Written questions by Brickell.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the introduction of mandatory online booking systems does not mean the withdrawal of other options such as face to face receptions and phone calls.

National Health Service organisations must ensure that all patients have equitable access to care, and that decisions or policies do not unfairly disadvantage people or lead to an increase in inequalities. All NHS organisations are legally obliged to not discriminate against patients or staff. This means that a non-digital solution should be available for those patients who cannot or do not wish to engage digitally, including those with mental health conditions or language barriers. These non-digital routes must be available for all services provided by NHS organisations.

What recourse to action patients who have had scheduled operations cancelled by Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, citing funding pauses, have in order to secure the surgeries they need at the earliest opportunity.

Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to putting patients first by ensuring that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care. Since this Government came into office, the waiting list for routine appointments, operations and procedures in England has been cut by 225,852. This is despite 28.4 million referrals onto the waiting list.Integrated care boards (ICBs) have existing contractual powers to manage activity by providers, which were enhanced in 2025/26 with central support for setting and managing activity. Commissioners’ use of these powers support systems to live within their means and to deploy better financial discipline than previous years where systems have overspent.We expect use of activity management provisions by local systems to support efforts in achieving the goal of at least 65% of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks for treatment by March 2026 whilst living within financial budgets set for 2025/26.All trusts are expected to have their own safeguards to ensure that patients waiting for planned care are triaged, and that appointments take place according to clinical priority and the length of time patients have waited, avoiding risk of serious complications. Patients have the right to request their local ICB find an alternative provider when they have been waiting, or expect to wait, over 18 weeks to begin treatment for consultant-led care.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate (a) supply and (b) distribution of the flu vaccine this winter.

NHS England is in regular contact with the vaccine manufacturers to discuss the available supply and can confirm that stock is still available for community pharmacies and general practices to order. Sufficient volumes of flu vaccine have been delivered to be able to vaccinate all eligible groups of people.Initial orders are placed well before the start of the campaign, but supplies continue to be available throughout the season to be ordered as required. Manufacturers have confirmed that they have flu vaccine available and in stock, should sites want to order additional stock.

If his Department will take steps to publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I am pleased to confirm the continuation of circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, for the next three financial years, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive, to be distributed again via integrated care boards. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) recognising and (b) including low-grade brain tumours in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve the experience and outcomes for all cancer patients, including those with brain tumours.Although low-grade brain tumours are generally non-cancerous, they can have similar, serious symptoms and require surgery or radiotherapy to treat. The Government has invested in new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.The plan will include further details on how we will speed up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

What discussions he has had with NHS Ambulance Trusts on the potential merits of enabling humanitarian charities to purchase end-of-life ambulances directly from them.

No such discussions have been held. Information on decommissioned National Health Service ambulances is not held. Decisions on how to appropriately decommission ambulances is taken at a local level by ambulance trusts.

What information his Department holds on the number of decommissioned NHS ambulances donated to humanitarian charities over the past 12 months.

No such discussions have been held. Information on decommissioned National Health Service ambulances is not held. Decisions on how to appropriately decommission ambulances is taken at a local level by ambulance trusts.

Whether he has had discussions with NHS Ambulance Trusts on repurposing ambulances approaching the end of their operational lifespan for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

No such discussions have been held. Information on decommissioned National Health Service ambulances is not held. Decisions on how to appropriately decommission ambulances is taken at a local level by ambulance trusts.

What the average waiting time was in accident and emergency (a) at Bolton Hospital, (b) in each region and (c) in the UK in the latest period for which data is available.

NHS England publishes information on accident and emergency waiting times in England, although not at a hospital site or regional level. The following table shows the provisional median total time waited in accident and emergency at the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, and the national figure for England, in February 2025:LocationMedian total time in accident and emergency in minutesBolton NHS Foundation Trust194England171Source: NHS England’s Provisional Accident and Emergency Quality Indicators for England, February 2025, by provider, available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/provisional-accident-and-emergency-quality-indicators-for-england/february-2025-by-provider

What information his Department holds on levels of patient demand at Leigh walk-in centre.

