Written questions by Yasin.

If he will (a) review and (b) update the NHS Continuing Healthcare guidance to ensure that mobility assessments fully consider the impact of severe dementia and other cognitive impairments on an person's care needs.

There are no plans to update NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) guidance regarding mobility assessments or specialist assessments by dementia nurses. The CHC assessment process is supported by the Decision Support Tool. This provides practitioners with a way to bring together and record an individual’s needs in the twelve ‘care domains’, including mobility. The assessment should consider the ways in which an individual’s needs interact with one another, for example how cognition impacts on mobility.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or condition but is assessed on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of an individual’s needs, ensuring a person-centred approach. Someone with specialist knowledge of an individual’s condition, for example dementia, should be involved in the process. Assessments should take into account evidence from a comprehensive range of assessments relating to the individual. For individuals with dementia, this could include specialist assessments by dementia nurses.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of fragmented care pathways on (a) patient outcomes and (b) NHS resource use; and what steps he is taking to improve care coordination for patients with long-term conditions.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can: digitally by default, in a patient’s home, if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary. Through this model, we will rebalance our health and care system so that it fits around people’s lives, not the other way round. This approach will mean patients are not sent from pillar to post, improving outcomes and making better use of resources.In the meantime, we have launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) to support systems across the country by driving innovation and integration at a local level, to accelerate improvements in patient outcomes and patient satisfaction and ensure that care is more joined-up, accessible, and responsive to community needs. The initial focus for all the first places in the NNHIP will be adults with multiple long-term conditions and rising risk, before progressing to other places and populations. There will be a rigorous monitoring of outcomes and metrics for the NNHIP.

Whether his Department plans to make second-degree Paramedic Science students eligible for (a) student finance and (b) the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria. The LSF comprises a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare and travel and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements.Access to student loans is governed by The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (as amended) and is a matter for the Department for Education.The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare courses, including paramedicine, under close review.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that the pathway into paramedicine is accessible to (a) mature students and (b) career changers, in the context of the requirement for new paramedics to hold a BSc qualification.

Paramedicine students are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare, travel, and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements. Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are also able to access the LSF, subject to meeting other eligibility criteria. Apprenticeships offer an alternative training route for those for whom a full-time university course is not practical or preferred, allowing people to earn as they learn.Pathways can also be shortened, depending on the level of someone's prior learning, via a process called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), which recognises previous learning and experience. People with non-traditional qualifications can apply to universities to determine if their skills, knowledge, and abilities may be recognised via APEL.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential financial barriers for people studying Paramedic Science as a second undergraduate degree.

Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria. The LSF comprises a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare and travel and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements.Access to student loans is governed by The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (as amended) and is a matter for the Department for Education.The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare courses, including paramedicine, under close review.

Whether his Department has considered providing self-sampling cervical screening kits to all women.

Following the announcement to introduce human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling in the National Health Service cervical screening programme for the under-screened population, the NHS has begun planning an in-service evaluation (ISE) of HPV self-sampling in the wider population.The purpose of the ISE is to ensure that the self-sampling test is as accurate at detecting HPV as a clinician collected specimen, and to evaluate its impact on cervical screening uptake. The findings of the ISE will inform any future UK National Screening Committee recommendation to ministers to offer self-sampling across the whole population.

Whether his Department has considered allowing dentists qualified in Canada an exemption from the requirement to sit the Overseas Registration Examination before practicing in the UK.

The Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) exam is operated by the General Dental Council (GDC). The GDC is independent of the Government.It is the role of the GDC to set the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the United Kingdom dental register, and the required routes to registration.

Whether he plans to review the Continuing Healthcare Assessment for dementia patients.

The Department has no plans at this time to review the NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessment in relation to individuals with dementia.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis, condition, or financial means, as it is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of an individual’s needs. This ensures a person-centred approach to CHC, where the individual is placed at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process. We continue to work with our partners, including NHS England, who are responsible for oversight of CHC delivery, external organisations, and people with lived experience, to seek feedback on CHC policy and implementation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025 to Question 36441 on World Health Assembly, by what date his Department will confirm (a) ministerial attendance at the World Health Assembly 2025 and (b) whether it plans to endorse the WHO resolution on Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease.

The World Health Assembly (WHA) is a unique opportunity to meet health ministers from around the world and to showcase the United Kingdom’s health leadership. The Department is planning to send a senior representation to the WHA in May, but plans are still being finalised.The UK is actively engaged in negotiations on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) resolution ‘Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease’ in advance of the 156th WHO Executive Board this February. The Executive Board recommended the adoption of all resolutions considered to the WHA in May, including this one, subject to ongoing WHO budget discussions.

What steps his Department is taking to support hospices.

The hospice sector has been provided with the largest capital spend in a generation - £100 million.We are also providing £26 million revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices.I recently visited Katharine House hospice in Stafford and heard from staff how important this record investment is.

Whether he plans to (a) attend the World Health Assembly 2025 and (b) endorse the WHO resolution on Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease.

The Department is still considering Ministerial attendance at the World Health Assembly 2025. The Government continues to be a strong supporter of the World Health Organization (WHO).The UK actively engaged in negotiations on the WHO resolution on Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease in advance of the 156th WHO Executive Board in February 2025. The Executive Board recommended adoption of all resolutions considered to the World Health Assembly, including this one, subject to ongoing budget discussions. We remain committed to tackling NCDs, including kidney disease, domestically and internationally.

What recent discussions he has had with the British Medical Association on incentivising hospital consultants to routinely work on weekends.

There have been no discussions between the current health ministers in England and the British Medical Association on incentivising hospital consultants to routinely work on weekends.Hospital consultants agree job plans with their employer at a local level. The job plan sets out all the consultant’s duties and responsibilities and includes a job schedule, which details when those duties and responsibilities will be delivered. Any scheduled work delivered on weekends would fall under enhanced pay arrangements as per the national terms and conditions of employment for hospital consultants in England.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 10592, whether he has received any further advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the potential merits of extending eligibility for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination to people who turned 80 before 1 September 2024.

The Department has not received any further advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme for older adults since the Committee’s advice of 3 June 2023.The latest discussion of RSV by the JCVI was during their October 2024 main committee meeting. The Committee agreed that it would need to formally review, in detail, the evidence for a potential extension to the programme for the very elderly and for those in risk groups which would be undertaken by the RSV sub-committee.The JCVI will review the necessary scientific evidence once it is available and will continue to keep evidence under review, including data from clinical trials and real-world evidence emerging from immunisation programmes in different countries. The next JCVI committee meeting is scheduled to take place in February 2025. The minutes from this meeting will be made publicly available in spring 2025 at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisationThe Department will consider any further JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV immunisation in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a redress scheme for victims of the Sodium Valproate scandal in line with recommendations in the Hughes Report.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

What progress his Department has made on delivering specialist mental health professionals in every school.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Education and NHS England to consider how to deliver our manifesto commitment of providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents and carers. This includes considering the role of existing programmes of support with evidence of a positive impact, such as Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.