Written questions by Mishra.

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.

How many physician associates were employed by the NHS in England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of physician associates employed by the NHS in England in the last 10 years.

We do not hold data on physician associate (PA) numbers for each of the last ten years, but the table below provides figures for the number of full time equivalent (FTE) PAs employed in both National Health Service trusts and primary care from 2017 to 2024. Physician Associates in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England - FTEPhysician Associates in Primary Care in England - FTEOf which, Physician Associates employed by General Practices in England - FTEDecember 2017Not AvailableNot Available55December 2018Not AvailableNot Available116December 2019Not AvailableNot Available268December 2020973Not Available378December 20211,1361,041477December 20221,3841,541628December 20231,6242,009763December 20241,6162,068830Sources: NHS Workforce Statistics, NHS England; General Practice Workforce Statistics, NHS England; Primary Care Quarterly Workforce Update, NHS EnglandNotes:Data is only published for PAs employed in hospital and other core organisation (commissioning bodies) settings from 2020 onwards.PAs in primary care settings may be employed directly by general practices (GPs) or may be employed through other routes such as by primary care networks. Data is only available for PAs employed directly by GPs prior to 2021 and as such will be an undercount of the total across primary care.The Government has commissioned Professor Gillian Leng CBE to lead an independent review of physician and anaesthesia associate professions. It will consider the safety of the roles and their contribution to multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The conclusions of the review will inform the workforce plan to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan.The review will consider the approach that was adopted in England to support the safe introduction, employment and deployment of these new roles.

What steps he is taking to improve access to treatment for people with Parkinson’s in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.

We have delivered an additional two million appointments in England, seven months ahead of schedule. This includes operations, consultations, diagnostic tests, and treatments. These additional appointments have taken place across a number of specialities, including neurology.We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention. A central and core part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities, including in the Stockport constituency and Greater Manchester.There are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s disease in England, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Neurology Transformation Programme.Once diagnosed, and with a management strategy in place, the majority of people with Parkinson’s can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care. NHS England commissions the specialised elements of Parkinson’s care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. One of these neurological centres is based at the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust in Greater Manchester. Within specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals, including Parkinson’s disease nurses, psychologists, and allied health professionals such as dieticians and speech and language therapists, and that they can receive specialised treatment and support, according to their needs.In addition, in February 2024, a new treatment for advanced-stage Parkinson’s, foslevodopa–foscarbidopa, was rolled out in the NHS. It has been shown to improve motor function, with patients experiencing longer periods of time without dyskinesia.

What steps he is taking to support children living in poverty to access healthcare services in Stockport .

Our commitment to tackle child poverty is at the heart of the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, and the ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. The Department is working closely with the Child Poverty Ministerial Taskforce on an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackle its root causes, and give every child the best start in life. The Government is committed to alleviating the negative experience of living in poverty through supporting families and enhancing public services.Ahead of this strategy, work is already underway to support children living in poverty to access healthcare services. For example, the Department and NHS England are supporting Greater Manchester to improve access to the Healthy Start Scheme and poverty proofing services for children with long term conditions in the Northwest. Services for children offered in Stockport which are supported by the Department include Family Hubs, Start Well, and health visiting services.

How many physician associates are working in GP surgeries across (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the North West.

As of 31 December 2024, there were 287 full-time equivalent physician associates working in the North West NHS England region, 121 of which were working in the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board area.

What steps his Department is taking with the NHS to help ensure that it meets the target that 92% of people waiting for elective mental health treatment wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to their first treatment.

The overall elective waiting list stands at 7.48 million patient pathways, with over six million people waiting. We are committed to putting patients first, making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.As set out in the Government’s Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. This includes those patients waiting for mental health services where a referral is made to a medical consultant-led mental health service. The majority of National Health Service mental health care is outside the scope of the elective waiting list and the referral to treatment 18-week constitutional standard.We know that too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure that mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. We will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment, which will also help ease pressure on hospitals.The NHS Planning Guidance 2025/26 includes objectives to increase the number of children and young people accessing services to achieve the national ambition for 345,000 additional children and young people aged zero to 25 years old compared to 2019, and to reduce 12 hour accident and emergency waits. We will also ensure every young person has access to a mental health professional at school, and will set up Young Futures hubs in communities, offering open access mental health services for young people.

What plans he has to ensure the accountability of care homes providing care below acceptable standards.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services, including care homes, to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. Inspection reports on individual providers are made publicly available.Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses a range of regulatory and enforcement powers, to take action to ensure the safety of people drawing on care and support.This includes using requirement notices to highlight areas that need improvement or placing adult social care providers into special measures to closely supervise the quality of care. In cases of significant concern, the CQC can take action that could lead to the removal of a provider’s registration or, in the most serious cases, take criminal action.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that care homes meet high standards of (a) hygiene, (b) cleanliness and (c) quality of care.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services, including care homes, to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. Inspection reports on individual providers are made publicly available.Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses a range of regulatory and enforcement powers, to take action to ensure the safety of people drawing on care and support.This includes using requirement notices to highlight areas that need improvement or placing adult social care providers into special measures to closely supervise the quality of care. In cases of significant concern, the CQC can take action that could lead to the removal of a provider’s registration or, in the most serious cases, take criminal action.

What assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the length of waiting lists for a lifesaving organ in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) England.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in early January, sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target, in order to tackle the approximate 6.3 million patients on the waiting list. As of 31 December 2024, there were 6,858 people on the transplant waiting list in England, and 405 people in Greater Manchester, excluding temporarily suspended patients.In July 2021, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care established the Organ Utilisation Group (OUG) to provide recommendations to maximise the potential for organ transplantation in England, and save more lives of those on the waiting list.The OUG’s recommendations address barriers to transplantation and best practice. The Department established the Implementation Steering Group for Organ Utilisation in April 2023, bringing together key organisations involved in delivering the transplant service, to oversee and coordinate the recommendations’ implementation. Once fully implemented, the aim is to utilise more donor organs for transplant to save and improve the lives of those on the waiting list.

What steps his Department is taking to help encourage more people to become blood donors in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) the North West.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT runs marketing and partnership activity across England, including in Stockport, to encourage new donors to come forward. For example, on 11 November it launched a new cam...

If his Department will make an estimate of the average waiting time for podiatry appointments in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Stockport Borough.

Data reports from the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust show that the average wait time for their podiatry services in 2023/24 was 13 weeks, and that the average wait time reported for August 2024, the most recent data available, was 17.9 weeks.