The Department does not hold the information requested. NHS England publishes official statistics for accident and emergency attendances at a provider, National Health Service trust level. Information for the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/

What information his Department holds on General Practice coverage per population (a) in Leigh, (b) in each region and (c) in England.

The following table shows the number of full time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs), direct patient care staff (DPC), and nurses per 10,000 registered patients in Leigh and in each region of England:AreaNumber of FTE GPs per 10,000 registered patientsNumber of FTE DPC staff per 10,000 registered patientsNumber of FTE nurses per 10,000 registered patientsNational5.822.702.57London4.971.711.31South East5.363.002.52South West6.203.673.48Midlands6.162.562.64North East and Yorkshire6.393.053.28East of England5.463.212.71North West6.442.312.66Leigh and Atherton4.971.322.06

Whether his Department is taking steps to implement the findings of the Care Quality Commission Community Mental Health Survey 2024, published on 4 April 2025.

We welcome the Care Quality Commission’s Community Mental Health Survey 2024, and we are carefully considering its findings.Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care that they need. The Government is committed to changing that by improving mental health care across the spectrum of need, from serious mental illness to common mental health conditions.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, create a network of open access community Young Futures hubs, recruit 8,500 mental health workers to ease pressure on busy mental health services, and modernise the Mental Health Act.The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will set out an agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, including moving care from hospitals to the community. NHS England is currently piloting neighbourhood based, open access community mental health centres in six areas to support people experiencing mental ill health.We are committing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, thereby reducing pressure on busy accident and emergency services, and ensuring people have the support they need when and where they need it.We have also committed £75 million of capital investment to reduce out-of-area placements.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Pharmacy First service.

The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central 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.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.Employers clearly have a key role in retaining staff and making jobs in community pharmacy attractive. To support employers, NHS England has provided several fully funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help support private contractors deliver quality NHS services, including Pharmacy First.NHS England is keeping the Pharmacy First service under close review. In addition, a National Institute for Health and Care Research evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the general practice setting, use of hospitals and how the service has impacted access to care and cost for different patient groups.The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.

Whether his Department has plans to consult on extending the list of conditions patients can be treated for under the Pharmacy First scheme.

The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central 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.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.Employers clearly have a key role in retaining staff and making jobs in community pharmacy attractive. To support employers, NHS England has provided several fully funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help support private contractors deliver quality NHS services, including Pharmacy First.NHS England is keeping the Pharmacy First service under close review. In addition, a National Institute for Health and Care Research evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the general practice setting, use of hospitals and how the service has impacted access to care and cost for different patient groups.The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of community pharmacists.

The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central 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.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.Employers clearly have a key role in retaining staff and making jobs in community pharmacy attractive. To support employers, NHS England has provided several fully funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help support private contractors deliver quality NHS services, including Pharmacy First.NHS England is keeping the Pharmacy First service under close review. In addition, a National Institute for Health and Care Research evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the general practice setting, use of hospitals and how the service has impacted access to care and cost for different patient groups.The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the legal right to a care supporter in a health and social care setting.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standard on Visiting and Accompanying (Regulation 9A) came into force on 6 April 2024 to strengthen requirements for CQC registered care homes, hospitals, and hospices to facilitate visiting, unless there are exceptional circumstances which mean that it is not safe to do so. This can be a visit from a family member, a friend, or a person visiting to provide companionship or support, for example, a care supporter.We will conduct a review of Regulation 9A from April 2025, 12 months on from the legislation coming into force, to assess whether the legislation has been effective in addressing concerns about visiting in health and care settings. Depending on the outcome of the review, we will consider whether further action is needed.

What steps he is taking to increase levels of retention in the NHS workforce.

Every day, millions of NHS staff go the extra mile to make a broken system work as well as it can for their patients.As we develop our ten-year plan for the NHS - and the Long Term Workforce Plan that will support it – a critical concern will be ensuring we have the modern, positive, and supportive working environment needed to retain them, motivate them and enable them to provide the high quality care they want to give to patients.