Every parliamentary written question tabled by Luke Evans this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 141–160 of 402 · Department of Health and Social Care
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Major NHS update brings menopause into routine health checks, published on 23 October 2025, what questions will be added to the NHS Health Check.
We will be working with experts, including general practitioners, over the coming months to co-design the menopause content for the NHS Health Check.
What recent assessment his Department has made of it's capacity to meet its target to deliver mental health support teams in all schools by the 2029-30 academic year.
Building on the progress already made and the ambitions in 10-Year Health Plan, the Medium Term Planning Framework, published on 24 October, sets targets for integrated care boards to expand coverage of mental health support teams in schools and colleges in England to achieve full national coverage by 2029.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 August 2025 to Question 68971 on General Practitioners: Disclosure of Information, with which stakeholders the impact of information sharing duties on GPs was last discussed; and at what forums this was discussed.
Keeping children safe is a priority for the Government. The new information sharing duty will clarify when a child’s information should be shared, which should ease the overall burden on practitioners. It will be supported by statutory guidance, and we will work closely with multi-agency partners to ensure effective implementation. To ensure the impact on general practitioners is effectively captured in the information sharing duty, the Department have consulted the following stakeholders: - Action for Children;- Barnardo’s;- British Association of Social Workers;- Domestic Abuse Commissioner;- General Medical Council;- Royal College of General Practitioners;- Information Commissioner’s Office;- Nursing and Midwifery Council;- Operation Encompass;- Social Work England;- Teaching Regulation Agency, Teacher Misconduct; and- over 400 individual practitioners, including those working in health. All consultations took place in the form of meetings. We are committed to ongoing engagement with health stakeholders as we plan for the effective implementation of the information sharing duty.
How many Remedial Pension Savings Statements remain outstanding for each of the last 12 months.
The NHS Business Services Authority confirmed that as of 30 October 2025, 28,374 Remedial Pension Savings Statements are outstanding.
How many Remedial Service Statements remain outstanding for each of the last 12 months.
The NHS Business Services Authority confirmed that as of 30 October 2025, 415,307 Remedial Service statements are outstanding.
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 September to Question 68833 on General Practitioners: Recruitment, where the underspend in the additional roles reimbursement scheme was reallocated.
In 2019/20, commissioners were asked to reinvest underspend in wider general practice services. In 2020/21, underspend was invested in supporting the delivery of the COVID vaccination programme. In 2021/22, underspend was reinvested in providing allocations for the Winter Access Fund. In 2022/23, underspend was reinvested in Acute Respiratory Infection Hubs and Pharmacy First.In 2023/24 and 2024/25, where underspends occurred in national programmes for general practice such as this, any funding that couldn’t be reinvested in general practice contributed to supporting the overall National Health Service financial position.
How many and what proportion of GPs qualifying in summer 2025 have secured employment in the UK.
Doctors complete general practice (GP) training on a rolling basis throughout the year. Over 1,600 doctors completed the GP Specialty Training programme between June and August 2025. As general practices are independent businesses, data on the proportion of these GPs who have secured employment in the National Health Service in England is not available.To improve understanding of movement of doctors from GP training to the substantive workforce over time, NHS England publishes quarterly analysis of the last time doctors in their final year of GP specialty training can be identified in a general practice placement and the first time they can be identified in a substantive role recorded by a practice or Primary Care Networks in the National Workforce Reporting Service. This information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2025/gpwf_st3_tracking_202509
With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Secondary Care of 17 July 2025, Official Report, column 443, when he plans to publish the report.
The Department recognises the importance of this report and of giving members of the NHS Pension Scheme certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remedy.I wrote to the Hon. Member on 13 October 2025 informing him that I expect to be in a position to provide him and the House with a fuller update on the remedy replan and the review of this in good time before Christmas recess.
How many and what proportion of foundation pharmacists beginning their training in 2025 have been assigned a Designated Practicing Practitioner.
