Written questions by Toale.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for children's palliative care; and what plans he has to increase the level of funding available.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.In recognition of this, children and young people’s hospices will receive £26 million in revenue funding for 2025/26, once again via ICBs. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant.Additionally, we are also supporting both the child and adult hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for 2024/25 and 2025/26, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.In February, I met with key palliative care and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.

Whether he plans to include provisions in the NHS 10-Year Plan on the (a) funding, (b) planning, (c) provision and (d) commissioning at (i) national and (ii) regional level of children’s palliative care.

We want a society where every child and young person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care. It is too early to say exactly what the 10-Year Health Plan will look like, but we expect palliative and end of life care to benefit from the plan’s three big shifts.As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with extensive input at both national and regional levels. In February, I met key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders in a roundtable format with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan. Additionally, I recently met my Hon. Friend the Member for York Central, and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, to discuss the Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care’s first report. I welcome the report’s recent publication.

If he will make it his policy to include multi-year funding for voluntary sector providers of children’s (a) palliative care and (b) hospices in the NHS 10-Year Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will set out how the Government will fix our broken National Health Service. Too many babies, children, and young people, including those towards the end of their lives, are not receiving the support and care they deserve, and we know that waiting times for services are far too long. We are determined to change that, by changing the way services operate, rather than by simply funding more of the same.Whilst it is too soon to say what will be in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are continuing to support the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.

What progress his Department has made on ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.

The HIV Action Plan was published in 2022 and sets out steps to reduce HIV transmission between 2019 and 2025, including the importance of HIV testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for those who test positive, rapid access to treatment. The HIV Action Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025Between 2019 and 2023, the number of new HIV diagnoses increased slightly from 2,801 to 2,810, an increase of 0.3%. However, there was a 35% fall in new diagnoses in gay and bisexual men, from 1,242 in 2019 to 811 in 2023.A monitoring and evaluation framework was published on 1 December 2024 to summarise progress, and this framework is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-monitoring-and-evaluation-framework/hiv-action-plan-monitoring-and-evaluation-framework-2024-report#progress-towards-the-hiv-action-plan-ambitions-1A new HIV Action plan will be published by the end of 2025.

What data his Department holds on the number of people who were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in (a) Bournemouth and (b) South West England for each of the past five years.

The following table shows the number of HIV diagnoses, and the number of those diagnoses that were first diagnosed in the United Kingdom, for Bournemouth and the South West region, from 2019 to 2023:YearBournemouthSouth West region All HIV diagnosesOf which first diagnosed in UKAll HIV diagnosesOf which first diagnosed in UK201927192441672020231416811020212112135832022281822110220234815447165 Further information on the number of people diagnosed with HIV by local authority and health region is publicly available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/sexualhealth/data#page/4/gid/1938133286/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/6/are/E12000009/iid/91818/age/1/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-do-0

What steps his Department is taking to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission in (a) Bournemouth West constituency, (b) the South West and (c) areas with high prevalence of HIV.

The HIV Action Plan was published in 2022 and sets out steps to reduce HIV transmission between 2019 and 2025, including the importance of HIV testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for those who test positive, rapid access to treatment. A new HIV Action Plan will be published in 2025.The HIV Action Plan was written to be implemented at both the national and local level. The HIV Action Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for NHS services in Bournemouth West constituency.

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, including in the Bournemouth West constituency. We promised change, and we’ve delivered early, with a reduction in the list of over 190,000 pathways, and two million extra appointments provided.The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015.The newly published Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets a target that 65% of patients wait for 18 weeks or less by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.

What steps his Department is taking to help safeguard young people from drug and alcohol addiction in (a) England and (b) Bournemouth West constituency.

