Written questions by Buckley.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on non-profit social care providers for under 65s.

The Government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process. To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing by 6.8% in cash terms.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventative impact of ear wax removal on the NHS for children presenting with hearing loss.

In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, an adult or child may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A general practice could then consider referring the patient into audiology services. The patient's clinician is best placed to make this assessment. The NICE has published guidelines on hearing loss, and specifically on ear wax removal treatment, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations#removing-earwax

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of provision of secondary school places in areas of high population density in Shrewsbury constituency.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department provides capital funding through the basic need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools, and can work with any school in their local area, including academies and free schools. The funding is not ring-fenced, subject to the conditions set out in the published grant determination letter, nor is it time bound, meaning local authorities are free to use this funding to best meet their local priorities. Shropshire Council has been allocated just over £4.4 million to support the provision of new school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026. The department engages with councils on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, we support them to find solutions as quickly as possible. The department is aware that Shropshire Council are exploring local solutions to address localised secondary sufficiency challenges in Shrewsbury, including the potential for a new setting in the medium term.

How much additional funding her Department has allocated for special educational needs provision by Shropshire Council since the Autumn Budget 2024.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of almost £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Shropshire Council is being allocated over £46 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which is an increase of £3.8 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.1% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable this year, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases and other staff pay increases. Individual local authorities’ allocations for 2025/26 will be published in due course.As also announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions paid by schools and other state-funded SEND provision. That funding will be additional to the £1 billion increase in high needs funding through the DSG, and the separate CSBG referred to above, and the department will provide further information on the allocations as soon as possible.

How many sub-postmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order Compensation Scheme have received their compensation payments in full.

Of the 555 postmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order (GLO), 63 had convictions thus their route to redress is either through the Overturned Convictions Scheme or Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme. That leaves 492 postmasters eligible for the GLO scheme. As of 3 January, the Department had received 370 completed claims from these individuals. It has made 346 offers, of which 243 have been accepted, with 237 claims paid in full. The Department expects to pay substantial redress to the great majority of GLO postmasters by 31 March.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding he has allocated to flood resilience projects this financial year; and how much of that funding is dedicated to flood risk mitigation for communities in high-risk flood zones.

Investment in flood risk management schemes takes place where the risk is highest, wherever it is across the country. Each scheme is carefully considered to where it will benefit the most people and property. To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by building, maintaining, and repairing flood defences.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of new homes built to high standards of environmental resilience; and what proportion of housebuilding projects are meeting those standards.

Building sustainable homes for the future is a key goal of this Government. Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future.The Future Homes Standard consultation was published in December 2023 and closed in March 2024, and a government response has not yet been issued. We fully support the need for low carbon homes, fit for a net zero future. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the Future Homes Standard consultation and will publish the Government response in due course.In addition, in 2021, Part O of the Building Regulations was introduced to mitigate the risk of overheating in new homes. All new homes must now be designed to minimise the amount of unwanted heat.

Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was between completion of a development in areas at risk of flooding and installation of flood defences pledged at planning stage since 2019; and how many developments built since in areas at risk of flooding do not have flood defences.

The department does not hold the requested information.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Executive Summary of his Department's policy paper entitled Flood and coastal erosion risk management: An investment plan for 2021 to 2027, published on 29 July 2021, what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of flood defence projects; and whether he expects all projects to be delivered on time.

We have inherited a floods investment programme which is behind schedule due to the impacts of inflation, the covid pandemic and skills and labour shortages. To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by building, maintaining, and repairing flood defences. We will also launch a consultation of the existing floods funding formula to ensure that we get the greatest impact from our funding, with the new approach expected to be brought in from April 2026. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be agreed by the Environment Agency over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to take steps to require developers to complete flood defences committed to at planning stage in areas at risk of flooding within a mandated time period.

National planning policy is clear that where development is necessary in areas at risk of flooding, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere.Local planning authorities should consider the use of conditions or planning obligations to make development acceptable, which may include flood mitigation works, and have powers to take enforcement action against any breach of planning requirements.Enforcement is at the discretion of local planning authorities. It is for them to decide when and how they use their powers depending on the particular circumstances of each case.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require imported eggs to meet the UK's animal welfare standards.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that measures to improve the management of long-term conditions are included within the NHS 10 year plan.

