Written questions by Welsh.

When his Department plans to publish revised guidance for Health Building Notes.

We have interpreted this question as asking when the Department plans to publish revised Health Building Notes (HBNs). HBNs are developed and published by the NHS England Estates division and are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/estates/health-building-notes/Planned updates to these HBNs are based on their prioritisation related to identified changes in policy, regulation, technology, and clinical practice, as well as available resources. We are systematically updating these and working closely with specialists in the devolved administrations to progress updates to the HBNs and other guidance.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the ruling over Paul versus Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has made on secondary victims of medical negligence.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked David Lock KC to look at the issue of secondary victims for maternity clinical negligence cases only. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.There are no plans to extend the scope of the work wider than maternity clinical negligence cases.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that polycystic ovary syndrome is explicitly recognised within the scope of digitally delivered women’s health services.

The Government recognises that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been failed for far too long, and we know that more needs to be done to support women with PCOS. As announced in September 2025, we will establish an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. It will connect patients with clinicians across the country through secure, online appointments accessed through the NHS App. In January 2026, we announced the conditions and specialities that NHS Online will initially focus on. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including PCOS, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027. We’ve chosen some of the conditions with the longest waits and where online consultation works best.

Whether polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will be included among the conditions eligible for referral and treatment under the menstrual health services provided by the new NHS Online Hospital announced by NHS England on 5 January 2026.

NHS Online will be a new, optional online service allowing patients to digitally connect with clinicians across England. In January 2026, we announced the specialities and conditions that NHS Online will initially focus on. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027. We’ve chosen some of the conditions with the longest waits and where online consultation works best.NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times more than an average trust, while enhancing patient choice and control over their care.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the price increase of mounjaro on people accessing weight loss medication.

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.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that tirzepatide remains at an affordable rate for people not prescribed the medication through the NHS.

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.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists for (a) appointments and (b) assessments for hearing services.

Cutting elective care waiting times, including for hearing services, is a key priority for this government. We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra 2 million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 4.6 million additional appointments.We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand, including for audiology services such as hearing tests. Our Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests.NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards (ICBs) who are the commissioners of audiology services to improve performance and reduce waiting lists for appointments and assessments for hearing services. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in NHS Trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via Community Diagnostic Centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to hearing services in rural areas.

NHS audiology services are locally commissioned, and the responsibility for prioritising primary care audiology lies with local NHS Service Commissioners. NHS England is supporting the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make informed decisions about the provision of audiology services so that they can provide consistent, high quality, and integrated care.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the amount of self-funding for care payable by any person.

The Government inherited a commitment to implement charging reforms in October 2025, including a cap on personal care costs. Regrettably, funding for these reforms had not been guaranteed, preparations for full rollout were not on track, and thus it was impossible to deliver these reforms by October.This Government remains committed to reforming the adult social care sector and we have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including considering the affordability of care costs if she sees fit.

What steps his Department is taking to improve support for people leaving hospital and moving to a care home.

The statutory hospital discharge guidance sets out that people leaving hospital, including those who will be moving to a care home, should be supported throughout the discharge process and post discharge. The discharge process should be person-centred, strengths based, and driven by choice, dignity, and respect. Individuals should be supported to make fully informed decisions, in conjunction with their wider family or unpaid carers.Local areas should have agreed protocols for collaborating with onward care providers regarding the individual’s hospital discharge through care transfer hubs, including agreed pathways for raising and resolving any concerns post-discharge.In 2025/26, there is £9 billion available through the Better Care Fund. Integrated care boards and local authorities should jointly plan how to use this funding to meet local health and care needs, including after discharge.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle the NHS backlog for ADHD assessments in (a) Sherwood Forest and (b) Nottinghamshire.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 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. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final 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 conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB advises that it is working with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to review current waiting lists and develop an improvement plan to reduce waiting times. These improvements include streamlining the referral, triage and assessment processes and improving data quality. The current service pathway has been reviewed and options for improvement have been developed, these are being progressed locally during 2025 and aim to improve the pathway, including pre-assessment and post-assessment support.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the eligibility criteria for the covid-19 vaccination from Autumn 2025 to include people with severe lung conditions.

The independent Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises the Department on the approach to vaccination and immunisation programmes. The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, involving hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19. On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme, covering vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026. This advice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026The Government is considering the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2025 carefully, and will respond in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to improve safety within maternity services.

The Government continues to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year plan for maternity and neonatal services. The plan sets out how the NHS will make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised, and more equitable for women, babies, and families.As part of the delivery plan, an updated version of the ‘Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle’ is being rolled out across England, which is a package of interventions aimed to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and preterm birth, as well as initiatives to reduce inequalities. Additionally, 14 Maternal Medicine Networks have been developed across England to ensure that women with chronic and acute medical problems related to pregnancy have access to specialist management and care.Additional funding has also been provided for Maternity and Neonatal Voice Partnerships to ensure local voices are used to inform decisions and services. All local leadership teams are taking part in a Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme, helping them to develop and maintain a positive safety culture.The Government is also currently piloting a training programme to help avoid brain injury in childbirth to improve safety for mothers and their babies. If successful, national rollout is expected to commence this year.While good progress has been made, the Government recognises that there are real issues within maternity services. Whilst change will not happen overnight, we are determined to go further to ensure all women and babies receive the care they deserve, and we have committed to providing support to trusts failing on maternity care, recruit thousands of new midwives, and tackle the unacceptable inequalities that exist.