Written questions by Smart.

What discussions his Department has had with NHS England on reducing the number of (a) delays and (b) cancellations to NHS mental health appointments in Hazel Grove constituency.

No such specific discussions have taken place regarding delays and cancellations to National Health Service mental health appointments in the Hazel Grove constituency.On a national scale we are meeting the waiting time standards we have in place for NHS Talking Therapies and Early Intervention in Psychosis pathways. However, we recognise that many of the working-age adult population with mental health needs can face long waits to access mental health support.This is why we are working to reform our mental health system to make sure patients get the care they need, when they need.At the Spending Review 2025, we confirmed that we will deliver on our commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of this Parliament and roll out mental health support teams to cover all schools in England by 2029/30.Six pilot sites are trialling 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, providing open access to mental health care for patients, reducing long waits. Our improvements to the NHS App will mean people are able to access rapid online support when they need.

What steps his Department is taking to prepare for possible future pandemics.

Ensuring the United Kingdom is prepared for a future pandemic is a top priority for the Government, and we are embedding lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in our approach to pandemic preparedness. We aim to have flexible, adaptable and scalable capabilities that can respond to any infectious disease or other threat, rather than rely on plans for specific threats.In the Autumn 2024 budget, the Chancellor announced £460 million of investment to strengthen the UK’s pandemic preparedness, including replenishing personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccine and medicines stockpiles.Our stockpiles for a potential future health emergency cover a range of clinical countermeasures, including antivirals, antibiotics, medical consumables, PPE and hygiene consumables.In autumn 2025, the Department and UK Health Security Agency are conducting Exercise PEGASUS, a national exercise on the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic. It aims to assess the UK’s preparedness, capabilities, and response arrangements in the context of a pandemic arising from a novel infectious disease and involves all regions and nations of the UK and thousands of participants.The outcomes of the exercise will inform how we approach our pandemic strategy going forward.

Whether the national cancer plan for England will include targets to improve the diagnosis of myeloma.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers such as myeloma, as well as other unstageable cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, in order to improve outcomes.To tackle late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancer earlier and treating it faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including speeding up diagnosis and treatment and ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

What steps he is taking to prevent children from illegally purchasing vapes.

Selling nicotine vapes to under 18-year-olds is illegal, yet one in four 11 to 15-year-olds tried vaping in 2023. It is unacceptable that vapes are deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children.The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children by banning vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately branded, promoted, and advertised to children, and by providing powers to limit flavours and packaging, and how vapes are displayed in shops.The bill also takes bold action to strengthen enforcement. It will introduce £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales to empower Trading Standards to take swifter action to fine those who choose to break the law and sell to anyone underage, putting the public’s health at risk. The bill will also enable ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. This will strengthen enforcement, support legitimate businesses, and crack down on rogue retailers who breach tobacco and vape regulations.Alongside the bill, the Government is also investing £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 in Trading Standards, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales and the implementation of the measures in the bill.

What steps he is taking to ensure that patients with clinically recognised ADHD diagnoses made by qualified private providers who have commenced treatment under GP-supported shared care agreements do not have to repeat diagnostic assessments through the NHS before being able to access ongoing care.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.Shared care with the National Health Service refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP).The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. Practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of requiring patients with existing ADHD diagnoses from private providers to undergo repeat diagnostic assessments via the NHS in order to access shared care arrangements on NHS (a) waiting lists and (b) resources.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.Shared care with the National Health Service refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP).The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. Practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

What steps his Department is taking with local authorities to ensure that social services act quickly following reports of potential grooming of vulnerable adults.

Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable. The Government makes it clear, in the statutory guidance of the Care Act, that local authorities must ensure that the services they commission are safe, effective, and of high quality.Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in the local authority’s area has care and support needs and appears to be at risk of, or experiencing, abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves as a result of those needs, the local authority must carry out a safeguarding enquiry.Workers across organisations should be vigilant about adult safeguarding and share information and concerns, whether they be in health and social care, welfare, policing, banking, fire and rescue services, trading standards, leisure services, faith groups, or housing.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for weight-loss drugs to people who are pre-diabetic.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops evidence-based recommendations on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. NICE has recommended several medicines licensed for weight loss for use on the NHS for patients meeting specified clinical criteria. People with prediabetes may be eligible for treatment with weight loss medicines if they meet the other criteria specified in NICE’s guidance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 47877 on NHS dental professionals, which (a) regions and (b) localities his Department has identified as being in greatest need of more NHS dental professionals.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of local populations is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. Dental practices in specific areas, determined locally as experiencing significant dental pressures due to workforce challenges impacting patient access, were invited by their ICBs to express interest in participating in the scheme and notified of the outcome of their application via their ICB. Further information on the dental recruitment process can be found in guidance issued by NHS England, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/dental-recruitment-incentive-scheme-2024-25/

When his Department plans to (a) develop and (b) implement a national roll-out strategy for fracture liaison services to support the (i) prevention, (ii) early identification and (iii) management of osteoporosis.

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local needs.Our 10 Year Health Plan is committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Whether NHS hospital trusts are fully funded to recruit all locally trained nursing graduates.

The Government is committed to supporting nursing graduates. On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure that thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for National Health Service trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the NHS eligibility criteria for tirzepatide on levels of access to treatment for people (a) with obesity and (b) who do not meet the current BMI threshold but may still be at clinical risk from excess weight.

The eligibility criteria for tirzepatide, under brand name Mounjaro, for the management of weight have been set independently by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) following a full appraisal of the clinical and cost effectiveness of the drug. NICE’s recommendations are based on the best available evidence and ensure that National Health Service treatments are targeted at those most likely to benefit, while also protecting the overall affordability and sustainability of NHS services.In line with NICE guidance and recommendations, the NHS in England is undertaking a phased roll out. This is based on prioritisation led by clinical need. Patient eligibility will increase in stages, up to approximately 220,000 patients after the first three years, as outlined in NHS England's Interim Commissioning Guidance, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/interim-commissioning-guidance-implementation-of-the-nice-technology-appraisal-ta1026-and-the-nice-funding-variation-for-tirzepatide-mounjaro-for-the-management-of-obesity/The total eligible population should have access within the maximum period of 12 years but, as part of the rollout plans, the NHS will look at different service models, including digital and community options. New approaches might enable access to be expanded more quickly. Progress will be reviewed in three years. NHS England is actively monitoring uptake and service readiness to inform future decisions.In addition, the 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambition to build on these plans by testing innovative models of delivering weight loss services and treatments to patients. On 12 August we announced an £85 million competition to fund the design and delivery of new community and primary care weight management pathways to support access to interventions such as weight loss medications. We expect tens of thousands of patients to directly benefit from increased access to interventions, such as GLP-1s. This will generate new evidence to inform the future commissioning and rollout of tirzepatide.Patients who do not meet the current body mass index threshold for tirzepatide under the NHS prioritisation approach will not be eligible for receiving tirzepatide. However, they do have access to other weight management support, if they are eligible. This could include the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme, and other services that may be available locally.

What proportion of newly qualified nurses in England are offered employment within the NHS within six months of graduation.

The Department for Health and Social Care does not hold the data requested.Nurses upon graduation may take up registered nursing roles in a range of organisations such as local authorities, social care providers, charities or private sector providers as well as in the National Health Service.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS digital services related to (a) medicine ordering, (b) appointment notifications and (c) other requirements are accessible via standard web browsers.

NHS Digital services are accessible via standard, modern web browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. We are working to improve access to digital services, outcomes, and experiences for the widest range of people, based on their preferences. Patients unable to use digital channels can continue to access services via telephone and through traditional face-to-face services.Citizens can access a range of information on different health conditions on the National Health Service website, which is all clinically verified.Centrally built services, such as the NHS App and NHS website, which enable citizens to order repeat prescriptions and view and manage their general practice and hospital appointments, are designed to meet international accessibility standards. We are modernising the mobile patient experience within the NHS App, ensuring information is clearly structured and easy to find and understand.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 54442 on Oxygen: Medical Treatments, whether the recompression chambers in (a) Wirral, (b) Hull, (c) the Midlands and (d) Whipps Cross will close.

