Written questions by Dowd.

What steps he is taking to improve training for healthcare professionals to better (a) recognise and (b) diagnose bipolar.

The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher education institutions, which write and teach the curricula that enables their students to meet the regulators’ outcome standards.Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasize the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans for their patients, including those with bipolar disorder.Once qualified, health care 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 should include taking account of new research and 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.The community mental health framework sets out a vision for transforming community mental health services. The vision is a whole person, whole population approach to community health services, with new integrated models between primary and secondary care that can deliver more flexible, personalised, and holistic care, including diagnosis, for more people with severe mental illnesses such as bi-polar disorder, rather than developing specialist pathways for specific conditions.Since April 2021, all areas have received significant additional, ring-fenced funding to develop these new integrated primary and community mental health services, built around primary care networks, in line with the community mental health framework. Local health systems have made significant progress in rolling out these integrated models of care, including for people with a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on improving co-ordination between healthcare services and the welfare system to support people with bipolar.

Ministers hold discussions with other ministerial colleagues regularly, on a range of issues.The Get Britain Working White Paper confirms the Government’s commitment to continuing to expand the number of places on Individual Placement Support schemes to help thousands more people with severe mental illness, including bipolar disorder, to find and stay in employment.The White Paper also confirms our commitment to expand NHS Talking Therapies. Over 90% of NHS Talking Therapies services in England provide access to Employment Advisers with an aspiration that, by March 2025, 99% will offer employment support as part of their service.

Whether he plans to introduce specialist bipolar pathways in NHS mental health services.

The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher education institutions, which write and teach the curricula that enables their students to meet the regulators’ outcome standards.Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasize the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans for their patients, including those with bipolar disorder.Once qualified, health care 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 should include taking account of new research and 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.The community mental health framework sets out a vision for transforming community mental health services. The vision is a whole person, whole population approach to community health services, with new integrated models between primary and secondary care that can deliver more flexible, personalised, and holistic care, including diagnosis, for more people with severe mental illnesses such as bi-polar disorder, rather than developing specialist pathways for specific conditions.Since April 2021, all areas have received significant additional, ring-fenced funding to develop these new integrated primary and community mental health services, built around primary care networks, in line with the community mental health framework. Local health systems have made significant progress in rolling out these integrated models of care, including for people with a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder.

What assessment they have made of the potential impact of welfare reforms on people living with (a) bipolar and (b) other serious mental illnesses.

The Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced alongside a proper plan to help disabled people into work, which will help them, businesses and the economy. We know that change is desperately needed but equally these sorts of changes should not be made in haste. So, alongside our Get Britain Working White Paper, we want to engage with disabled people, and others with expertise and experience on these issues, to consider how to address these challenges and build a better system. We will reconsult on the proposed WCA changes as part of our Green Paper before the Spring 2025 forecast that will bring forward wider proposals to reform the health and disability benefits system. The reforms will be subject to full consultation.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure people with bipolar receive the support they need to (a) access and (b) stay in work.

Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme.Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live.Disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with bipolar disorder, are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.

What steps he is taking to improve early diagnosis of bipolar.

The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher education institutions, which write and teach the curricula that enables their students to meet the regulators’ outcome standards.Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasize the skills and approaches a health care practitioner must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans for their patients, including those with bipolar disorder.Once qualified, health care 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 should include taking account of new research and 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.The community mental health framework sets out a vision for transforming community mental health services. The vision is a whole person, whole population approach to community health services, with new integrated models between primary and secondary care that can deliver more flexible, personalised, and holistic care, including diagnosis, for more people with severe mental illnesses such as bi-polar disorder, rather than developing specialist pathways for specific conditions.Since April 2021, all areas have received significant additional, ring-fenced funding to develop these new integrated primary and community mental health services, built around primary care networks, in line with the community mental health framework. Local health systems have made significant progress in rolling out these integrated models of care, including for people with a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of sunbed usage by adults.

The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) published a report on the health effects and risks arising from sunbeds in 2009. This report included a chapter on sunbed use in the United Kingdom, and informed the 2010 Sunbeds (Regulation) Act.In November 2024, the Department commissioned COMARE to consider the available evidence relating to the use of sunbeds in the UK, and to determine if a new review is required. This work is ongoing, and its conclusions will be made publicly available when completed.

Whether he is taking steps to improve the usage of sunscreen of factor 30 and above.

The Department would advise that people to the follow the National Health Service guidance on using sunscreen, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/ The NHS England website is clear on the benefits of sunscreen, and the importance of using sunscreen that is of factor 30 and above.

What steps his Department is taking to promote awareness of skin cancer (a) prevention measures, (b) signs and (c) symptoms.

The Department continues to advise patients to follow National Health Service guidance on reducing the risk of skin cancer. This advice is available publicly on the National Health Service website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/melanoma-skin-cancer/ The Department is not taking any additional steps, currently or within the last three years, to specifically fund skin cancer awareness campaigns.NHS England run Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address the 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 as well as encouraging body awareness to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.

What assessment he has made of the progress of work under the UK Rare Diseases Framework; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that rare disease continues to be a health priority.

A rare disease is defined as a disease or condition which affects fewer than one in 2,000 people within the general population. While they are individually rare, they are collectively common, and one in 17 people will be affected by a rare disease at some...

If his Department will take steps with local Integrated Care Boards to help ensure that rare disease services are delivered according to the priorities set out in the Rare Disease Framework.

The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets a high-level strategy to focus action across the healthcare system to address the four priorities of: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; ...

What resources are available to support care coordination across (a) geographical areas and (b) disciplines for rare and ultra-rare conditions.

We remain committed to the UK Rare Diseases Framework, which highlights better coordination of care as a priority to improve the lives of people with rare diseases.Under England’s Rare Diseases Action Plans, we have committed to a range of measures to imp...

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the National Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria Service for care coordination for people with rare diseases; and what steps his

The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities to improve the lives of people living with rare diseases, such as Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria (PNH). This includes the priority of improving co-ordination of care.NHS England commissions ser...

Whether his Department plans to take steps to prioritise improvement of care for (a) rare blood disorders and (b) other rare and ultra-rare conditions.

Improving the lives of people living with rare and ultra-rare conditions, such as rare blood disorders, continues to be a health priority. We remain committed to the UK Rare Diseases Framework, which highlights four priorities to improve the lives of peop...