Written questions by Mishra.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce differences in life expectancy between different areas within the Stockport constituency.

The UK faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy and healthy life expectancy varying widely across and between communities. Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out a reimagined service designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, to ensure the NHS is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) North West (the Regional Team) operates across the North West of England, covering the geography of Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside and serving a population of 7.5 million people.The Regional Team works with and supports North West local authorities across a wide range of portfolios that support taking action on health inequalities. These include 0-19 services, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol services, physical activity and obesity, mental wellbeing, work and health, wider determinants of health and health literacy.In addition, the public health grant is paid to local authorities and is used to improve population health, prevent illness, and reduce health inequalities.

What support hs Department is providing to people caring for family members with advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. We have produced guidance to help those diagnosed with dementia, or those supporting someone with dementia, to understand the kind of support and services available to them in England. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/after-a-diagnosis-of-dementia-what-to-expect-from-health-and-care-services/after-diagnosis-of-dementia-what-to-expect-from-health-and-care-servicesAs set out in the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan, we are equipping and supporting carers by increasing visibility and empowering voices in care planning. We are joining up services, and streamlining caring tasks through the introduction of a new ‘MyCarer’ section to the NHS App.In April, the Government also increased the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the largest ever increase since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced.

What steps his Department is taking to provide preventative health services in Stockport constituency's most deprived wards.

The Government’s mission is to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor, through the Health Mission and 10-Year Health Plan. Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how a shift to prevention will deliver healthier, more prosperous lives for all, but particularly for those suffering the consequences of widening levels of health inequality. Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free UK and we will take decisive action to tackle the obesity crisis and create the healthiest generation of children ever, working in partnership with schools, supermarkets, and pharmaceutical companies. We will also be asking the NHS to do more on secondary prevention, including through strengthening its vaccination and screening programmes. The public health grant is paid to local authorities and is used to provide vital preventative services that help to support health. In 2025/26, funding for all local authorities through the public health grant will be £3.884 billion. This is an average 3.4% real terms increase in local authority public health grant funding, compared to 2024/25. This is complemented by almost £490 million of additional targeted investment in local drug and alcohol treatment, early years and stop smoking services. This represents a significant turning point for local public health services, marking the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending. Our Regional Team works with and supports North West local authorities across a wide range of portfolios that support taking action on health inequalities including children's services, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol services, physical activity and obesity, mental wellbeing, work and health, wider determinants of health and health literacy.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure the public is made aware of the change from Physician Associate to Physician Assistant.

The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician assistants (PAs) and physician assistants in anaesthesia (PAAs) (still legally known as physician associates and anaesthesia associates) are safe and effective. The Review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams.The Review found that the majority of stakeholders, particularly patient groups, expressed concern that the name physician associate is confusing and that patients were unclear about who they were being treated by.As set out in NHS England’s ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document, the immediate action for organisations is to make changes to the way in which roles are referred to in the workplace, to ensure that patients are not under the misapprehension that they have seen a doctor. Any changes to official job titles should be done in accordance with the organisation’s local change management policy, with proper regard to employment law and involve affected members of staff and local trade unions.The ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leng-review-nhs-england-faqs-on-actions-for-nhs-organisations.pdf.The Government intends to commence consultation on a modernised legislative framework for the General Medical Council (GMC) by the end of this year. These proposals will include the change in role titles. Subject to parliamentary time, our expectation is that these changes will be put before the UK and Scottish Parliaments during 2026.The Leng Review recommendations are far-reaching and require cross-system partnership working to develop a detailed implementation plan that effectively delivers on the Review’s recommendations, including national clinical protocols and professional standards and information for patients. This includes working together to consider how best to standardise identification of PAs, PAAs and other staff to support patients in recognising the staff caring for them.

Whether his Department plans to fund research into treatments for psychosis.

The Department of Health and Social Care, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), commissions a range of research into treatments for psychosis.For example, the NIHR is currently funding a £2.6 million clinical trial of Feeling Safe, a cognitive behavioural therapy programme designed to treat persecutory delusions. Additionally, the NIHR is funding a £3 million study investigating the treatment of antipsychotic induced weight gain, and a £1 million study that aims to develop a more tailored approach to Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) treatment, which will inform national commissioning of EIP services.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including research into treatments for psychosis.