The most effective and sustainable approach to safeguarding children and young people from harm due to drugs and alcohol is by giving them the best start in life, and by keeping them safe, well, and happy. Our mission-based approach will ensure that every child has the best start in life, and that we create the healthiest generation of children ever. Statutory guidance on relationships, sex, and health education requires all primary and secondary schools to ensure that pupils know the key facts and risks associated with alcohol and drug use, as well as how to manage influences and pressure, in order to keep themselves healthy and safe. The Department has worked with the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education Association to develop lesson plans on alcohol and drugs and commissioned an update of the existing resources, which was published at the end of last year. The Government also has an alcohol and drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce alcohol and drug use and their harms by providing awareness to young people, parents, and concerned others. Further information on Talk to FRANK is available at the following link: https://www.talktofrank.com/ Children and families affected by parental alcohol and/or drug use can experience adverse health, social, and economic outcomes, which can continue for generations without effective interventions to break the cycle. The Department is continuing to invest in improvements to local alcohol and drug treatment services, to ensure that those in need can access high quality help and support. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. In addition to the Public Health Grant (PHG), in 2025/26, the Department is providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. 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-2026 In 2025/26, the Department is providing Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole with £3,023,086 through the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Recovery and Improvement Grant, which is on top of the amount the local authority invests in their drug and alcohol treatment and recovery system through the PHG. It is for the local authority to determine what proportion of that funding it spends on supporting children and young people. In 2023/24, there were 150 children and young people, those under 18 years old, who received support through specialist services in the area. In the year to January 2025, this had risen to 163.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of autism assessments in (a) England and (b) Bournemouth West constituency.

It is the responsibility of integrated care board (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnosis, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. In doing so, ICBs should take account of waiting lists, and should consider how local funding can be deployed to best meet the needs of their local population.On 5 April 2023, NHS England published national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation, and how they might overcome these.NHS England is also working with research organisations to explore evidence-based models that support improved outcomes for those people waiting for an autism assessment.The NHS Dorset ICB advises that it has conducted a review with local partners and people with lived experience to help develop plans to improve services. The ICB plans to introduce a local tool, which will be available to people working with children and young people, to identify their individual needs and provide support ahead of assessment. The ICB further advises that it is looking at creating additional assessment appointments over the next two years, while it develops a longer-term plan to create neurodiversity services which are fit for the future and provide all local people with the support they need.

What steps his Department is taking to improve adult social care provision in (a) England and (b) Bournemouth West constituency.

We recognise the challenges facing the adult social care system, and we are taking immediate action to improve the situation. These actions include:making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, including an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. The additional funding available to Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to £25.84 million, or up to 6.6% in cash terms;taking forward a range of initiatives in 2025/26, including funding more home adaptations, promoting better use of care technologies, and professionalising the adult social care workforce;increasing the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit in April 2025 from £151 a week to £196, to support our unpaid family carers;introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do; andlaunching an independent commission, which will begin in April 2025, as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. Chaired by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the commission will make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality care. The Department funds an annual programme of support to local authorities and their partners to help them improve the delivery of their statutory duties.

What information his Department holds on the number of pharmacies in (a) Bournemouth West constituency, (b) Dorset, (c) the South West and (d) England.

The NHS Business Services Authority publishes the consolidated pharmaceutical list every quarter, with further information available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-listThe following table shows the number of pharmacies, broken down by type, in Bournemouth West, Dorset, the South West, and England, as of 31 December 2024: Pharmacy typeBournemouth WestDorsetSouth WestEnglandCommunity pharmacies2013289510,023Distance selling pharmacies0319407Locally commissioned pharmacies00313Total2013591710,443

What the average waiting time was for (a) autism assessments and (b) SEND assessments in (i) Bournemouth West constituency, (b) Dorset and (c) the South West in the latest period for which data is available.

Information on autism assessments is not held centrally in the format requested, but may be held by individual providers or integrated care boards (ICBs). Some relevant information is available on autism assessment waiting times for the NHS Dorset ICB and the South West commissioning region.In the NHS Dorset ICB, the Autism Waiting Time Statistics published by NHS England show that there were a total of 1,000 patients, of all ages, with an open suspected autism referral in December 2024, the latest available data. The median waiting time of all patients in this ICB with an open suspected autism referral, where their first care contact was in the quarter, was 62 days in December 2024.In the South West commissioning region, the Autism Waiting Time Statistics show that there were a total of 23,030 patients, of all-ages, with an open suspected autism referral in December 2024. The median waiting time of all patients in the South West commissioning region with an open suspected autism referral, where their first care contact was in the quarter, was 548 days in December 2024. Caution should be used when interpreting these statistics, since they are experimental rather than official statistics.Schools decide whether a pupil has additional needs that warrant them being on the school's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) register. Some relevant information on waiting times for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with SEND is available from the GOV.UK website, with the latest data available being from 2023, at the following link:https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/3ba82524-3944-4f30-c442-08dd57945a2eIn Dorset, 60.2% of EHCPs, including exceptions, were issued within 20 weeks, and in the South West, 33.0% of EHCPs, including exceptions, were issued within 20 weeks.

What steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis times for young people with cancer in (a) England and (b) Dorset.

The Department is committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more patients survive this horrible set of diseases, including children and young people. To achieve this, the NHS has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with cancer.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including for children and young people with cancer, and will highlight how we aim to improve diagnosis rates for people in all parts of England, including Dorset.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of GP appointments in the Bournemouth West constituency.

We are committed to improving the capacity and access to general practice (GP) services across the country, including in the Bournemouth West constituency. Bournemouth West North sits within the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board. Since June 2024, there has been an 8.5% increase in GP appointments delivered, higher than the national average increase of 7.1% in the same period In October 2024, we put £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to enable the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England, which will increase the number of appointments delivered, and care for thousands of patients The Government has delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an £889 million uplift for 2025/26, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new contract, which includes key reforms to improve access, for instance by making sure patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.

What steps his Department is taking to improve ambulance waiting times in (a) Bournemouth West constituency, (b) Dorset, (c) the South West and (d) England.

Ambulance services in Bournemouth West, Dorset, and the South West are provided by the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, with commissioning responsibility for the services being a matter for the local NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board. Specific local actions to reduce ambulance waiting times should be undertaken and agreed locally by National Health Service organisations in the best interests of the local population and patients.At a national level, the Government and NHS England are committed to improving ambulance response times. The NHS 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance set national priorities, which include improving accident and emergency waiting times and ambulance response times compared to 2024/25.

How many families are receiving Healthy Start in Bournemouth West constituency.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthcare-professionals/ The NHSBSA does not hold data on the number of families receiving Healthy Start, or on local constituencies specifically. The number of people on the scheme in March 2025 for all ward areas within Birmingham, Christchurch, and Poole was 1,507.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of dementia diagnosis rates in (a) England and (b) Dorset.

We are committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate (DDR) to the national ambition of 66.7%, which in England, at the end of February 2025, was 65.4%. To support the implementation of the Dementia Care Pathway, we have developed a memory service dashboard to support commissioners and providers with appropriate data on the diagnostic pathway and enable targeted support where needed.To aid dementia diagnosis and provision of support in care homes, NHS England has funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region (14 sites) to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate protocol. Learning is currently being shared and promoted with regional and local partners following an impact assessment of the pilots.Published data collated in February 2025 shows that the South West region has diagnosed 61.2% of the expected prevalence. The current DDR in Dorset is 57%. Dorset Integrated Care System is finalising a formal Dementia Diagnosis Review with the aim of establishing a fully co-produced model, from pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis, to improve the offer to their local population.

How many and what proportion of patients received urgent cancer treatment within 62 days of a GP referral in Dorset integrated care board since October 2023.

There were 642 diagnoses of cancer within Bournemouth West constituency between January 2024 and December 2024. Between October 2023 and December 2024, within the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), there have been 7,157 patients treated. Across this time, 69.2% of those treated were within the 62-day target. Performance as of December 2024 for Dorset ICB is 73.2% and exceeding the 70% recovery target.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of mental health services in Bournemouth West constituency.

It is the responsibility of the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board to make available adequate and appropriate provision to meet the mental health needs of the people in Bournemouth.Nationally, we know that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services across England are too long.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, introduce open access Young Futures hubs in communities, and recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.We have also committed £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on the busy mental health and accident and emergency services, and ensuring people have the support they need when they need it.

How many cases of cancer were diagnosed within Bournemouth West constituency in the most recent year for which data is available.

There were 642 diagnoses of cancer within Bournemouth West constituency between January 2024 and December 2024. Between October 2023 and December 2024, within the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), there have been 7,157 patients treated. Across this time, 69.2% of those treated were within the 62-day target. Performance as of December 2024 for Dorset ICB is 73.2% and exceeding the 70% recovery target.