The number of individuals living with long term conditions is expected to rise significantly over the next decade. Currently, the National Health Service operates a model focused on treating acute episodes, organised around fragmented services rather than holistic patient needs. To ensure the NHS is fit for the future, we must improve care for those with long-term conditions.One of the working groups supporting the development of the 10-Year Health Plan has been asked to develop a vision for how the NHS can evolve to provide responsive, joined-up care to better support individuals with complex health needs, who may require frequent, ongoing engagement with the NHS. The group, chaired by Dr Claire Fuller and Caroline Abrahams CBE, will consider what improved care would look like for both individuals living with a single, or multiple long-term conditions, including, for example, mental health conditions, or disabilities, as well as individuals with multiple complex needs, including those that are frail or approaching the end of their life.Starting with the patient perspective, we have asked this group to consider what people of all ages want and need from services across the NHS to manage their condition or conditions on an ongoing basis, and what the care offer should look and feel like in practice, so that the NHS can empower patients, enhance their self-management capabilities, and promote independence through a holistic, person-centred and responsive service.

Whether his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of NHS targets for incentivising improvement in patient experience.

The Government is committed to putting patients first, ensuring that they are seen on time, and that they have the best possible experience while they wait for care. Although no specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of National Health Service targets for incentivising improvement in patient experience, the Government is committed to making improvements. We have an ambitious set of targets that will tackle issues that matter to patients, including returning to the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment.We also want to improve experience for patients living with complex, long-term, or serious illnesses, like cancer. We are committed to meeting all three NHS cancer waiting time standards across England, so that no patient waits longer than they should for cancer diagnosis or treatment.

Whether his Department will take steps to establish a cross-departmental long-term conditions taskforce to help (a) improve care for those with long-term conditions and (b) people back into work.

The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition, and their families and carers, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care. We will change the National Health Service so that it becomes not just a sickness service, but one able to prevent ill health in the first place. This will help us be better prepared for the change in the nature of disease and allow our services to focus more on the management of chronic, long-term conditions.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning most services for people with long term conditions. ICBs are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local needs and priorities, and improve outcomes. NHS England continues to set national standards, service specifications, and clinical access policies, to which ICBs are expected to apply.We recognise that, in order to ensure the NHS is fit for the future, we must improve care for those with long-term conditions. One of the working groups supporting the development of the 10-Year Health Plan has been asked to develop a vision for how the NHS can evolve to provide responsive, joined-up care to better support individuals with complex health needs who may require frequent, ongoing engagement with the NHS. The group, chaired by Dr Claire Fuller and Caroline Abrahams CBE, will consider what improved care would look like for both individuals living with a single or multiple long-term conditions, including, for example, mental health conditions or disabilities, as well as individuals with multiple complex needs, including those that are frail or approaching the end of their life.We know that appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing. We want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live.Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group, so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, and have a range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants.As part of the Get Britain Working plan, the Government is launching Keep Britain Working, an independent review into the role of United Kingdom employers in reducing health-related inactivity, and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces.As ICBs are responsible for commissioning most services for people with long term conditions, most of the data regarding the prevalence of long-term health conditions is collected at the ICB level, although the 10-Year Health Plan will also be focussing on the improved use of data in the health system, as part of the shift from analogue to digital.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve data collection on the (a) prevalence and (b) impact on (i) public health and (ii) the NHS of long-term health conditions.

The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition, and their families and carers, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care. We will change the National Health Service so that it becomes not just a sickness service, but one able to prevent ill health in the first place. This will help us be better prepared for the change in the nature of disease and allow our services to focus more on the management of chronic, long-term conditions.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning most services for people with long term conditions. ICBs are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local needs and priorities, and improve outcomes. NHS England continues to set national standards, service specifications, and clinical access policies, to which ICBs are expected to apply.We recognise that, in order to ensure the NHS is fit for the future, we must improve care for those with long-term conditions. One of the working groups supporting the development of the 10-Year Health Plan has been asked to develop a vision for how the NHS can evolve to provide responsive, joined-up care to better support individuals with complex health needs who may require frequent, ongoing engagement with the NHS. The group, chaired by Dr Claire Fuller and Caroline Abrahams CBE, will consider what improved care would look like for both individuals living with a single or multiple long-term conditions, including, for example, mental health conditions or disabilities, as well as individuals with multiple complex needs, including those that are frail or approaching the end of their life.We know that appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing. We want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live.Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group, so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, and have a range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants.As part of the Get Britain Working plan, the Government is launching Keep Britain Working, an independent review into the role of United Kingdom employers in reducing health-related inactivity, and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces.As ICBs are responsible for commissioning most services for people with long term conditions, most of the data regarding the prevalence of long-term health conditions is collected at the ICB level, although the 10-Year Health Plan will also be focussing on the improved use of data in the health system, as part of the shift from analogue to digital.

If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of trends in the number of people with kidney disease on the economy.

The Government recognises that long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population.  As part of the Get Britain Working plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.There are no current plans to make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of trends in the number of people with kidney disease on the economy.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease for (a) people with (i) diabetes, (ii) cardiovascular disease and (iii) other associated risk conditions and (b) all people.

