Written questions by Niblett.

What steps he is taking to coordinate the roll out of (a) the Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccine and (b) other vaccines across all English regions to maximise effectiveness.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes for pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old began in England on 1 September 2024. The programmes are being delivered by general practices and commissioned maternity services, as well as a small number of community pharmacies in the East of England. General practices are responsible for proactively inviting aged-based eligible patients for vaccination, and for providing the vaccine to eligible patients from 28 weeks of pregnancy, either opportunistically or on request. RSV vaccinations are offered to eligible individuals year-round, rather than seasonally, though vaccination should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity to maximise protection against RSV.NHS England continues to focus on maximising vaccine uptake across both seasonal and routine vaccination programmes, including by improving access to vaccinations through outreach services, improving the National Booking Service, and working across the system to ensure coadministration of vaccines wherever possible and advisable. This approach supports the healthcare system to take every opportunity to vaccinate those who are eligible and to maximise the uptake of all vaccines.For older adults, whilst the RSV vaccine is not routinely given at the same appointment or on the same day as seasonal flu or COVID-19 vaccines, if the individual is unlikely to return for a second appointment or immediate protection is necessary then the RSV vaccine can be administered at the same time as the COVID-19 and/or flu vaccine. Older adults can get the RSV vaccine at the same time as the shingles and pneumococcal vaccines where eligible.The RSV and pertussis vaccines are not routinely scheduled at the same time during pregnancy. However, if a pertussis-containing vaccine has not been given to pregnant women by the time of attendance for an RSV vaccine, both vaccines can and should be given at the same appointment to ensure prompt development of immune response. The seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at any time in pregnancy when the campaigns are running, and at the same time as the pertussis and RSV vaccines.Healthcare professionals should take the opportunity to check immunisation status and offer or signpost vaccination where possible. Maternity services commissioned to deliver the maternal RSV programme are also encouraged to have vaccination discussions with pregnant women early in pregnancy.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) public health and (b) adult social care services in reducing the demand on (i) primary and (ii) acute services in South Derbyshire constituency.

The NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for meeting the healthcare needs and demands of South Derbyshire's population.There is evidence that public health and adult social care interventions of different kinds can be effective, and cost-effective, in preventing or delaying the onset of ill health, which in turn supports better use of health and care resources. A shift from treatment to prevention and from acute hospital services to community services are part of the three strategic shifts underpinning our 10-Year Health Plan.We also recognise the need to alleviate pressures through increasing supply and reducing demand.We will make sure the future of general practice (GP) is sustainable by training thousands more GPs, guaranteeing a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one, and delivering a modern booking system.The Government will publish a plan setting out how urgent and emergency care services across England will be supported to deliver improvements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 23992 on Primary Health Care: Standards, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) elderly and (b) digitally-challenged people to use technology to access healthcare.

Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support, with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services. NHS England has successfully run a number of programmes to support patients, carers, and health service staff with their digital skills. These include: - the NHS App Spoken Word Pilot project, designed to test the efficacy of promoting National Health Service digital health products and services in languages other than English;- the Digital Health Champions programme, a proof of concept to support citizens who have no or low digital skills with understanding how to access health services online; and- the Widening Digital Participation programme, aimed to ensure that more people have the digital skills, motivation, and means to access health information and services online. NHS England has also published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All digital programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.

What steps he is taking to support people with long term physical disabilities to access secondary care including (a) hydrotherapy, (b) physiotherapy and (c) acupuncture without re-referrals.

The Government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people. Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. NHS England has developed a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient and their reasonable adjustment needs in their patient record, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately. Health and social care staff can also access free training to implement the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, helping it to become part of a standard approach to care and treatment for all disabled people.Across England, community health services, including therapies, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities. We are working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services and on actions to reduce long waits.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, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.The engagement process for the 10-Year Health Plan has been launched, and as we work to develop and finalise the plan, we are encouraging those concerned about care for people with long term physical disabilities to engage with that process so we can identify what the potential solutions are. Further information is available at the following link:https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

What plans he has to support primary care to reduce the time it takes to receive (a) results and (b) appointments from secondary care services.

The Elective Reform Plan, launched as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, sets out plans to improve patients’ experience, so that it is as smooth, supportive, and convenient as possible. This includes giving them more control and flexibility, and designing care around their needs.Effective integration of primary and secondary care will be essential to helping ensure results and appointments are communicated quickly to both general practitioners and patients. We have set out improvements to digital tools, including a revolutionised NHS App, to help patients to contact their treatment provider more easily and conveniently, to receive clear information, regular updates, and test results.By March 2025, patients at over 85% of acute trusts will be able to view appointment information via the NHS App. By December 2025, we will build on the success of digitising appointment letters by making more types of content about patients’ treatment available on the NHS App, such as discharge letters and results.

What steps he plans to take to reduce waiting times for Tier 3 weight management services in Derbyshire.

Local authorities and the National Health Service provide weight management services to support their communities to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. These range from behavioural weight management programmes to specialist services for those living with obesity and the associated co-morbidities.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning NHS specialist weight management services and should consider local population need and the relevant guidance when commissioning these services.The NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB commissions the Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust to deliver a Tier 3 specialist weight management service. Patients are offered weight management, lifestyle, and behaviour change advice on a one-to-one and group basis for up to 12 months.The ICB is aware that there is currently limited prescribing capacity within the service, and there is work underway to re-design the weight management service pathway within Derbyshire.

If he plans to extend the assurances provided on funding for the increase in employer National Insurance costs to NHS Trusts to general practice.

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance contribution (NIC) rise will be implemented in April 2025.The definition of who is in scope is based on the Office for National Statistics classification of the entity paying employer NICs. This applies to employees who are directly employed by the public sector, but not, for example, where services are contracted out. Any other approach would result in differential treatment between private sector employers. General practices (GPs) are independent contractors and do not fall within this remit. This is consistent with the approach taken by previous Governments.We recently announced a proposed funding uplift to the GP contract for 2025/26 of £889 million, representing a 7.2% cash growth, estimated at approximately 4.8% real terms growth. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since the beginning of the five-year framework and means we are reversing the recent trend with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to GPs. We are currently consulting the profession on the annual GP contract.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of mental health services for (a) young and (b) older people in rural areas.

Waiting lists for those referred for support are too high, and especially so for young people. People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they deserve or need, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental h...

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the research and development of femtech solutions; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of femtech solutions on women's hea

While no explicit discussions have been held or assessments made, supporting patients’ equitable access to innovative technologies, and empowering their decision-making in care are key priorities for the Department and NHS England. The National Institute ...

What comparative assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) face-to-face meetings and (b) phone appointments for maternity care on patient outcomes.

We are working with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to ensure that care is always delivered in a personalised way. This includes telephone care, which has a place as part of some personalised pathways ...

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the availability of appropriate SEND educational placements with care support.

As announced by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer in last week’s budget, this Government are committed to reforming special educational needs provision, and we recognise the importance of improving outcomes for our most vulnerable childre...