Written questions by McDonnell.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allocating more funding for research into (a) myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) long covid.

The Department funds research in health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC) are committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and are actively exploring next steps for research in these areas. This includes a roundtable I hosted on long COVID on 17 October 2024, which included discussion on how long COVID research is relevant to other post-viral syndromes and how to stimulate the research community to undertake future research.Over the last five years, the NIHR has invested almost £2.3 million in research programme funding for ME/CFS. In addition, the NIHR and the MRC are also providing £3.2 million of co-funding towards the DecodeME study, which aims to understand if there is a genetic component to the condition, and in doing so increase our understanding of ME/CFS to support the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments.In the same period, the Government, through the NIHR and the MRC, has invested over £57 million in long COVID research, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The NIHR specifically has invested £42.7 million towards research funding for long COVID. The projects funded aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including ME/CFS and long COVID. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. In all areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.Publishing the consultation response and delivery plan for ME/CFS is a key priority for me.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding allocated to research into (a) myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) long covid.

The Department funds research in health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC) are committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and are actively exploring next steps for research in these areas. This includes a roundtable I hosted on long COVID on 17 October 2024, which included discussion on how long COVID research is relevant to other post-viral syndromes and how to stimulate the research community to undertake future research.Over the last five years, the NIHR has invested almost £2.3 million in research programme funding for ME/CFS. In addition, the NIHR and the MRC are also providing £3.2 million of co-funding towards the DecodeME study, which aims to understand if there is a genetic component to the condition, and in doing so increase our understanding of ME/CFS to support the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments.In the same period, the Government, through the NIHR and the MRC, has invested over £57 million in long COVID research, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The NIHR specifically has invested £42.7 million towards research funding for long COVID. The projects funded aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including ME/CFS and long COVID. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. In all areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.Publishing the consultation response and delivery plan for ME/CFS is a key priority for me.

What proportion of new NHS care appointments he plans to provide in child health services.

The National Health Service is broken, and reducing elective waiting lists is a key part of getting it back on its feet. Delivering 40,000 more NHS appointments per week, or two million per year, is part of our commitment to get back to NHS standards so that both adults and children can expect to wait no longer than 18 weeks for treatment.This will mean that children waiting for elective treatment will also experience significant improvements in waiting times, care, and outcomes. Further detail regarding 40,000 more NHS appointments per week will be confirmed after the budget in October 2024.

With reference to Lord Darzi's Independent investigation of the NHS in England, published on 11 September 2004, what steps he is taking to address funding levels for children's health services.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. We will develop the role of neighbourhood health services to support children and young people in accessing high-quality holistic physical and mental health care in the community.As part of the Government’s five long-term missions, we will launch a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service, and make it fit for the future. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed: moving healthcare from hospital to the community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention.A core part of the development of the 10-Year Health Plan will be an extensive engagement exercise with the public, staff, stakeholders, including the Royal Colleges and others across the child health sector. Further details on how to get involved will be set out in the coming weeks.

With reference to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s report entitled, From left behind to leading the way: a blueprint for transforming child health services in England, published in September 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications of the report's findings on his policies.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. We will develop the role of neighbourhood health services to support children and young people in accessing high-quality holistic physical and mental health care in the community.As part of the Government’s five long-term missions, we will launch a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service, and make it fit for the future. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed: moving healthcare from hospital to the community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention.A core part of the development of the 10-Year Health Plan will be an extensive engagement exercise with the public, staff, stakeholders, including the Royal Colleges and others across the child health sector. Further details on how to get involved will be set out in the coming weeks.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including provision for children’s health services in the NHS long term workforce plan.

The Government will ensure that every child has the best start in life and that we create the healthiest generation of children ever. The child health workforce, including paediatricians, health visitors, and school nurses, is central to how we will achieve this.We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients, their carers, and their families are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We have also committed to the Long Term Workforce Plan, which will deliver the reform needed.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NHS 111 paediatric clinical assessment service pilot in reducing A&E attendance of children and supporting families; and if he will take steps to embed paediatric clinical assessment in all NHS 111 services.

There are significant challenges within child health, as outlined by Lord Darzi’s report. Demand for services is increasing, and the health and care needs of children are becoming increasingly more complex. NHS England will continue to assess the expansion of existing pilot initiatives, such as the NHS 111 paediatric clinical assessment service pilot, in reducing accident and emergency attendance of children, young people, and supporting families.The upcoming 10-Year Health Plan provides an opportunity to ensure that the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, are prioritised and meet the needs of children and young people. This includes the opportunity to develop the role of neighbourhood health services to support children and young people accessing high-quality holistic physical and mental health care in the community.

What steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of (a) children’s community health services and (b) staffing levels in such services.

We are committed to reducing long waits for children’s community services and improving timely access. National Health Service planning guidance asks local systems to reduce overall waiting times for community health services, with a particular focus on reducing the longest waits.NHS England does not hold any specific data on staffing levels for children’s community health services, but has commissioned NHS Benchmarking to develop further understanding of the specific service lines and associated waiting times. NHS England has advised that this should be available by April 2025.We will launch a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS and make it fit for the future. The 10-Year Health Plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, sickness to prevention.