Written questions by Wrigley.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that (a) patients and (b) clinicians are able to (i) understand and (ii) challenge decisions made by non-deterministic AI systems.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.

What steps he is taking to ensure that non-deterministic outputs from AI tools used in (a) diagnostics and (b) treatment planning can be (i) explained and (ii) validated.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52406 on Pharmacy, what proportion of people do not have access to a pharmacy within two miles in Newton Abbot constituency.

The estimated travel distance to a pharmacy referenced in the previous response was based on a published analysis, commissioned by the Department, and available at the following link:https://postcode-pharmacy-dhsc-nhsgisscw.hub.arcgis.com/The analysis presents estimates at the national, regional, integrated care board, and parliamentary constituency levels. The estimate that 7.4% of the residents of the Newton Abbot constituency live more than two miles from a pharmacy is similar to the national estimate of 7.2%. This estimate is based on the pharmacies included on the NHS Pharmaceutical list in June 2024, and no pharmacies have closed in the Newton Abbot constituency since then.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of Talkworks NHS Talking Therapy in supporting patients with mental health issues in Devon.

Integrated care boards (ICB) are responsible for commissioning services within the National Health Service, including Talking Therapies, to meet the needs of their local populations. ICBs are also responsible for ensuring that service providers adhere to the terms and conditions of their contract, including quality, performance, and the financial aspects.

What steps he is taking to help improve the recruitment and retention of care home staff.

The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth and improve the recruitment and retention of the domestic workforce.We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do.We are supporting the professionalisation of the adult social care workforce, including through the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway to a further four roles, including registered manager and deputy manager roles. The Pathway sets out how people can develop a long-term career in adult social care, with the right support and training to help attract people to join and remain in the sector.We are also continuing to fund the Adult Social Care Learning Development Support Scheme to help people build their skills and careers in care. The scheme is backed by up to £12 million this financial year and includes qualifications to enhance the quality of care more broadly, as well as opportunities to develop leadership and management skills.

What steps he is taking to improve health outcomes for people with a UTI in Devon.

Information is published nationally on the National Health Service website outlining the symptoms, treatment, self-care, causes, and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/ In addition, there is also local patient-facing information on the MyHealth Devon website, which is available at the following link: https://myhealth-devon.nhs.uk/my-condition/condition/utis/ The local NHS service in Devon has a series of referral and treatment guidelines for UTIs. These include: - UTIs in females;- UTIs in males;- suspected UTIs in children; and- UTIs in general. These guidelines include information on assessment, red flags, investigations, management, and referral, and further information on each of the topics above is available at the following link: https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/referral-guidance/south-devon-torbay/urology There is also a new clinical referral guideline for recurrent UTIs that is currently in development with local specialists. These guidelines cover the management of many UTI related topics, including: - the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria;- the management of catheter-associated urinary tract infection;- the management of chronic pelvic pain syndrome;- the management of community multidrug-resistant urinary tract infection;- the management of lower urinary tract infections;- the management of prostatitis, acute;- the management of pyelonephritis, acute;- the management of recurrent urinary tract infection; and- resources for urinary tract infections. Further information on each of the above is available at the following link:https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/formulary/chapters/5-infections/urinary-tract-infections

If he will take steps to increase levels of (a) prescribing rights and (b) public health advisory services for qualified (i) pharmacists, (ii) nurse practitioners and (iii) paramedics.

The Department remains committed to exploring the extension of medicine responsibilities for non-medical professionals, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Paramedics, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists can all train as independent prescribers, allowing them to prescribe a wide range of medicines, including some controlled drugs, within their professional scope of practice.All health and care professionals play an important role in delivering evidence based public health interventions. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has already developed resources and tools under a programme called All Our Health, which supports professionals to increase their focus on public health interventions. The 10-Year Health Plan will set out further actions which will support the shift from treatment to prevention.

If he will publish a list of geographical areas which do not have access to a pharmacy within 10 miles.

Data from June 2024 shows that approximately 93% of the population of England lived within two miles of a pharmacy. Data on distances travelled beyond two miles is not recorded.In some rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the over 400 National Health Service online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver prescription medicines free of charge to patients anywhere in the country.

If he will commission research on symptomatic cases of pineal cysts.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has previously supported research on pineal cysts at the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, with further details of this work available at the NIHR’s Open Data website, at the following link: https://nihr.opendatasoft.com/pages/homepage/ The NIHR encourages anyone to submit suggestions for research, and welcomes suggestions at its website, which is available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Pursuant to the Answer 6 May 2025 to Question 48666 on NHS: Disclosure of Information, if will he take steps to compensate NHS staff who signed non-disclosure agreements upon leaving the NHS.

The term non-disclosure agreement is not used in the National Health Service. A non-disclosure agreement is a general term used to describe any kind of legal agreement which sets out requirements, known as confidentiality clauses, that prohibit or restrict the sharing of certain information to other parties. These terms are usually in the interests of both the employer and the employee concerned. In the NHS this relates to contracts of employment and settlement agreements.Settlement agreements, which may include confidentiality clauses, can legitimately be used for a range of employment issues that are unrelated to whistleblowing and are legally binding. Both the employer and the employee concerned must take their own legal advice before entering into such an agreement. Some settlement agreements may include a non-contractual, or special severance, payment, but not all will do so.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of creating a young cancer patient travel fund.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to the Hon. Member for North Cornwall on 24 April 2025 to Question 46605.

