Written questions by Pochin.

How many NHS dentists have ceased providing NHS services in each of the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of regional disparities in access to NHS dental appointments.

Awaiting answer.

How many GP appointments were missed in each of the last 10 years.

Awaiting answer.

What plans he has to increase the installation of defibrillators in public areas.

The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining defibrillators. Over 110,000 defibrillators are registered in the United Kingdom on The Circuit, the independent automated ext...

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of defibrillators in key public areas.

The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining defibrillators. Over 110,000 defibrillators are registered in the United Kingdom on The Circuit, the independent automated ext...

What the average cost is of a cancelled GP appointment.

The information requested is not held by the Department.When appointments are cancelled or missed, practices may use that time to see other patients, complete administrative work, or undertake training, so the impact on practice capacity cannot be separat...

What steps he is taking to further enhance the digital transition in the NHS to improve patient experience.

As part of its 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to moving the National Health Service from an analogue to digital service and empowering patients to have greater control and choice over their healthcare. The Government has positioned the N...

How many patients across the North West who attended A&E since July 2024 have been (a) admitted, (b) transferred and (c) discharged within four hours.

The Weekly and Monthly A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions collection reports the total number of attendances for all accident and emergency types, including urgent treatment centres, minor injury units, and walk-in centres, and of these, the num...

What discussions he plans to have with relevant stakeholders to help mitigate the potential impact of upcoming resident doctors' strike.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, made an offer to the British Medical Association’s Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) leadership on 12 June to seek a resolution to their ongoing dispute. The BMA RDC in response agre...

What discussions he has had with integrated care boards and NHS England on ensuring that sufficient capacity is commissioned from independent sector providers to facilitate patient choice.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have the flexibility to commission services across specialties within a fixed financial envelope and may use contract levers to manage that activity. This represents good management of public money to achieve the outcomes we want to see.Patients have a legal right to choose any qualified provider holding a contract with an ICB to deliver the services patients need. This right applies irrespective of levels of activity outlined in indicative activity plans contained in contracts.

What discussions he has had with integrated care boards and NHS England on ensuring that contracting decisions uphold the principles of patient choice.

The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care. Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient.Patients’ right to choose is set out in legislation. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population and to meet their statutory obligations to promote choice and enable patients' legal rights.There is guidance for the use and implementation of the contractual levers available to ICBs, detailed in the NHS Standard Contract Technical Guidance. Use of these must not restrict patients' choice for provider.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that patients are offered a choice of five providers at the point of referral where appropriate.

The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care. Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient.The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out plans to improve patient choice, empowering people to take control of their health by making the NHS App and Manage Your Referral website the default route for patients to choose their provider. We are improving the information available to patients, such as waiting times. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a transformed vision for elective care, that will ensure the National Health Service is receptive and reactive to patient preference, voice, and choice.In May 2023, NHS England asked all referrers to ensure they shortlist on average five choices from which the patient may choose, where this is practicable, clinically appropriate, and preferred by the patient. Integrated care boards have responsibility to ensure that their patients are aware of the choices available to them and are able to exercise their legal right to choose a provider following an elective care referral, and this is underpinned in Part 8 of the NHS Standing Rules, which are available at the following link:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2996/part/8NHS England has regulatory oversight responsibilities to ensure patient choice operates effectively in the NHS and has published Patient Choice Guidance, which includes guidance for referrers, and which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/

If he will make it his policy to maintain patient choice.

The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care. Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient.The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out plans to improve patient choice, empowering people to take control of their health by making the NHS App and Manage Your Referral website the default route for patients to choose their provider. We are improving the information available to patients, such as waiting times. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a transformed vision for elective care, that will ensure the National Health Service is receptive and reactive to patient preference, voice, and choice.In May 2023, NHS England asked all referrers to ensure they shortlist on average five choices from which the patient may choose, where this is practicable, clinically appropriate, and preferred by the patient. Integrated care boards have responsibility to ensure that their patients are aware of the choices available to them and are able to exercise their legal right to choose a provider following an elective care referral, and this is underpinned in Part 8 of the NHS Standing Rules, which are available at the following link:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2996/part/8NHS England has regulatory oversight responsibilities to ensure patient choice operates effectively in the NHS and has published Patient Choice Guidance, which includes guidance for referrers, and which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/

What discussions he has had with NHS England and Integrated Care Board commissioners on the (a) fairness and (b) transparency of Indicative Activity Plans.

Indicative Activity Plans (IAPs) are non-binding, forecasted schedules under the NHS Standard Contract that define expected service volumes between commissioners for integrated care boards (ICBs) and providers. In setting these volumes, ICBs and providers are responsible for ensuring they do so with fairness and transparency.ICBs have contractual powers to manage activity by providers, which were enhanced in 2025/26 with central support for setting and managing activity. The NHS Standard Contract includes the ability to set IAPs to help providers and commissioners plan demand, capacity, and expenditure. While not binding, if activity exceeds, or falls short of the agreed plan, and therefore the funding agreed, an Activity Management Plan can be agreed to bring activity back in line.

What recent discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of the NHS Business Services Authority on the operation of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

The Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the administrators of the scheme, to continue to take steps to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), including through improving claimants’ experiences and supporting engagement with healthcare providers to allow claims to be progressed to medical assessment at a faster rate. Officials have regular discussions with the NHSBSA on the operation of the VDPS.

How many civil servants are employed in his Department’s sponsor team for the NHS Business Services Authority by grade.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What performance targets his Department has set for the processing of claims under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

The Department works closely with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), to improve claimants’ experiences. While no specific performance targets have been set for the processing of claims, the Department and NHSBSA are committed to continuing to make improvements to the scheme, including by supporting engagement with healthcare providers to allow claims to be progressed to medical assessment at a faster rate.Data from the NHSBSA shows as of 31 March 2026, there were 2,203 live VDPS claims, claims that are yet to receive an outcome. This is compared to 4,985 live claims as of 31 September 2025.

What timetable his Department has set for submitting proposals to the Cabinet Office on arm’s length body reform and accountability.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What evidence his Department used to inform the decision to change accreditation requirements for counsellors in December 2025.

The Department does not set the qualification requirements for psychotherapy and counselling and was not involved in the changes to accreditation requirements introduced in December 2025. The Department does not receive any revenue or financial benefits arising from those changes.

Whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the potential impact of the changes introduced in December 2025 to accreditation requirements for counsellors on the level of waiting times for patients seeking access to counselling services.

The Department does not set the qualification requirements for psychotherapy and counselling and was not involved in the changes to accreditation requirements introduced in December 2025. The Department does not receive any revenue or financial benefits arising from those changes.