Written questions by Robertson.

What steps his Department is taking to improve community support to help tackle the number of people with (a) a learning disability and (b) autism in inpatient units.

National Health Service planning guidance, published on 30 January 2025, includes a focus on improving mental health and learning disability care and contains the objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2025/26. Investment has been provided each year to enable local areas to develop community intensive support teams, community forensic teams, and 24/7 crisis response for people with a learning disability and autistic people. For the 2025/2026 financial year, there is continued funding within integrated care board (ICB) baselines for people with a learning disability and autistic people. ICBs should prioritise continuing to invest in reducing reliance on inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people, in line with the 2025/26 NHS operating planning guidance.The Mental Health Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 24 April 2025, following its recent passage through the House of Lords. Through the bill, we propose taking forward a package of measures to improve care and to keep people out of hospitals. Subject to Parliamentary agreement, measures around Dynamic Support Registers and Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews, and new duties on commissioners will help to ensure that there is an appropriate level of community support in future.

With reference to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 42145 Community Health Services: Medical Equipment, what data his Department holds on the number of contracts agreed between local NHS procuring authorities with community equipment providers in the last five years.

Neither the Department or NHS England hold data on contracts agreed between local National Health Service procuring authorities and community equipment providers.

Whether his Department's postgraduate training review will consider the level of access to training opportunities available to international medical graduates.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.To reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest.The Medical Training Review is overseen by NHS England’s National Medical Director and the Chief Medical Officer. The review will hear about best practice, listen to concerns, including issues around training pathways and the capacity, quality, and inclusivity of training, and will explore ideas and thoughts about how postgraduate medical training could evolve for the future. An engagement exercise will run through to June this year, with findings to be reported in the summer.

Whether the revised Long-Term Workforce Plan will include a detailed plan for (a) meeting demand for training and (b) resolving competition ratios in the NHS.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.To reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest.The Medical Training Review is overseen by NHS England’s National Medical Director and the Chief Medical Officer. The review will hear about best practice, listen to concerns, including issues around training pathways and the capacity, quality, and inclusivity of training, and will explore ideas and thoughts about how postgraduate medical training could evolve for the future. An engagement exercise will run through to June this year, with findings to be reported in the summer.

What the cost to the NHS is for cross solent travel for (a) patients, (b) ambulance transport and (c) staff annually.

Information at this level of detail is not held centrally.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals. Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived. We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent community pharmacy closures in (a) rural and (b) deprived areas.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals. Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived. We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle instances of inequitable access to pharmacies across geographic areas.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals. Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived. We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure equitable access to pharmacies across geographic areas, in the context of pharmacy closures.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system, and the Government recognises the integral role they play within our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals. Community pharmacies are private businesses that provide NHS funded services. Most pharmacies are not directly commissioned or contracted by the NHS, instead contractors apply to gain entry to the NHS pharmaceutical list, and if an application is approved, a pharmacy can open and start providing services. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies, and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services. In general, despite a reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years, patient access to pharmacies remains good and continues to be better in the most deprived areas when compared with the least deprived. We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

What steps his Department plans to take to support community pharmacy through the 10-year plan.

This Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift.As part of the work to develop a 10 Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.

What assessment his Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of using (a) drones and (b) traditional delivery methods for medical logistics.

The Government is committed to innovation in drones and other growth sectors, and work is ongoing across the Government, including between the Department and the Civil Aviation Authority, to support the safe and effective introduction of drones into medical logistics. Further information on the Government’s support for drones is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-20-million-to-help-drones-and-flying-taxis-take-to-uk-skiesLast year, the Department of Health and Social Care, working in collaboration with the Department for Transport, Innovate UK, and UK Research and Innovation, supported five pilot projects, allocating them a total of £500,000, to explore the use of drones in the National Health Service. Given the potential of drones to improve how the NHS delivers patient care, the Department of Health and Social Care is supportive of trials that explore the use of drones in medical logistics. Recent drone trials in the NHS have included pathology deliveries in Cornwall, blood deliveries in London, and the transport of chemotherapy to the Isle of Wight, where drone use reduced journey times from four hours by road and sea to a 30-minute flight.The Department of Health and Social Care continuously reviews the available evidence surrounding the use of drones in medical logistics and is supportive of new trials to further build this evidence base.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of drone regulation to support the delivery of (a) blood, (b) organs, (c) pharmaceuticals and (d) other medical supplies within the NHS.

The Government is committed to innovation in drones and other growth sectors, and work is ongoing across the Government, including between the Department and the Civil Aviation Authority, to support the safe and effective introduction of drones into medical logistics. Further information on the Government’s support for drones is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-20-million-to-help-drones-and-flying-taxis-take-to-uk-skiesLast year, the Department of Health and Social Care, working in collaboration with the Department for Transport, Innovate UK, and UK Research and Innovation, supported five pilot projects, allocating them a total of £500,000, to explore the use of drones in the National Health Service. Given the potential of drones to improve how the NHS delivers patient care, the Department of Health and Social Care is supportive of trials that explore the use of drones in medical logistics. Recent drone trials in the NHS have included pathology deliveries in Cornwall, blood deliveries in London, and the transport of chemotherapy to the Isle of Wight, where drone use reduced journey times from four hours by road and sea to a 30-minute flight.The Department of Health and Social Care continuously reviews the available evidence surrounding the use of drones in medical logistics and is supportive of new trials to further build this evidence base.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32596 on Psychiatric Hospitals: Autism and Learning Disability, where the commitment has been documented; and what steps his Department has taken to communicate this to people working in the health and social care system.

