Written questions by Whittome.

Whether his Department is taking steps to (a) improve awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms and (b) help ensure GPs receive appropriate training on recognising the symptoms of pancreatic cancer at an early stage.

NHS England is already taking steps to deliver a range of interventions to improve awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms. NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, including symptoms of pancreatic cancer, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an early point.NHS England is also working with Pancreatic Cancer UK to develop a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people, and their families, affected by pancreatic cancer to self-assess if they have inherited risk. People identified of being at risk are referred directly to the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatic Diseases research trail, which aims to understand inherited conditions of the pancreas. Referrals to the trail can be made by any healthcare professional across all health sectors, or by individuals via self-referral.General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.

Whether he has made an assessment of the availability of Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy to all patients who need it.

The Department continues to engage with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to boost production to mitigate the supply issue. Increased volumes of PERT are expected for 2025, and specialist importers have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the gap in the market. In December 2024, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to prescribe unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are put in place and implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a webpage to include the latest update on PERT availability and easily accessible prescribing advice.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs for trans patients; and what steps he is taking to support trans patients' access to hormone replacement therapy prescriptions through GPs.

NHS England is currently carrying out a review of adult gender services which will look at how to overcome the challenges that some individuals face in accessing a timely prescription.NHS England has more than doubled investment in gender dysphoria services, increasing the number of adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics in England from seven to 12 since July 2020, with the rollout of five new adult gender pilot clinics. This will help tackle long waiting times, which have increased due to a shortage of specialist clinical staff to meet the rapidly rising demand. To support general practitioners (GPs) in prescribing for adults with gender dysphoria, these pilot clinics are led by primary care and staffed by specialist GPs who are available to provide quick and effective support to colleagues.The Royal College of General Practitioners’ position statement on the role of the GP in transgender healthcare sets out that GPs should liaise and work with Gender Identity Clinics in the same way as with any other specialist. This includes consideration of prescribing under a shared care agreement.

What steps he is taking to improve the availability of GP appointments in Nottingham East constituency.

We are committed to improving capacity and access to local services across the country, including in Nottingham East. That is why we have already begun recruiting 1,000 newly qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in general practice, which will benefit thousands of patients that are struggling to care the care they desperately need. This will also secure the future supply of GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system. Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP contract, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to general practice. We are currently consulting on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care and GP recruitment.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of financial support provided to medical students through the NHS bursary.

The NHS Bursary funding arrangements are reviewed annually ahead of the start of each academic year.We have applied an uplift of 2% to all NHS Bursary maintenance grants and allowances for the academic year 2024/25. This is the first time the maintenance grant has been uplifted since 2015.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing auto-enrolment for Healthy Start.

The Healthy Start scheme is kept under review. The Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins for pregnant women and children aged under four years old. Healthy Start now supports over 353,000 beneficiaries. This figure is higher than the previous paper voucher scheme.The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. All applicants to the Healthy Start scheme, where they meet the eligibility criteria, must accept the terms and conditions of the prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, the NHS Business Services Authority is not able to automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card. However, we remain open to all viable routes to improve uptake.

What steps he is taking to (a) promote brain health and (b) implement targeted interventions among those most at risk of dementia from South Asian communities.

NHS England’s Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme led the development of resources to raise awareness of the specific dementia care requirements for people from ethnic minority communities to improve access, experience, and outcomes for people living with dementia from these groups.These were released in May 2023 and include an e-learning module to support clinicians and a refresh of the intercultural dementia care guide, which incorporates considerations around language and communication in the provision of culturally appropriate care. Work to update the guide specifically included focus groups with black African, black Caribbean, and South Asian communities as the largest ethnic minority groups in England.NHS England’s resource Dementia wellbeing in the COVID-19 pandemic accompanies the Dementia Well Pathway. Key priorities and actions for dementia diagnosis and post diagnostic support are included for each step. The resource highlights the Advancing Mental Health Equalities Toolkit to help provide support in identifying and addressing mental health inequalities.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of defibrillators in sports stadiums.

The treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease is a priority for the Government. We want people to have the best chance of survival from cardiac arrest, and rapid intervention is central to improving outcomes. This is why the Government is increasing the number of publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).The Government is committed to improving access to AEDs in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply, and will go to applications for AEDs in areas where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs, which could include sports stadiums.

With reference to the written statement of 30 July 2024 on Adult Social Care Workforce, HCWS50, whether he plans to make a further statement about how funding for Adult Social Care Learning and Development will be administered.

On 6 September 2024, the Department launched the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme. This scheme is intended to help the non-regulated adult social care workforce to complete courses and qualifications, gain recognition for existing expertise, and develop new skills and specialisms. Funding is distributed via a new online claims service administered by NHS Business Services Authority. Eligible adult social care providers can claim funding towards the cost of certain courses and qualifications, on behalf of eligible employees. Full details of the training covered by the Learning and Development Support Scheme have been published on GOV.UK website.

With reference to the written statement of 30 July 2024 on Adult Social Care Workforce, HCWS50, whether he plans to provide further funding for social work apprentice opportunities.

We take seriously our responsibility to help manage down the overall fiscal pressures in 2024/25, and therefore cannot commit further funding for social work apprenticeships at this time.Regarding the social care sector more generally, we are committed to building consensus on the long-term reform needed to create the National Care Service. A key step towards this will be introducing Fair Pay Agreements into the sector, which will work to empower worker representatives, employers and others in partnership to negotiate pay and terms and conditions in a regulated and responsible manner and will help to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector; in turn supporting the delivery of high-quality care.