Written questions by Perteghella.

What steps he is taking to help improve post diagnostic support for people diagnosed with young onset dementia.

Everyone with dementia should have meaningful care following their diagnosis. This includes information on local services and access to relevant advice and support on what happens next.The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines. It is the responsibility of ICBs to work within their geographical area to offer services that meet the needs of their population.Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population under the Care Act 2014. The Government is committed to improving dementia care and empowering local leaders with the autonomy they need to provide the best services to their local community, including those with young onset dementia.This is why we have published the D100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool. This will help simplify best practice for system leaders and help create communities and services where the best possible care and support is available to those with dementia, including those with young onset dementia. The D100: Pathway Assessment Tool is available at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-tool

What steps he is taking to ensure that social care reform supports (a) deafblind people and (b) other disabled people with complex needs.

The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system, and that people are suffering without the care they need or fighting a complicated system just to receive poor quality care.The independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, will work with people who draw on care and their families, as well as sector partners, to make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population, including for deafblind people and other disabled people with complex needs.At the same time, we are committed to making immediate improvements. We will give disabled people more independence in their own homes through continued investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which funds practical changes that suit individual people’s needs. We have provided an uplift of £172 million across this and the last financial year, bringing the total funding for the DFG to £711 million in 2024/25 and 2025/26.The Government understands the vital importance of coproduction, working directly with people who draw on care and support, including deafblind people and others with complex needs, to design policies that work for them to make their lives better.

What steps he is planning to take to support community pharmacies in the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan.

The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift. As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.

If he will take steps to prevent pharmacy closures in Warwickshire.

The Government recognises that pharmacies, including in Warwickshire, are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26 and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents an uplift of over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26 and demonstrates a commitment to rebuilding the sector.Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, integrated care boards (ICBs) can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of community pharmacy provision in Stratford-on-Avon constituency.

The Government recognises that pharmacies, including in Stratford-on-Avon, are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible front door to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.We have now concluded the consultation on funding for 2024/25 and 2025/26, and have agreed with Community Pharmacy England to increase the community pharmacy contractual framework to £3.073 billion. This deal represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a commitment to rebuilding the sector.Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards (ICBs) give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes, and fund the contract from the ICB’s budget. The Pharmacy Access Scheme helps protect access to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer pharmacies and higher health needs, so that no area is left without access to local, physical NHS pharmaceutical services.

If she will introduce a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund to provide financial support for children and young people travelling to specialist cancer centres for treatment.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency. On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to review the proposed fixed recoverable costs scheme for clinical negligence claims.

Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on fixed recoverable costs and we will announce our position in due course.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of fixed recoverable costs on (a) birth injury cases, (b) mental health-related negligence claims and (c) claims involving elderly care.

Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on fixed recoverable costs and we will announce our position in due course.

Whether he plans to consult stakeholders on the potential impact of fixed recoverable costs on access to justice for vulnerable patients impacted by clinical negligence.

Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on fixed recoverable costs and we will announce our position in due course.

If he will ensure that the National Cancer Plan includes a strategy for (a) research and (b) improved treatment for brain tumours in children.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including brain tumour patients.On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experience for children and young people with cancer. The Taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement across detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. It will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the plan.Research is a key focus of the plan, and we will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this. The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers and their families. The government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.Furthermore, the Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health Care and Research are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to NHS dental services in Stratford-on-Avon.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For Stratford-on-Avon constituency, this is Coventry and Warwickshire ICB.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the national dentistry model to align it with NHS general medical services to include patient registration with NHS dentists.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of National Health Service dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.We are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients. At the same time, we will not wait to make improvements to the current system where these can increase access and incentivise the workforce to deliver more NHS care.Patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of flexibility in the local application of dental budgets.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.NHS England supports ICBs with their local commissioning responsibilities for primary dental services with the provision of nationally agreed policies and procedures. NHS England has also published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning, which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of funding NHS dental activity nationally.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.The NHS in England invests £3 billion into dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

Whether the new 2025-26 GP contract will lead to an increase in the proportion of the NHS budget allocated to general practice once the increase in employer National Insurance contributions has been taken into account.

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise will be implemented in April 2025. Primary care providers, including general practices, are valued independent contractors who provide almost £20 billion worth of services in the National Health Service. Each year, we consult with each sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. We concluded the consultation on the 2025/26 GP contract in February 2025 and we are pleased that the England general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association is supportive of the contract changes. We are investing an additional £889 million in general practice to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26.

Whether his Department plans to review autism assessment questionnaire to be inclusive of female autism.

Autistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. Integrated care boards and health professionals should have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning and providing health care services, including autism assessment services. NICE guidelines and quality standards set out evidence for good practice in autism assessments. This includes the recommended autism assessment tools and processes employed.In 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services which identifies the stages and processes of undertaking an autism assessment and places an emphasis on gathering sufficient information and evidence to reach a robust clinical opinion.Clinicians may use questionnaires to support identification, screening, and triage, as well as structured or semi-structed interview tools and/or schedules to support assessments. NHS England has commissioned Autistica to review tools used for screening and triage in the autism assessment pathway, and to produce a set of criteria that services can use when deciding which tools are appropriate for use in their service.The NICE guidelines on autism diagnosis for people under 19 years old also set out considerations for clinicians, which includes recognition that they should pay attention to the potential under-diagnosis of girls when assessing for suspected autism.

What steps he is taking to support women living with arthritis.

We are committed to prioritising women's health, and we know that musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including arthritis, disproportionately impact women.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their populations, including women with arthritis. To support this, the Department of Health and Social Care is delivering the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme jointly with NHS England and the Department for Work and Pensions. With a £3.5 million funding boost, GIRFT will work with ICBs to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for women.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also publishes guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of people with long-term conditions for use by healthcare professionals and commissioners. NICE has published guidance to support health and care professionals in the early diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, including for women, which are available at the following links:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226

What steps he is taking to ensure that ADHD patients' Right to Choose is protected.

The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. A patients right to choose is set out in legislation. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

What steps he is taking to help reduce delays in accessing cancer treatment in South Warwickshire.

The Department is committed to reducing waiting times for cancer treatment and improving access to treatment across England, including in South Warwickshire. We will achieve this by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and access to treatment. Furthermore, it will ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. These actions will help bring this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a Cancer Care Plan for (a) children and (b) young people.

We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more children and young people survive, and we will improve the experience of young cancer patients across the system.That’s why on 4 February 2025 we relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with cancer. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement across detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experienceThe taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, due for publication in the second half of 2025.