI.54, and there are similar provisions in all relevant agreements. The use of common provisions and processing requirements facilitate operational delivery. Further information on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukeu-and-eaec-trade-and-cooperation-agreement-ts-no82021Under article SSCI.52 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, states have 12 months from the end of the calendar half-year when claims were recorded in accounts to introduce a claim. There are then 36 months to resolve any disputes between the UK and the relevant member state. Agreements require that reimbursements are made as promptly as possible, but these deadlines reflect the complexity of some cases and the volume of claims processed.Where agreement is not reached within this period, an independent committee provides a resolution process for any dispute between the UK and member states within the terms of the agreements. It is not possible to provide validated data relating to claims over four years as the status of these claims is continuously changing as they are settled, meet settlement deadlines, or go through the resolution process.

Pursuant to Answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 109501 on Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements, how many NHS overseas cost recovery claims remain outstanding after four years; and what the total value is of those claims.

Deadlines for settling claims between the United Kingdom and member states are set out in the implementing provisions of the UK’s agreements with the European Union, the European Economic Area, and with European Free Trade Association states, namely Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. These agreements include common rules for settling claims between states which have Social Security Coordination agreements. The relevant articles in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are SSCI.47 to SSCI.54, and there are similar provisions in all relevant agreements. The use of common provisions and processing requirements facilitate operational delivery. Further information on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukeu-and-eaec-trade-and-cooperation-agreement-ts-no82021Under article SSCI.52 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, states have 12 months from the end of the calendar half-year when claims were recorded in accounts to introduce a claim. There are then 36 months to resolve any disputes between the UK and the relevant member state. Agreements require that reimbursements are made as promptly as possible, but these deadlines reflect the complexity of some cases and the volume of claims processed.Where agreement is not reached within this period, an independent committee provides a resolution process for any dispute between the UK and member states within the terms of the agreements. It is not possible to provide validated data relating to claims over four years as the status of these claims is continuously changing as they are settled, meet settlement deadlines, or go through the resolution process.

What steps is he taking to improve patient flow between emergency departments and inpatient wards.

Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan set out 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. We are aiming for 78% of patients to be seen in in four hours this year, meaning over 800,000 people will receive more timely care. Building on this, the NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework sets out a clear trajectory to improve urgent and emergency care performance year-on-year, reducing long waits and improving patient flow. In February, we published guidance on the Model Emergency Department, setting out the core principles and pathways for high-performing emergency departments. The guidance includes a national model for extended emergency medicine ambulatory care and is intended to support faster decision-making across urgent and emergency care pathways, whilst strengthening whole-system responsibility for performance. This will improve patient experience and patient flow, with lower waiting times and less overcrowding.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Patients to benefit from improved access to dental appointments, published on 21 February 2026, what steps he is taking to help ensure that high street dentists offer the additional urgent appointments.

The Government is committed to ensuring people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, integrated care boards (ICBs) have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. We will ensure a continued urgent care safety net by requiring, from April 2026, high street dentists to deliver 8.2% of their total contract value as urgent or unscheduled care.We are broadening the scope of the commitment to deliver additional appointments so that they can be used for more patients, not just those who meet the clinical criteria for “urgent” care. Additionally, we are increasing the urgent care payment to dentists from an average of £42 to £75 so that reimbursement better incentivises dentists to deliver the care patients need.ICBs already have capacity in place for urgent dental care and can now consider where capacity could be more effectively used, ahead of the April 2026 reforms that will embed urgent care requirements into all high‑street dental contracts. NHS England has written to ICBs with further information on the commissioning of the additional dental appointments.

What assessment he has made of trends since 2021 in the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in Accident and Emergency departments.

No such assessment has been made. NHS England began publishing data on number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in accident and emergency (A&E) departments in February 2023. The data is 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/For Type 1 and Type 2 attendances, the proportion of patients spending more than 12 hours in A&E during the 12 months to February 2026 was 10.1%. This represents an improvement of 0.2 percentage points compared to the figure of 10.3% recorded in the 12 months to June 2024.

What steps he is taking to improve transparency in reporting patient harm occurring in accident and emergency departments.

The Government is committed to transparency in reporting patient harm in the National Health Service. The Learn from Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) service allows frontline workers in NHS providers to record and analyse their own patient safety incidents in order to identify trends. At the national level, NHS England reviews hundreds of incidents each week via LFPSE, looking for risks that can be acted on, including by issuing National Patient Safety Alerts and collaborating with partners to address issues identified.We recognise that urgent and emergency care performance has not consistently met expectations in recent years and are committed to restoring the waiting standards set out in the NHS Constitution by the end of this Parliament, as outlined in the Medium-Term Planning Framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/NHS England has also published guidance on the Model Emergency Department, setting out core principles and pathways for high-performing emergency departments, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/the-model-emergency-department-high-performing-urgent-and-emergency-care-pathways/We are also taking action to tackle corridor care by introducing new reporting arrangements and committing to publishing data on its prevalence for the first time, improving transparency and driving operational improvement. Where corridor care cannot be avoided, updated guidance has been published to support trusts to deliver it safely, while maintaining patient dignity and privacy. The updated guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/principles-for-providing-patient-care-in-corridors/

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of regional variations in access to (a) nursing and (b) residential home spaces for patients waiting to be discharged.

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. This includes ensuring sufficient rehabilitation and recovery capacity to support timely and safe discharge for people with more complex needs, including those who may require a new nursing or residential home placement where appropriate.The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements. Additionally, through the Better Care Fund, over £9 billion is provided for 2025/26 for the National Health Service and local authorities to work jointly towards agreed goals on reducing discharge delays.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on reducing long-stay hospital delays caused by social care capacity.

The Department works closely with NHS England on reducing long-stay hospital delays including those caused by social care capacity. Though the Better Care Fund (BCF) the Government provides over £9 billion to be used jointly by the National Health Service and local authorities towards achieving agreed goals for reducing discharge delays.Local systems have been asked to place a particular focus on reducing bed occupancy and improving patient flow. We have asked National Health Service trusts to work with local authorities on eliminating the longest days, including those caused by waiting for care packages. Areas facing the most significant pressures are receiving targeted support to improve discharge performance.Updated BCF guidance published in February sets out arrangements to further support timely discharge from hospital including focussing on services that help people regain independence. The updated BCF guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-care-fund-framework-2026-to-2027/better-care-fund-framework-2026-to-2027

What steps he is taking to help increase the number of (a) nursing and (b) residential home placements.

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. This includes ensuring sufficient rehabilitation and recovery capacity to support timely and safe discharge for people with more complex needs, including those who may require a new nursing or residential home placement where appropriate.The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements. Additionally, through the Better Care Fund, over £9 billion is provided for 2025/26 for the National Health Service and local authorities to work jointly towards agreed goals on reducing discharge delays.