What steps his department is taking to improve (a) awareness, (b) diagnosis and (c) access to fertility treatment for men affected by infertility.

We are developing a Men's Health Strategy which will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England, and which will be informed by the call for evidence. This includes finding the right ways to promote healthier behaviours, improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder, and improving engagement with healthcare. The call for evidence closed on 17 July 2025 and we are now analysing the responses to inform development of the strategy.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 62269 on IVF: Finance, whether his Department has had discussions with NHS Greater Manchester on the proposed reduction in the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles.

No such discussions have taken place.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards, and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

How many people are on the waiting list for tinnitus treatment in Stockport constituency.

The Department does not hold information on this particular condition. However, the latest published data on the waiting list for Ear, Nose and Throat, which includes those waiting for tinnitus treatment, stood at 4,492 in the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust as of May 2025. This represents a 2.8% reduction compared to the start of July 2024.

What assessment his Department has made on the adequacy of waiting times for audiology appointments in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.

We do not hold specific data on audiology waiting lists in the Stockport constituency, Greater Manchester, or nationally.In May 2025, the waiting list for Ear, Nose and Throat, which includes audiology appointments, stood at 4,492 in the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and stood at 37,477 in the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB). In the same month, Ear, Nose and Throat performance against the 18-week referral to treatment standard was 54.6% at the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and 50.5% in the NHS Greater Manchester ICB.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage more people from ethnic minority backgrounds to become blood donors in Greater Manchester.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England.Recruiting donors from black heritage backgrounds is a strategic priority for NHSBT, driven by the clinical need to provide better matched blood for patients with conditions like sickle cell, which disproportionately affects people of black heritage. As a result, NHSBT is delivering marketing and communication activities that target key diverse areas. Greater Manchester is one of NHSBT's key target regions for their Giving Types campaign, with proactive public relations and regional media stories being deployed to drive the appeal for more blood donors using real-life case studies from the local area. Further information on the Giving Types campaign is available at the following link:https://www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/campaigns/giving-type/The NHSBT Community Grants Programme funds community and faith/belief organisations to drive awareness, understanding, and behaviour change amongst black, Asian, mixed heritage, and minority ethnic communities to build support for blood donation. NHSBT has two Community Grant Programme groups operating in Manchester, specifically Become United and the Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN). They host events, webinars, and produce videos on behalf of NHSBT to promote blood donation within their communities. Further information on the NHSBT Community Grants Programme is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/get-involved/community-grants-programme/NHSBT attends and hosts specific events which will attract a high number of people from ethnic minority backgrounds to encourage blood donation, for example the recent attendance at CAHN’s Windrush Day 2025 in Alexandra Park, Greater Manchester.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of NHS Greater Manchester’s proposed reduction in the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles from two to one on residents of Stockport.

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The NICE’s Fertility problems: assessment and treatment guideline recommends that the standard for the best outcome is offering three cycles of in vitro fertilisation for women aged between 22 and 39 years old, and one cycle for women aged 40 to 42 years old. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate.In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and (b) voluntary sector organisations on the implementation of the forthcoming Civil Society Covenant in relation to the next HIV Action Plan for England.

While not specifically in relation to the Civil Society Covenant, Department of Health and Social Care officials have engaged with officials from across the Government, including at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to align resources and efforts across the Government in relation to the next HIV Action Plan for England.Collaboration is at the core of the next action plan, which we aim to publish this year, and we are therefore engaging a wide range of system partners in its development, including people with lived experience, the voluntary and community sector (VCS), professional bodies, and local partners, amongst others.We recently hosted engagement sessions with approximately 60 VCS and external partners to discuss what the next action plan should look like, though the Civil Society Covenant has not been discussed specifically. Professor Kevin Fenton, the Government’s Chief Advisor on HIV, has also hosted a series of engagement workshops, with approximately 250 system partners, including the VCS, industry, primary care, and integrated care board colleagues, to inform our plan.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 53645 on Parkinson's Disease: Greater Manchester, whether his Department plans to (a) collect and (b) publish regional data on the average waiting time for Parkinson’s patients to see a neurologist.