To support the development of Designated Practicing Practitioner (DPP) capacity, NHS England has and continues to engage with training sites and invest in training for independent prescribers, as well as initiatives to support the development and safe practice of DPPs.From the 20205/26 Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Programme, trainee pharmacists in England start their foundation training in the 2025/26 year in two windows: 14 July 2025 - 4 August 2025 (Summer) and 20 October 2025 - 10 November 2025 (Autumn).Every foundation trainee pharmacist that has graduated against the 2021 General Pharmaceutical Council Learning Outcomes for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists will require a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) during their foundation training period to support supervision and assessment of prescribing training activities.All prospective training sites for 2025/26 were required to make a declaration that they meet the National Recruitment Scheme (NRS) Terms of Participation at the point that the training sites were entered into the NRS. This includes the declaration that they would provide a DPP for the trainee. Training sites are required to provide details of the DPP to NHS England after the trainee pharmacist commences in post.NHS England is currently collating details of supervisors. Data will be available for the 2025 cohort by the end of the 2025 calendar year.
What estimate he has made of the number of General Practice partners operating in England.
This data is published monthly by NHS England. The publication is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-network-workforce/30-september-2025
Whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by Care England entitled The Current State of Dementia Diagnosis & Care in England, published on 31 July 2025.
The report highlights systemic challenges in dementia care. Our health system has often struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. This is why, under the 10-Year Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The report recommends that a national standardised diagnostic pathway must be established, as well as a nationally mandated standard of care across every stage of the dementia care pathway.The Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia. As part of this exercise, we are considering all options, including reviewing metrics and targets.
Whether he plans to reform the general practice funding model.
We recognise the importance of ensuring that the funding for core general practice (GP) services is distributed equitably between practices across the country. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 25 June that, through the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will review the GP funding formula, the Carr-Hill formula, with the aim of ensuring that resources are targeted where they are most needed.In November, I wrote to MPs to inform them of the details of the review.The review is being conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the commencement of the review was announced on 9 October. Recommendations are expected in March 2026. The review will draw on a range of evidence and advice from experts, with a focus on how health need is reflected in funding. Ministers will then decide whether to proceed with the technical development and testing of a new formula, and any other changes motivated by the review.Implementation of any new funding approach will be subject to ministerial decision, in the context of the available funding and our commitment to substantively reform the General Medical Services Contract within this Parliament.
Whether he plans to remove the requirement for optometrists to complete Pre-Visit Notifications.
National Health Service funded domiciliary, or mobile, sight tests are available for patients eligible for free NHS sight tests and who are unable to leave home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability, and this includes individuals in residential care homes and nursing homes.Domiciliary eye care providers are required to give advanced notification to integrated care boards of their intention to provide an NHS domiciliary sight test to a patient. This is referred to as a pre-visit notification and includes the details of the contractor, where the visit will take place, and the names and dates of birth of the patients booked to have a sight test. Pre-visit notifications play an important role in safeguarding vulnerable groups.No discussions have taken place with the Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish administrations on removing the requirement for pre-visit notifications for domiciliary eye care services in England. NHS England and the Department are happy to engage with the primary eye care sector around the requirement for pre visit notifications to understand any concerns about pre-visit notifications.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of Pre-Visit Notifications on (a) vulnerable patients and (b) patients in care homes.
National Health Service funded domiciliary, or mobile, sight tests are available for patients eligible for free NHS sight tests and who are unable to leave home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability, and this includes individuals in residential care homes and nursing homes.Domiciliary eye care providers are required to give advanced notification to integrated care boards of their intention to provide an NHS domiciliary sight test to a patient. This is referred to as a pre-visit notification and includes the details of the contractor, where the visit will take place, and the names and dates of birth of the patients booked to have a sight test. Pre-visit notifications play an important role in safeguarding vulnerable groups.No discussions have taken place with the Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish administrations on removing the requirement for pre-visit notifications for domiciliary eye care services in England. NHS England and the Department are happy to engage with the primary eye care sector around the requirement for pre visit notifications to understand any concerns about pre-visit notifications.
Whether (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) official in his Department have held discussions with their counterparts in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland on pre-visit notifications.
National Health Service funded domiciliary, or mobile, sight tests are available for patients eligible for free NHS sight tests and who are unable to leave home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability, and this includes individuals in residential care homes and nursing homes.Domiciliary eye care providers are required to give advanced notification to integrated care boards of their intention to provide an NHS domiciliary sight test to a patient. This is referred to as a pre-visit notification and includes the details of the contractor, where the visit will take place, and the names and dates of birth of the patients booked to have a sight test. Pre-visit notifications play an important role in safeguarding vulnerable groups.No discussions have taken place with the Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish administrations on removing the requirement for pre-visit notifications for domiciliary eye care services in England. NHS England and the Department are happy to engage with the primary eye care sector around the requirement for pre visit notifications to understand any concerns about pre-visit notifications.
