Written questions by Turner.

If he will make an estimate of the number of NHS (a) operations, (b) appointments and (c) tests that took place in Birmingham between July-November (i) 2024 and (ii) 2023.

The scope of this data is limited to elective services consistent with consultant-led referral to treatment waiting times. It excludes emergency care, maternity, and mental health services. Birmingham has four trusts excluding these services, data for which has been aggregated into the table below. The following table shows the number of elective operations, outpatient appointments, and diagnostic tests, and the total of all three combined, delivered from July to November 2024 and from July to November 2023:Time periodElective operationsOutpatient appointmentsDiagnostic testsTotalJuly to November 2024105,253708,569260,1431,073,965July to November 202399,795683,685248,6831,032,163 In addition, the following table shows the number elective operations, outpatient appointments, and diagnostic tests, and the total of all three combined, delivered from July to November 2023, adjusted for working days, and the number of addition appointments delivered in 2024: Elective operationsOutpatient appointmentsDiagnostic testsTotalJuly to November 2023 adjusted for working days100,719690,015250,9861,041,720Additional appointments4,53418,5549,15732,245Note: the data excludes the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

How many cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome there were in each of the last 10 years.

The following table shows the number of cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) since 2014: YearToken Person ID20141,28720151,27920161,19820171,18420181,19520191,08320201,05820211,16320221,09520231,05620241,107 (provisional)Source: NHS England Notes:Token Person ID - for this analysis, each patient has been counted once against each year in which they were recorded as having a hospital episode with a valid diagnosis. A patient is only counted once in a given year, regardless of the number of episodes they may have had.NAS is typically identified at or shortly after birth, but there are also cases where the condition is not immediately apparent. Therefore, the data includes any patients aged less than one year old where the diagnosis was recorded to ensure that all relevant data are presented.

What contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department.

Neither the Department or its executive agencies, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the UK Health Security Agency, hold any contracts with BFS Group Limited or any of its subsidiary companies.

With reference to the CQC's publication of 27 November 2024 entitled CQC finds improvement in CAMHS wards at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, when the CQC plans to publish the full report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an assessment of Child and Adolescent Mental Health wards at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in September 2024. The report of that assessment was published on the CQC’s website on 28 November 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RQ3/reports/AP2111/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-wards

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the Office for Statistics Regulation's publication entitled OSR’s statement on the Labour Force Survey-derived estimates and Annual Population Survey-derived estimates, published on 12 December 2024.

The Department uses the data and outputs from both the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey to feed into some of our own statistical products. We recognise the importance of these surveys, and whilst it is disappointing that the accredited official statistics status has been removed from these two surveys, we understand these products continue to follow statistical best practice where possible.The reduced sample size in the Annual Population Survey means there may be more uncertainty around some of our estimates at a local authority level, and there may be a gap in some of our data at local authority level in the short term. We will continue to work with the Office for National Statistics to ensure that any implications for our own evidence is clearly understood and explained to our users, in line with the Statistics Code of Practice.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 12696 on Primodos: Research, whether the meeting of the Commission on Human Medicines has taken place.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), together with wider Government, have committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence which comes to light.The new publication by Danielsson et al has been reviewed by the MHRA and advice has been sought from the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), who have provided their independent expert advice on our assessment of whether the findings of the latest publication justify a further review. The MHRA will consider the recommendations given by the CHM before deciding whether any further action is warranted.The minutes of the November CHM meeting will be made publicly available through the GOV.UK website at the earliest opportunity.

What recent progress he has made on establishing the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.

On 10 October 2024, the Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill in Parliament. Among other powers, and as currently drafted, the bill confers powers on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to establish a body to negotiate for Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector. This bill is currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons.The Department is currently engaging national stakeholders, as it works towards implementing Fair Pay Agreements in the care sector, and will fully consult, including on the establishment of a negotiating body, following Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill.

What the average time was between referral and first contact for mental health services for people aged 17 years and under in Birmingham in each of the last five years.

Tables showing the average time between referral and first contact for mental health services for people aged 17 years old and under in Birmingham in each of the last five years are attached. There are a number of caveats that should be taken into account when interpreting this data, which are included in the attachment.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 11046 on General Practitioners: Finance, when he plans to determine the overall GP contract investment in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Department will confirm funding for general practices (GPs) for 2025/26 as part of the usual GP contract process later in the year, including through consultation with the sector.

If he will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of access to mental health support provisions for abattoir workers and (b) take steps to ensure that workers in this industry have access to such support.

There are no plans to make such an assessment. Access to mental health services in the National Health Service is based on clinical need, including for abattoir workers.Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it, regardless of the sector in which they work.Workers can also get help with their mental health from the NHS by speaking to their general practitioner, by self referring to local NHS Talking Therapies services, by calling NHS111 and selecting option two, or consulting the NHS or Every Mind Matters websites, or from the many voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations that provide support for people’s mental health.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2024 to Question 3680 on Mental Health Services: Lincolnshire, if he will provide this information for each constituency in Birmingham.

The following table shows the number of Mental Health Support Teams across the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB), broken down by the year in which they became operational, or are planned to become operational: Number of teamsTotal operational teamsYear the team became operational2019/20112020/21122021/22 22022/23 22023/24810Year the team is planned to become operational2024/25 n/a2025/266n/aSource: NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board.The ICB has advised that each team covers a cluster of schools in a broadly geographic area, but these are not defined on a parliamentary constituency or ward basis.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 9121, on Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination, when he expects to receive further advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the potential merits of extending eligibility for that vaccine to people who turned 80 before 01 September 2024.

In the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) statement summarising the advice for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme, the committee stated that an extension to the initial programme would be considered when there is more certainty about protection provided by the vaccination in the very elderly, and evidence of the real-world impact of the programme in the 75 up to 80-year-old cohort.The JCVI will continue to keep its advice under review and any potential changes to its advice for the RSV programme, and the timing for it, will be guided by having the necessary scientific evidence with which to do so. The JCVI has continued to review the RSV programme, including at their main meeting on 2 October 2024, but is currently unable to provide an estimate of when suitable evidence will be available to inform future advice. Any potential forthcoming advice on the potential merits of extending eligibility for the RSV programme for older adults will be carefully considered by the Government.

With reference to publication entitled Government and Agenda for Change trade unions offer in principle, published by NHS Employers on 16 March 2023, whether it remains his Department's policy to implement the measures listed under the sub-section of that document entitled Pay setting process.

The Department is progressing work on all non-pay commitments covered in the 2023/24 Agenda for Change pay deal, including reviewing aspects of the pay setting process. Recommendations from this work will be considered at the earliest opportunity.