There are no current plans to collect and publish regional data on the average waiting time for patients with Parkinson’s disease to undergo their first neurology appointment following referral.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of Produodopa treatment for people with Parkinson’s in (a) Stockport and (b) Greater Manchester.

The Department is not aware of a supply issue affecting Produodopa.The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within Stockport and Greater Manchester is not held centrally.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of their costs and benefits.NICE has recommended Produodopa, also known as foslevodopa–foscarbidopa, for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's with motor symptoms. This treatment should now be available to NHS patients in line with NICE’s recommendations.Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care. Prescribers must always satisfy themselves that the medicines they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and that they take account of appropriate national guidance.

If his Department will review the medical exemption list for free prescriptions.

We have no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

What the average waiting time was for patients with Parkinson's disease to see a neurologist in (a) Stockport and (b) Greater Manchester in the latest period for which data is available.

The Department does not hold data at the required level of granularity to provide the average waiting time for a first neurology appointment for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

How much his Department has allocated to medical research into Parkinson's disease in each of the last three financial years.

The Department delivers research into Parkinson’s disease via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Between the financial years 2022/23 and 2024/25, the NIHR has allocated over £24 million to medical research into Parkinson’s disease through its research programmes. The following table shows a breakdown of the allocated funding to medical research into Parkinson’s disease via the NIHR for the financial years 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25:Year2022/232023/242024/25TotalAllocated funding£1,900,000£21,000,000£1,400,000£24,300,000 The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Parkinson’s disease. 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. Welcoming applications on Parkinson’s disease to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of improving diabetes care on reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease.

The relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well known, as adults with diabetes are two to three times more likely to develop CVD and are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease and stroke compared to those without.We know that receiving all eight National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended care processes, such as monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol, significantly reduces mortality for all causes, and from CVD causes specifically, for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, compared to those who received five or less of these processes.We continue to improve care for those with diabetes. For those who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and who are overweight or obese, the highly effective NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme is available.We have committed to developing a 10-year plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with diabetes, as we develop the plan.

What discussions he has had with local authorities on enabling direct payment to care workers where providers have collapsed or ceased operations.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services which offer quality and value for money.Where individuals are in receipt of local authority funded support, they may choose to receive their personal budget as a direct payment, which can be used to employ carers, or other staff, directly.Care providers entering and exiting is a normal part of a functioning market, and local authorities should have appropriate contingency plans in place, depending on the services being provided. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities also have a temporary duty to ensure continuity of care in the event of business failure. This means that people continue to receive the care and support they need if their adult social care provider is no longer able to carry on delivering services.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that social care providers recruiting (a) internationally and (b) within the UK comply with British (i) legal obligations and (ii) ethical standards towards their staff.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with regulators, local authorities, other departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence about illegal or unethical practices in adult social care. The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority investigates reports of worker exploitation and illegal activity, such as human trafficking, modern slavery, forced labour, and other labour market offences.The Government is delivering legislation to improve employment rights, and the Fair Work Agency in the Employment Rights Bill will bring together existing state enforcement functions which, over time, will take on enforcement of a wider range of employment rights.We are also committed to ensuring ethical and sustainable approaches to international recruitment. All providers should be meeting the clear ethical standards laid out in the Code of Practice for International Recruitment. The Code of Practice sets stringent ethical standards for recruiters and employers to follow to ensure that people coming from overseas are treated fairly and provided with the appropriate support. Any accusations of illegal employment practices will be fully investigated by the relevant authorities. Any business found guilty of serious employment law breaches will have action taken against them by the Home Office, up to and including having their visa sponsorship licences revoked. The Department of Health and Social Care is providing up to £12.5 million to 15 regional partnerships this financial year to support them to prevent and respond to unethical international recruitment practices in the sector. This includes support for international recruits to understand their employment rights to switch employers, to remain working in the care sector when they have been impacted by their sponsor’s license being revoked.