Whether he plans to amend regulations on the (a) composition, (b) marketing and (c) labelling of commercial infant and toddler foods, in the context of products with (i) a high nutritional value and (ii) added sugar.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influences many aspects of well-being in later life.It is vital that we maintain the highest standards for foods consumed by babies and infants, which is why we have regulations in place that set nutritional and compositional standards for commercial baby food. The regulations also set labelling standards to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information about the products they buy. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure they reflect the latest scientific and dietary guidelines.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48666 on NHS: Disclosure of Information, whether his Department plans to begin collecting data on the number of National Health Service staff who have left the NHS in (a) Devon and Cornwall and (b) England under non-disclosure agreements.

The Department has no plans to begin collecting information from National Health Service bodies on the use of non-disclosure agreement, or instances where confidentiality clauses are included in a local settlement agreement.

What representations he has received from people who have previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Representations received from people who have previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 have been used to modernise the Mental Health Act, to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment.The Mental Health Bill has been developed with input from those with lived experience from the outset. This legislation has been informed by an Independent Review into the Mental Health Act, and a public consultation on the Reforming the Mental Health Act White Paper. The public consultation received 1,119 individual responses, a significant proportion of which said that they had experience of contact with mental health services, detention under the act, and/or were a carer for someone under the act.

What plans he has to increase levels of access to (a) educational psychologists, (b) speech and language therapy and (c) child and adolescent mental health services in Devon.

We know that too many children and young people are not receiving the support they need, including in Devon, and that waits for accessing mental health services and community health services, such as speech and language therapy, are too long. We are determined to change that.We are working closely with the Department for Education on reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities system to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school. As set out in the NHS Planning Operational Guidance for 2025/26, we are committed to increasing the number of children and young people accessing mental health services by 345,000 compared to 2019. We are also providing £7 million to extend support for 24 Early Support Hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community. This includes two early support hubs in Devon.In Devon, the NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, local authorities, and education and health care providers are working together to align speech and language therapists to schools alongside wider community offers, so that more children and young people can get the help they need sooner, and without long waits.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting lists for ADHD treatment in Devon.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors, to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the report expected in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.NHS Devon advises that it has developed a local accreditation process for the Right to Choose pathway in ADHD and autism, which will enable the local NHS to assure quality and delivery on many new providers under the Right to Choose pathways.

What steps he is taking to improve conditions in psychiatric hospitals.

In January 2025, the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) concluded its series of investigations into mental health inpatient settings. These identified ways we can improve mental health care, protect patients and the public, and create a safe working environment for staff. The HSSIB’s findings have been published in a series of reports, and we will formally respond to all the recommendations for the Department in due course. Additionally, NHS England is taking forward its mental health, learning disability, and autism inpatient quality transformation programme to support cultural change and a reimagined model of care for the future in inpatient settings. Local health systems have now published their three-year plans for localising and realigning inpatient care in line with this vision. As part of our plans to improve the mental health estate, we have invested over £560 million between 2020/21 and 2024/25 to eradicate dormitories in mental health facilities and give patients the privacy of their own ensuite bedroom. As of April 2025, 973 beds, out of a total of approximately 1,360, have been replaced and over 1,000 single rooms opened across over 40 sites.

If he will publish a national cardiovascular disease plan.

The Government is committed to ensuring that fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). That is why, building on the 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan’s commitment to prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes, and dementia cases by 2029, the Government has set a CVD-specific mission to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and strokes by 25% within a decade.To deliver on the Government’s ambition, the Department and NHS England are working together to understand both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities for progress across the prevention, treatment, and management of CVD, as part of our 10-year plan.The 10-Year Health Plan will describe a shared vision for the health and care system in 2035, drawing directly from the extensive engagement underway with the public, patients, and staff. The plan will include how care models and pathways will need to change or evolve to better meet their needs, and the cultural and behavioural changes we want to see.

What steps he is taking to ensure that deafblind people are able to access care needs assessments.

Under the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that deafblind people in their area access the right care and support. This includes making contact with, and keeping a record of, all deafblind people in their area, and ensuring that needs assessments are carried out by a person who has specific training and expertise relating to individuals who are deafblind. In addition, under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for deafblind people. Support for deafblind people will form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report on it when there is something important to highlight, for example, something being done well, an innovative practice, or an area for improvement. So far, the CQC has published over twenty assessments, with ratings of Requires Improvement, Good, and Outstanding. By identifying local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, CQC assessments facilitate the sharing of good practice and help us to target support where it is most needed. These steps will help ensure deafblind people are accessing needs assessments and appropriate care.

What steps he is taking to ensure that deafblind people are able to access appropriate social care.

Under the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that deafblind people in their area access the right care and support. This includes making contact with, and keeping a record of, all deafblind people in their area, and ensuring that needs assessments are carried out by a person who has specific training and expertise relating to individuals who are deafblind. In addition, under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for deafblind people. Support for deafblind people will form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report on it when there is something important to highlight, for example, something being done well, an innovative practice, or an area for improvement. So far, the CQC has published over twenty assessments, with ratings of Requires Improvement, Good, and Outstanding. By identifying local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, CQC assessments facilitate the sharing of good practice and help us to target support where it is most needed. These steps will help ensure deafblind people are accessing needs assessments and appropriate care.