Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

What assessment he has made of the level of support available to children with situational mutism in Chichester constituency.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of NHS pathways for patients with Long Covid, in particular the extent to which current service structures allow for an overall or holistic clinical view of the condition.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to (a) reduce waiting times for Parkinson's diagnosis and (b) help attract, train and retain specialist healthcare professionals for Parkinson’s.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Multi‑Specialty Recruitment Assessment for specialties beyond General Practice; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of its use on applicant numbers in those specialties.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to a) secure alternative treatments for people at risk of adrenal crisis following the discontinuation of hydrocortisone sodium phosphate solution and b) help ensure that people with adrenal insufficiency have timely access to appropriate emergency steroid treatment.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Isle of Wight West on 22 April 2026 to Question 126862.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of NICE's severity modifier on access to drugs for secondary breast cancer patients.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 3 March 2026 to Question 114336.

What steps he is taking to improve access to cardiac screening for young people.

The Government recognises how worrying heart health can be for the families of young people. That is why the National Health Service already offers cardiac tests for young people who present with symptoms that could indicate a cardiac issue.However, testing young people without symptoms would be classed as a screening programme. It is vital that screening policy is based on robust scientific evidence, as screening can also cause harm.In considering whether any screening programme should be introduced, the Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. Where the committee is confident that offering screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.The UK NSC last reviewed screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019. The conclusion of that review was that population screening should not be offered, as research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use on young people with no symptoms.Current evidence suggests that introducing population-level screening for sudden cardiac death would cause harm by misdiagnosing some people, which could lead to some people being prescribed medication that they don’t need or undergoing medical procedures that they don’t need, such as having an implantable defibrillator fitted. It could lead to people living in fear of sudden cardiac death when they’re not at risk, and potentially making life-changing decisions, such as giving up exercise, which could have a negative long-term impact on their health.The UK NSC is due to open a public consultation to seek comments from members of the public and stakeholders on screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death later this spring, and we would encourage those with an interest to contribute.

What steps he is taking to ensure that brand‑specific prescribing is matched by adequate supply and distribution arrangements.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe, including whether to prescribe by brand name or generically, are clinical decisions made following discussion with a patient.Where a prescriber specifies a particular brand or supplier because it is clinically necessary, for example due to side effects or allergies, pharmacies are required to dispense that specific product.Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes, or distribution issues and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand.

If he will take steps to address the potential impact of brand‑specific prescribing on the availability of medication at pharmacies.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe, including whether to prescribe by brand name or generically, are clinical decisions made following discussion with a patient.Where a prescriber specifies a particular brand or supplier because it is clinically necessary, for example due to side effects or allergies, pharmacies are required to dispense that specific product.Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes, or distribution issues and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand.

Whether his Department has explored the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnostics.

Most modern electrocardiogram (ECG) machines already include algorithm-based decision support to assist with interpretation and to generate an automated report. As with all diagnostic tests, any automated output must be interpreted by a suitably qualified clinician in the context of the individual patient’s clinical presentation. The Government is engaging with partners developing enhanced ECG technologies, to support wider adoption as evidence and readiness allow.

What assessment he has made of the level of support available to children with situational mutism in Chichester constituency.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

When self-referral to community audiologists will be enabled on the NHS app.

The Government is committed to enabling patients to access digital health and care services to manage their health. As part of its work to support self-referral services for National Health Service patients in the musculoskeletal community, the Government is assessing how to develop these services for other communities, including those of audiologists. Work is expected to take place this financial year and will consider whether the NHS App is the best mechanism for self-referral.

What assessment he has made of the impact of mandatory Advice and Guidance requirements on ensuring that appropriate referrals for endometriosis are not delayed or blocked.

The GP Contract does not mandate the use of Advice and Guidance (A&G) in all circumstances. Instead, as per the Medium-Term Planning Framework published in October 2025, providers are expected to prioritise A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral for at least ten specialties, selected locally for greatest overall benefit and to shape delivery of elective pathways. General practice should be involved in discussions to decide on which ten specialties are the most appropriate. This does not take away a GP’s right to refer, which remains a matter of clinical judgement. This reflects longstanding planned‑care referral practice and does not alter existing legal or professional accountability frameworks for GPs.A&G is designed to support quicker, clearer clinical decision making, by enabling GPs and specialists to discuss and agree the most appropriate next steps for a patient, including those with or suspected to have endometriosis. Where the outcome of advice is for care management in the community, we expect patients to be seen more quickly, closer to home, benefiting from earlier specialist input. In these cases, the GP may still subsequently refer their patient at any point if they have concerns.The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy commits to speeding up diagnosis and access to treatment for women with endometriosis. The strategy announces a new programme to improve education for girls about their menstrual health, investing an additional £1 million to support targeted work in schools and community settings to support girls’ knowledge about menstrual health and when to seek healthcare. This is an important factor to delays in diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a modern service framework for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs). The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

