Every parliamentary written question tabled by Manuela Perteghella this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 125 · Department of Health and Social Care
What steps his Department is taking to facilitate access on the NHS to baricitinib for children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA); and whether he has considered alternative commissioning or funding routes for that treatment in the absence of a NICE appraisal.
Awaiting answer.
What steps he is taking to improve access to clinical trials for patients with pancreatic cancer by ensuring that eligible patients are automatically identified and referred to appropriate clinical trials; increase access to personalised treatment through routine tumour profiling and testing, where clinically appropriate; and increase funding for pancreatic cancer research, including the development of new treatments and the expansion of clinical trials, to improve survival outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Awaiting answer.
Whether his Department will reimburse hospices in England for the increase in employer National Insurance contributions introduced in April 2025.
Awaiting answer.
What revenue funding his Department will provide to adult hospices in England in 2026/27; and when that funding will be confirmed.
Awaiting answer.
What information his Department holds on the proportion of the operating costs of (a) The Myton Hospices and (b) The Shakespeare Hospice is met by NHS Coventry and Warwickshire; and what assessment he has made of trends in the level of variation between integrated care boards in the share of hospice costs they fund.
Awaiting answer.
How the move of care from hospital to community set out in the 10 Year Health Plan will be funded for hospices providing community and hospice-at-home care.
Awaiting answer.
When the new framework for the commissioning and funding of hospice services by integrated care boards will be published; and whether it will be in force before 1 April 2027.
Awaiting answer.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia establishes care co-ordination as a minimum national expectation for people living with dementia, and if
Awaiting answer.
Whether he plans to ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care recognises dementia as a life-limiting condition that requires a constant palliative approach from d
Awaiting answer.
What steps his Department has taken to identify the causes of the increase in the (a) incidence and (b) mortality rates of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in England.
The Department recognises the importance of understanding trends in rare cancers, including cholangiocarcinoma.The Department supports research into cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (N...
What steps his Department is taking to improve the early detection and diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma; and if he will consider developing specific clinical guidance or awareness initiatives for he
The Government is committed to improving outcomes for people affected by rare and less common cancers, including cholangiocarcinoma.The National Cancer Plan for England identifies earlier diagnosis as a key priority and includes specific commitments to im...
What funding has been allocated by (a) his Department, (b) the National Institute for Health and Care Research and (c) other publicly funded bodies for research into cholangiocarcinoma in each of t
Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology,...
What assessment has been made of the potential impact of digital-first systems, including SMS-based appointment booking and online triage platforms, on patient access to NHS primary care services;
The NHS App provides a core national channel for patients to view, receive, and manage appointments across a range of care settings whilst ‘NHS Notify’ enables National Health Service organisations to send letters, text messages, and emails from a single ...
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of transferring the functions of Healthwatch into Government or NHS bodies on patient representation; and what safeguards he will put in place to
An impact assessment has been undertaken and published alongside the introduction of the Health Bill 2026. It outlines the non-monetised benefits, including the streamlining of the landscape and legislation, avoiding duplication of activity, and increased...
What assessment he has made of the consistency of (a) response times and (b) service provision by Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across NHS organisations.
No assessment has been made of the consistency of National Health Service trusts in responding to Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) enquiries.Generally, there are no required national timeframes or service standards for responding to enquires made...
Whether his Department plans to issue national guidance on (a) response times and (b) service standards for Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS).
No assessment has been made of the consistency of National Health Service trusts in responding to Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) enquiries.Generally, there are no required national timeframes or service standards for responding to enquires made...
What estimate his Department has made of the cost of missed appointments in (i) Warwickshire and (ii) nationally; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of missed appointments.
The Department has made no formal estimate of the cost of missed appointments in Warwickshire or nationally.However, we’re clear that reducing missed appointments is an important part of improving elective care and making best use of National Health Service capacity to cut waiting times. The Government has committed, in the Elective Reform Plan, to focussed action to reduce missed appointments, including enhancing two-way communication between hospitals and patients, and to use artificial intelligence to predict who will miss appointments, to save up to one million missed appointments. NHS England continues to support the validation of waiting lists, as part of the Government's plans for a more productive and improved approach to elective care which is better for patients. Effective validation helps trusts to understand the true size of their waiting list for better planning and can help avoid missed appointments to reduce overall waiting times.Locally, trusts are also using data‑led approaches to prioritise proactive appointment reminders, making greater use of the NHS App and patient portals, and targeting specialties with higher non‑attendance rates through outpatient improvement work.