NHS England is working to detect people at risk of kidney disease through the NHS Health Check Programme. The programme, which is available for everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 years old who is not already on a chronic disease register, assesses people’s health and risk of developing certain health problems. Using this information, patients are supported to make behavioural changes and access treatment which helps to prevent and detect kidney disease earlier.The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to a number of key ambitions to improve care and outcomes for individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including enhanced diagnostic support in the community, better personalised planning, and increasing access to cardiac rehabilitation. These ambitions will support the delivery of the aim to help prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes, and dementia cases by 2029. Specific priorities include the management of CVD risk factors, such as hypertension, or high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, or an abnormal, fast irregular heartbeat, and high cholesterol, ensuring early and rapid access to diagnostic tests and treatment. NHS England is working to identify opportunities for improved integration of CVD management across clinical specialities.The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) reviewed chronic kidney disease (CKD) and glomerulonephritis in 2011, concluding that a population-wide screening programme would not be recommended. Although the UK NSC has not since looked at the evidence for a targeted programme, it can be alerted to any new published peer-reviewed evidence which may suggest the case for a new screening programme. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposalThe National Health Service provides access to tests and therapies to diagnose, code, and treat patients with early-stage CKD. NHS England, through the Renal Services Transformation Programme and regional renal networks, is implementing initiatives to provide better, integrated care, reduce health inequalities, and focus on prevention and timely intervention for kidney disease within both primary and secondary care. Regional renal clinical networks prioritise CKD diagnosis and prevention within their transformation ambitions, facilitating earlier treatment. This includes considerations to develop a unified approach to testing populations at risk of developing CKD, and includes raising awareness of diagnostic tools like urine albumin creatinine tests, enabling CKD diagnosis at stages 1 and 2. NHS England aims to improve awareness and access to these important urine and blood tests across primary and secondary care. In addition, the transformation programme launched a renal toolkit last year for use by systems, that outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with CKD throughout their patient journey.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, Chronic kidney disease: Assessment and management [NG203], updated in November 2021, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis and management of CKD. The guidance covers the care and treatment of patients at risk of CKD. It includes recommendations on the monitoring of patients at risk of CKD and aims to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng203The management of CKD has evolved over the last two decades. Increasingly, there are drug interventions to slow the progression of kidney disease, mitigate the risk of cardiovascular events associated with CKD, and reduce the additional risk of acute kidney injury. NICE guidance continues to be updated as evidence accumulates, and NHS England, through the Renal Clinical Reference Group, supports that process through advice and horizon scanning, as therapeutic interventions are introduced. The renal clinical networks have all established work examining the management of CKD, including diagnosis and intervention.

What steps his Department plans to take to improve access to treatment to manage (a) chronic kidney disease and (b) common complications to help slow the progression of the disease.

NHS England is working to detect people at risk of kidney disease through the NHS Health Check Programme. The programme, which is available for everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 years old who is not already on a chronic disease register, assesses people’s health and risk of developing certain health problems. Using this information, patients are supported to make behavioural changes and access treatment which helps to prevent and detect kidney disease earlier.The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to a number of key ambitions to improve care and outcomes for individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including enhanced diagnostic support in the community, better personalised planning, and increasing access to cardiac rehabilitation. These ambitions will support the delivery of the aim to help prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes, and dementia cases by 2029. Specific priorities include the management of CVD risk factors, such as hypertension, or high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, or an abnormal, fast irregular heartbeat, and high cholesterol, ensuring early and rapid access to diagnostic tests and treatment. NHS England is working to identify opportunities for improved integration of CVD management across clinical specialities.The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) reviewed chronic kidney disease (CKD) and glomerulonephritis in 2011, concluding that a population-wide screening programme would not be recommended. Although the UK NSC has not since looked at the evidence for a targeted programme, it can be alerted to any new published peer-reviewed evidence which may suggest the case for a new screening programme. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposalThe National Health Service provides access to tests and therapies to diagnose, code, and treat patients with early-stage CKD. NHS England, through the Renal Services Transformation Programme and regional renal networks, is implementing initiatives to provide better, integrated care, reduce health inequalities, and focus on prevention and timely intervention for kidney disease within both primary and secondary care. Regional renal clinical networks prioritise CKD diagnosis and prevention within their transformation ambitions, facilitating earlier treatment. This includes considerations to develop a unified approach to testing populations at risk of developing CKD, and includes raising awareness of diagnostic tools like urine albumin creatinine tests, enabling CKD diagnosis at stages 1 and 2. NHS England aims to improve awareness and access to these important urine and blood tests across primary and secondary care. In addition, the transformation programme launched a renal toolkit last year for use by systems, that outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with CKD throughout their patient journey.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, Chronic kidney disease: Assessment and management [NG203], updated in November 2021, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis and management of CKD. The guidance covers the care and treatment of patients at risk of CKD. It includes recommendations on the monitoring of patients at risk of CKD and aims to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng203The management of CKD has evolved over the last two decades. Increasingly, there are drug interventions to slow the progression of kidney disease, mitigate the risk of cardiovascular events associated with CKD, and reduce the additional risk of acute kidney injury. NICE guidance continues to be updated as evidence accumulates, and NHS England, through the Renal Clinical Reference Group, supports that process through advice and horizon scanning, as therapeutic interventions are introduced. The renal clinical networks have all established work examining the management of CKD, including diagnosis and intervention.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of healthcare inequalities in kidney disease.