What discussions his Department has had with the Department of State for Education on the recognition of the Pathological Demand Avoidance profile within assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions on a wide range of matters, including with other departments.Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is most often understood as a characteristic of, or observed in, some autistic people, but professional consensus on its status is still required. PDA is not a recognised and ‘stand-alone’ diagnosis within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Disease.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessment services for autistic people, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.The NICE guideline Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis, recommends that as part of autism assessments healthcare workers should consider PDA and carry out appropriate referrals.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in infant formula prices on families.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that infant formula prices have risen significantly in recent years, and stakeholder evidence highlighted risks such as unsafe feeding practices and food insecurity among families struggling to afford formula. It is vital that families who cannot or choose not to breastfeed have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality.Infant formula regulations set robust nutritional and compositional standards, which means that all infant formulas for sale in the United Kingdom are suitable for meeting the nutritional requirements of babies, regardless of price or brand. These regulations do not control or set the price of infant formula.In December 2025, the four governments of the UK published their joint response to the CMA’s market study on the infant and follow-on formula market, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infant-formula-government-response-to-cma-market-studyThis sets out a package of measures that will help give parents and carers the confidence to choose lower priced products, encourage manufacturers and retailers to compete more on price, and remove unnecessary barriers to affordability. Switching from the most expensive product to the cheapest could save up to £540 over the first year of an infant’s life.Measures include providing greater clarity on when and how vouchers, gift cards, and loyalty or reward schemes can be used to buy infant formula, and updated guidance on this point will be published shortly.Other measures to support families include the Government’s Healthy Start Scheme, which aims to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. In April 2026 we will increase the value of Healthy Start weekly payments by 10% to £4.65, from £4.25, for pregnant women and children over one and under four years old, and to £9.30, from £8.50, for children under one years old. This will boost support for those families who need it the most. Healthy Start funding can be used to buy, or be put towards, the cost of fruit, vegetables, milk, and infant formula.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Chichester constituency compared with national averages; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

Data is available for emergency finished admission episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Chichester and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS-commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)Chichester1,305975England612,855511,558Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England. Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Chichester is available at the following link: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/6/ati/501/are/E07000225/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1 The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Whether his Department has reviewed the effects of device use, including tablets, amongst young children on speech and language development.

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education are working jointly to produce and publish new advice for parents and carers on the impacts of screen use on the health and development of children aged zero to five years old, including speech and language development. An expert group of child health and development specialists has been convened to review the evidence and produce a report for the Government. The Government’s advice for parents and carers will be informed by this report, our Call for Evidence, and direct engagement with parents and carers. The advice will be published by 1 April 2026.There is an emerging evidence base focusing on device use amongst children. However, many factors influence children’s development and there is limited evidence on the causal relationship between screen use and children’s health and development. We continue to learn from ongoing studies collecting data about young children, including the Department for Education’s Children of the 2020s longitudinal study, with further information available at the following link:https://children2020s.ipsos.com/This study found that higher screentime at two years old was independently associated with lower vocabulary development, and higher emotional and behaviour problems. However, other important factors such as economic circumstances and the child’s wider home learning environment also impact these outcomes and may influence why a family uses devices more.

Whether data on triple-negative breast cancer is used to identify variation in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes between i) regions and ii) NHS trusts.

The National Cancer Plan was published on 4 February 2026 and sets out how data will be collected and used to transform healthcare productivity, spot delays, and improve outcomes. This will build directly on the 10-Year Health Plan’s mission to make data the backbone of a modern, responsive National Health Service.The plan commits to improve cancer waiting times by providing trusts and Cancer Alliances with more granular and actionable data including disaggregated data for specific cancer types, real‑time pathway analytics via the Federated Data Platform, and streamlined cancer metrics to expose unwarranted variation. Trust boards will receive regular performance reports, and clearer public reporting, including more transparent league‑table style data, which will strengthen accountability and drive faster improvement.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of NHS posts available to doctors completing Foundation Year 2 in addition to the measures set out in the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill.

We set out in the 10-Year Health Plan for England that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts, with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.This Government is committed to training the staff we need, including doctors, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.