The hyperbaric oxygen therapy services in Wirral, Hull and the Midlands will continue to be commissioned by NHS England.From 1 October, the service currently commissioned for the London and South East regions will be delivered by a provider in Chichester. As such, from 30 September, the current centre based at Whipps Cross will cease to be funded for National Health Service activity.NHS England remains committed to ensuring high-quality, accessible and cost-effective hyperbaric oxygen therapy services which meet optimal time to treatment from symptom onset standards based on clinical evidence.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 47877 on NHS dental professionals, what criteria his Department uses to identify which areas are in greatest need of increased numbers of NHS dental professionals.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of local populations is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. Dental practices in specific areas, determined locally as experiencing significant dental pressures due to workforce challenges impacting patient access, were invited by their ICBs to express interest in participating in the scheme and notified of the outcome of their application via their ICB. Further information on the dental recruitment process can be found in guidance issued by NHS England, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/dental-recruitment-incentive-scheme-2024-25/

What steps he is taking to help ensure continuity of weight-loss medication for people who have already demonstrated clinically significant (a) weight reduction and (b) health improvements from private prescriptions of such drugs.

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

If he will take steps to help support patients with mental health problems in exercising their right to refuse medication in NHS settings.

Any decision to prescribe a medicine should be made following a conversation between the prescriber and patient. This is known as shared decision making and should involve discussing with the patient the risks, benefits and possible consequences of different options, along with the prescriber’s clinical judgement.NHS England has recently published decision support tools on depression and bipolar to help individuals to compare possible treatment options, and a leaflet on the safer use of valproate. Unless the information is on the pack, all dispensed medicines must include a patient information leaflet, which provides information on using the medicine safely. Specialist mental health pharmacists are available at the majority of mental health trusts to discuss medication options with patients, and the Medicines A-Z website and NHS App provide information about medicines and mental health.The Mental Health Bill extends access to advocacy support, currently only available to patients detained under the Mental Health Act, to all patients in mental health inpatient settings. Advocates support patients to understand and exercise their rights. The bill also introduces measures to encourage people to create an Advance Choice Document while they are well. This is a written record of their wishes, including their preferences on medication, so that these can later inform decisions during a mental health crisis. The bill also raises the threshold on when compulsory medication can be administered to a patient, by requiring that there must be a compelling reason to override the patient’s refusal, whether made at the time or in advance. Urgent and compulsory medication and electroconvulsive therapy can also only be given under a more limited set of circumstances. These measures aim to better balance patient autonomy and the ability to administer treatment at a time of mental health crisis.

What steps he is taking to ensure that patients experiencing mental health problems are provided with comprehensive information on (a) potential side effects, (b) interactions with other medications and (c) the long-term implications of any medication they are advised to take.

Any decision to prescribe a medicine should be made following a conversation between the prescriber and patient. This is known as shared decision making and should involve discussing with the patient the risks, benefits and possible consequences of different options, along with the prescriber’s clinical judgement.NHS England has recently published decision support tools on depression and bipolar to help individuals to compare possible treatment options, and a leaflet on the safer use of valproate. Unless the information is on the pack, all dispensed medicines must include a patient information leaflet, which provides information on using the medicine safely. Specialist mental health pharmacists are available at the majority of mental health trusts to discuss medication options with patients, and the Medicines A-Z website and NHS App provide information about medicines and mental health.The Mental Health Bill extends access to advocacy support, currently only available to patients detained under the Mental Health Act, to all patients in mental health inpatient settings. Advocates support patients to understand and exercise their rights. The bill also introduces measures to encourage people to create an Advance Choice Document while they are well. This is a written record of their wishes, including their preferences on medication, so that these can later inform decisions during a mental health crisis. The bill also raises the threshold on when compulsory medication can be administered to a patient, by requiring that there must be a compelling reason to override the patient’s refusal, whether made at the time or in advance. Urgent and compulsory medication and electroconvulsive therapy can also only be given under a more limited set of circumstances. These measures aim to better balance patient autonomy and the ability to administer treatment at a time of mental health crisis.

When he plans to respond to the correspondence of 22 April 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, Ref LS05024.

I replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 14 August 2025.