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain by tackling the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health, particularly for disadvantaged groups. We are dedicated to ensuring that people live well for longer and spend less time in ill health, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances.Our Health Mission in England will focus on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. We will work across Government to address the root causes of health inequalities, including barriers of access to health and care services. We will prioritise prevention, shift more care into the community, and intervene earlier in life to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history.The 10-Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. On 21 October 2024, we launched a national conversation on the future of the National Health Service, inviting views from across the country on how to deliver a health service fit for the future. Patients, staff, and organisations, including those with experience of, or expertise in, kidney disease, can make themselves heard by logging onto the online portal, which is available at the following link:http://change.nhs.ukNo formal assessment has been made of the potential impact of healthcare inequalities in kidney disease on NHS waiting lists.We recognise that patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need, including for kidney disease. Currently, the overall waiting list stands at 7.64 million patient pathways, with over six million people waiting. The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.Today, fewer than 60% of patients are being seen within 18 weeks. We will ensure 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment within our first term, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015.Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step in our commitment to ensuring patients are treated within 18 weeks. We will also address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce elective waits.NHS England has established the Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP), which aims to reduce unwarranted variation in the quality and accessibility of renal care, to improve outcomes and services for those with kidney disease. NHS England, through the RSTP and regional renal clinical networks, is implementing initiatives to provide better, integrated care, to reduce health inequalities, and to focus on prevention and timely intervention for kidney disease.Working in collaboration with the NHS RightCare Programme and the renal community, the RSTP has developed a renal toolkit to provide integrated care boards, regional renal clinical networks, and providers with tools, case studies, and principles to support the transformation of services at a local level. The toolkit outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with chronic kidney disease (CKD) throughout their patient journey. The RSTP is working closely with NHS England’s regional renal clinical networks to review this toolkit, to work with local partners to develop transformation programmes that will focus on the early identification and management of kidney disease, and which will seek to reduce the number of patients progressing through the various stages of CKD and reduce the number of patients requiring dialysis. By supporting prevention and early intervention, the need for late-stage treatments will be reduced.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of healthcare inequalities in kidney disease on NHS waiting lists.

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain by tackling the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health, particularly for disadvantaged groups. We are dedicated to ensuring that people live well for longer and spend less time in ill health, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances.Our Health Mission in England will focus on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. We will work across Government to address the root causes of health inequalities, including barriers of access to health and care services. We will prioritise prevention, shift more care into the community, and intervene earlier in life to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history.The 10-Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. On 21 October 2024, we launched a national conversation on the future of the National Health Service, inviting views from across the country on how to deliver a health service fit for the future. Patients, staff, and organisations, including those with experience of, or expertise in, kidney disease, can make themselves heard by logging onto the online portal, which is available at the following link:http://change.nhs.ukNo formal assessment has been made of the potential impact of healthcare inequalities in kidney disease on NHS waiting lists.We recognise that patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need, including for kidney disease. Currently, the overall waiting list stands at 7.64 million patient pathways, with over six million people waiting. The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.Today, fewer than 60% of patients are being seen within 18 weeks. We will ensure 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment within our first term, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015.Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step in our commitment to ensuring patients are treated within 18 weeks. We will also address the challenges in diagnostic waiting times, providing the number of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and other tests that are needed to reduce elective waits.NHS England has established the Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP), which aims to reduce unwarranted variation in the quality and accessibility of renal care, to improve outcomes and services for those with kidney disease. NHS England, through the RSTP and regional renal clinical networks, is implementing initiatives to provide better, integrated care, to reduce health inequalities, and to focus on prevention and timely intervention for kidney disease.Working in collaboration with the NHS RightCare Programme and the renal community, the RSTP has developed a renal toolkit to provide integrated care boards, regional renal clinical networks, and providers with tools, case studies, and principles to support the transformation of services at a local level. The toolkit outlines principles to support better management of patients identified with chronic kidney disease (CKD) throughout their patient journey. The RSTP is working closely with NHS England’s regional renal clinical networks to review this toolkit, to work with local partners to develop transformation programmes that will focus on the early identification and management of kidney disease, and which will seek to reduce the number of patients progressing through the various stages of CKD and reduce the number of patients requiring dialysis. By supporting prevention and early intervention, the need for late-stage treatments will be reduced.