What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of pre-visit notifications, in the context of mandatory electronic submissions of general opthalmic services claims.
Domiciliary eye care providers are required to give advance notification to integrated care boards (ICB) of their intention to provide a National Health Service domiciliary sight test to an eligible patient. This is referred to as a pre-visit notification (PVN) and includes the details of the contractor, where the visit will take place, and the names and dates of birth of the patients booked to have a sight test. Pre-visit notifications play an important role in safeguarding vulnerable groups.As part of the PVN process, contractors are required to seek a PVN number from their local ICB and to submit that information on the associated electronic claim form. Information about the number of PVNs submitted by optometrists is not held centrally but is held at an individual ICB level.
Whether his Department holds data on the number of pre-visit notifications completed by optometrists in the last 12 months.
Domiciliary eye care providers are required to give advance notification to integrated care boards (ICB) of their intention to provide a National Health Service domiciliary sight test to an eligible patient. This is referred to as a pre-visit notification (PVN) and includes the details of the contractor, where the visit will take place, and the names and dates of birth of the patients booked to have a sight test. Pre-visit notifications play an important role in safeguarding vulnerable groups.As part of the PVN process, contractors are required to seek a PVN number from their local ICB and to submit that information on the associated electronic claim form. Information about the number of PVNs submitted by optometrists is not held centrally but is held at an individual ICB level.
What steps he has taken to help mitigate the potential impacts of the insolvency of NRS Healthcare Limited on (a) the supply of medical equipment to patients, (b) local authorities and (c) relevant contracted businesses.
The principal responsibility for ensuring the provision of disability aids and community equipment lies with local authorities (LAs), as does the responsibility to maintain continuity of care for those who are eligible.Nonetheless, the Department has played a significant role in supporting LAs and the National Health Service in the period leading up to and following the insolvency of NRS Healthcare (NRS).Working closely with NHS England and the Department-funded Partners in Care and Health programme, the Department ensured that information was shared across LAs and local NHS partners and enabled co-ordinated discussions with NRS and alternative providers to ensure the continuity of care and to minimise disruption as alternative arrangements were finalised.The Department also made funding available to enable the Official Receiver to continue trading NRS for a limited period, once it became insolvent, in order to enable LAs to arrange alternative provision, to minimise the potential impacts on vulnerable individuals.The Department continues to monitor the situation closely and will support LAs to learn lessons and consider the implications for future resilience in this market.
What steps his Department has taken to keep local authorities informed on the developing situation on the winding up of NRS Healthcare Limited.
The principal responsibility for ensuring the provision of disability aids and community equipment lies with local authorities (LAs), as does the responsibility to maintain continuity of care for those who are eligible.Nonetheless, the Department has played a significant role in supporting LAs and the National Health Service in the period leading up to and following the insolvency of NRS Healthcare (NRS).Working closely with NHS England and the Department-funded Partners in Care and Health programme, the Department ensured that information was shared across LAs and local NHS partners and enabled co-ordinated discussions with NRS and alternative providers to ensure the continuity of care and to minimise disruption as alternative arrangements were finalised.The Department also made funding available to enable the Official Receiver to continue trading NRS for a limited period, once it became insolvent, in order to enable LAs to arrange alternative provision, to minimise the potential impacts on vulnerable individuals.The Department continues to monitor the situation closely and will support LAs to learn lessons and consider the implications for future resilience in this market.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the insolvency of NRS Healthcare Limited on (a) patient care, (b) local authorities’ duty of care and (c) relevant contracted businesses.
The principal responsibility for ensuring the provision of disability aids and community equipment lies with local authorities (LAs), as does the responsibility to maintain continuity of care for those who are eligible.Nonetheless, the Department has played a significant role in supporting LAs and the National Health Service in the period leading up to and following the insolvency of NRS Healthcare (NRS).Working closely with NHS England and the Department-funded Partners in Care and Health programme, the Department ensured that information was shared across LAs and local NHS partners and enabled co-ordinated discussions with NRS and alternative providers to ensure the continuity of care and to minimise disruption as alternative arrangements were finalised.The Department also made funding available to enable the Official Receiver to continue trading NRS for a limited period, once it became insolvent, in order to enable LAs to arrange alternative provision, to minimise the potential impacts on vulnerable individuals.The Department continues to monitor the situation closely and will support LAs to learn lessons and consider the implications for future resilience in this market.