If he will use the Autumn Budget 2026 to provide long‑term, recurring revenue funding for hospices.
As with all fiscal matters, we cannot pre‑empt the Autumn Budget. Decisions on future funding will be taken through the usual Budget process and will be taken in the context of the wider public finances. The Government recognises the vital role that hospices play in supporting people at the end of life and their families.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission, including hospice services. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end-of-life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.In addition, the Government has provided significant financial support for the hospice sector, including £125 million of capital funding to improve adult and children and young people’s hospice facilities and £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices for three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29.The Government is developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care for England, with a planned publication date of Autumn 2026. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. We will also consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF.
Whether the Modern Service Framework for Palliative and End of Life Care will be supported by a) national accountability mechanisms and (b) sustainable funding to ensure equitable access to high-quality palliative care services.
The Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care will provide a clinically led, evidence-based framework to support sustained improvement in patient and carer outcomes, including reducing both inequality and unwarranted variation. Areas of action will be identified for those commissioning and delivering services with associated performance and outcome metrics to support system accountability. The MSF will seek to embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on population need.NHS England is working closely with integrated care boards (ICBs) to support more strategic, data‑driven commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services. We are asking ICBs to have clear and transparent contractual arrangements in place for commissioned activity across all providers of palliative care, including hospices, to meet population health needs.
What guidance is issued to GPs on recognising symptoms of neuroendocrine cancers.
Improving the early diagnosis of rare cancers, including neuroendocrine cancers, is a priority for the Government. In February, the Government published the first ever National Cancer Plan with a dedicated chapter on rare cancers.The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scanners.Neuroendocrine cancers benefit from system‑wide early diagnosis initiatives, including non‑specific symptoms pathways, and expanded diagnostic capacity through community diagnostic centres. NHS England has rolled out non‑specific symptom pathways nationally, designed to support patients whose symptoms do not clearly align with a single urgent cancer referral route, which particularly benefits rarer cancers such as neuroendocrine cancers.NHS England recognises that cross sectional imaging, such as CT and/or MRI scanning in particular, play a crucial role in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine cancers. Whilst there is still more work to do, NHS England continues to prioritise and support access to CT/MRI scanning services through targeted capital investment which over the last five years has contributed to a 37% increase in CT scanners and a 33% increase in MRI scanners across the country.In addition to imaging, the diagnosis of neuroendocrine cancer relies on a combination of biochemical tests, including blood and urine markers, and histopathological confirmation, typically obtained via biopsy. As part of broader efforts to strengthen diagnostic services, NHS England is investing in histopathology modernisation, including automation and digital pathology, to support improvements in diagnostic accuracy, timeliness, and equitable access to high-quality care.The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence's (NICE’s) guideline makes recommendations by site of the suspected cancer that clinicians should use to guide referral for specialist opinion.We will increase access to the best innovative cancer treatments for all. The Cancer Drugs Fund has helped to ensure that, according to industry data, patients in England receive new cancer treatments 50% faster than the European Union average, and it will continue to provide earlier access to promising new treatments. By April 2026, a joint process between NICE and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will boost the speed of decisions on the licensing and appraisal of medicines, so that recommendations for the NHS to fund new drugs can be made faster.Patients with rare cancers will benefit from a move to specialist, multi-disciplinary teams, that cover multiple healthcare providers. This will allow them to benefit from the input of specialist centres and access to the best evidence-based care. The Department is exploring novel procurement routes for diagnostics and treatments for rare cancers, such as advanced market commitments, to stimulate innovation in cancer treatments.Where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns. NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients get access to these interventions ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person.Cancer Alliances play a key role in transforming care and support for patients, working closely with the wider health and care system.