The 2025/26 NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance was published on 30 January 2025. It includes a focus on improving mental health and learning disability care and contains the objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2025/26.Updates on the planning guidance have been provided at NHS England’s monthly Mental Health (MH) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Forum, attended by the vast majority of MH CEO’s or their deputies. NHS England also hosted a face-to-face planning guidance session and a question-and-answer session with MH CEOs in London.

What steps his Department is taking to integrate drone technology into existing NHS logistics and emergency response frameworks.

The Government is committed to innovation in drones and other growth sectors, and work is ongoing across the Government, including between the Department and the Civil Aviation Authority, to support the safe and effective introduction of drones into medical logistics. Further information on the Government’s support for drones is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-20-million-to-help-drones-and-flying-taxis-take-to-uk-skiesLast year, the Department of Health and Social Care, working in collaboration with the Department for Transport, Innovate UK, and UK Research and Innovation, supported five pilot projects, allocating them a total of £500,000, to explore the use of drones in the National Health Service. Given the potential of drones to improve how the NHS delivers patient care, the Department of Health and Social Care is supportive of trials that explore the use of drones in medical logistics. Recent drone trials in the NHS have included pathology deliveries in Cornwall, blood deliveries in London, and the transport of chemotherapy to the Isle of Wight, where drone use reduced journey times from four hours by road and sea to a 30-minute flight.The Department of Health and Social Care continuously reviews the available evidence surrounding the use of drones in medical logistics and is supportive of new trials to further build this evidence base.

Which body will be responsible for allocating the existing NHS capital grant funding programme for housing for people with (a) a learning disability and (b) autism, in the context of the abolition of NHS England.

The Government is committed to reducing the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people who are inpatients in mental health hospitals. High quality, safe, and suitable homes can help people stay independent and healthy for longer.Work is progressing at pace to map functions, including grant allocations, appraise options and inform decision making on where NHS England’s current functions will best sit in the future. There are important choices to be made, and Ministers and senior departmental officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation.

What discussions his Department has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on (a) the regulatory framework for Beyond Visual Line of Sight drone operations and (b) how this impacts NHS and emergency service deployments.

The Government is committed to innovation in drones and other growth sectors, and work is ongoing across the Government, including between the Department and the Civil Aviation Authority, to support the safe and effective introduction of drones into medical logistics. Further information on the Government’s support for drones is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-20-million-to-help-drones-and-flying-taxis-take-to-uk-skiesLast year, the Department of Health and Social Care, working in collaboration with the Department for Transport, Innovate UK, and UK Research and Innovation, supported five pilot projects, allocating them a total of £500,000, to explore the use of drones in the National Health Service. Given the potential of drones to improve how the NHS delivers patient care, the Department of Health and Social Care is supportive of trials that explore the use of drones in medical logistics. Recent drone trials in the NHS have included pathology deliveries in Cornwall, blood deliveries in London, and the transport of chemotherapy to the Isle of Wight, where drone use reduced journey times from four hours by road and sea to a 30-minute flight.The Department of Health and Social Care continuously reviews the available evidence surrounding the use of drones in medical logistics and is supportive of new trials to further build this evidence base.

What estimate he has made of the proportion of additional funding for community pharmacies that will be required from 1 April 2025 to cover the increase in (a) employer National Insurance contributions, (b) business rates and (c) the National Minimum Wage in (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26.

We have taken the necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, and this enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department, from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26.The Department considered the increase in the National Living Wage when consulting on the funding arrangements for community pharmacy. We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.

What type of mental health support will patients who are prescribed antidepressants be able to receive from community pharmacies.

The New Medicine Service (NMS) is an advanced service offered by community pharmacies, providing patients with advice to address any possible side effects, issues, or questions that patients who are prescribed a new medicine may have. The service focuses on treatments for long-term conditions, including asthma and hypertension.Early interventions of this type can improve medication adherence, patient outcomes, and can reduce pressure on the wider National Health Service. From October 2025, the NMS will expand to introduce depression as a further therapeutic area for which patients can receive support.

What steps his Department is taking to increase (a) survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and (b) the availability of defibrillators in Isle of Wight East constituency.

To improve patients' survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the Government has committed to improving access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. Following the depletion of the existing AED Fund, launched in September 2023, the Government approved a further £500,000 in August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the fund.As part of the application process, the Department has selected Smarter Society as its independent partner to manage grant applications against requirements specified by the Department, to ensure that resources are allocated to where there is the greatest need, for instance remote communities with extended ambulance response times, places with high footfall and high population densities, hotspots for cardiac arrest including sporting venues and venues with vulnerable people, and deprived areas.When an AED is installed, these defibrillators are required to be registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator and ambulance service database. Upon registration, contact details are provided for the nominated AED guardian/s who are local to the defibrillator’s location and conduct checks when required. One AED has been distributed through the fund to the Isle of Wight East postcode area.

What estimate his Department has made of the cost to community pharmacies of the rise in (a) business rates and (b) the National Minimum Wage from 1 April 2025.

We have taken the necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, and this enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26.The Department has considered the increases in the National Living Wage when consulting on the funding arrangements for community pharmacy. We have now agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion from April 2025. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.