Written questions by Darling.

Which ICBs have chosen not to allow GPs to prescribe weight loss injections.

Awaiting answer.

How many ICBs have chosen to make provision of Aquablation to treat enlarged prostates.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he plans to mandate that all ICBs make provision of Aquablation as a procedure to treat enlarged prostates.

Awaiting answer.

Which NHS Trusts are currently seeking redundancies from clinical staff.

The Department does not hold a central list of real-time information on which National Health Service trusts are taking forward redundancies. Decisions about workforce change, including any redundancy proposals, are matters for individual NHS employers, who must follow employment law and nationally agreed contractual arrangements. This includes appropriate engagement with trade unions and staff affected. Where organisations are reducing their workforce numbers and costs, they should take all reasonable steps to avoid compulsory redundancies, including restricting recruitment, managing vacancies and considering suitable alternative employment, to ensure any changes do not compromise patient safety or access to services. NHS England continues to work with integrated care boards and NHS trusts to support safe staffing and the delivery of patient services.

What steps his Department is taking to help support prisoners with long term dependency on drugs or alcohol with the management of withdrawal of drugs and alcohol.

NHS England commissions prison health care services into every prison in England to the equivalence of the community. Access to drug or alcohol withdrawal support is available in all prisons at any stage of a person’s sentence, beginning at the point of entry.NHS England commissions first night reception screening to review patients’ medical history by a registered nurse/practitioner, the purpose is to address immediate health needs and risks, with specific consideration of intoxication and withdrawal risks, including delayed withdrawal symptoms, ensure medication is made available as soon as possible and onward referrals to onsite healthcare teams, including drug and alcohol services for psychosocial interventions and primary care for ongoing pharmacological interventions, for both urgent face to face appointments, and routine face to face appointments are made.Outside of reception screening, people in prison can be referred or self-refer to drug and alcohol or primary care health services at any time for support with withdrawal. The current national integrated substance misuse service specification includes specific focus on clinical stabilisation and detoxification for patients withdrawing from drugs and/or alcohol, ensuring that interventions are safe, risk aware, clinically led, evidence based and follow national guidance - including the recently published clinical guidance for alcohol treatment.

When he will respond to the referral from Torbay Council of the likely decision by Torbay Hospital to end the Integrated Care Organisation joint health and social care arrangements.

The Department has received the request from Torbay Council, and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will respond in due course.

How he plans to reward high-performing GP practices.

Practices that participate in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) are financially rewarded for achieving performance indicators. Indicators and thresholds are designed to be stretching, but attainable.QOF has been refined for 2026/27 to support more clinically effective patient care and to better align with updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.As well as traditional achievement thresholds, for 2026/27, practices are further incentivised to perform by having opportunity to earn QOF points through improving against their own baseline achievement for childhood immunisation indicators. This change is intended to recognise and reward practices, particularly those in more deprived areas that may not meet the existing achievement thresholds but demonstrate meaningful and sustained improvement in vaccination uptake.We are committed to ensuring that all practices receive appropriate support and resources. We are investing an additional £485 million in general practice in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP contract to over £13.8 billion. This builds on last year’s £1.1 billion of investment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Pharmacy First on (a) patient satisfaction, (b) GP access and (c) pharmacy outcomes.

Pharmacies deliver a wide range of National Health Services, including Pharmacy First, that relieve pressure on general practices (GPs) and other parts of the NHS and help patients access healthcare advice, treatment, and preventative interventions more easily.A National Institute for Health and Care Research funded evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the GP setting, use of hospitals, and how the service has impacted access to care and the cost for different patient groups.According to the latest available data, 29 January 2026, from the Health Insights Survey, 89.2% of respondents reported they were satisfied with the most recent NHS service they received at a pharmacy. To date, over 4.5 million Pharmacy First clinical pathway consultations have been delivered. NHS England will continue to keep the Pharmacy First service under review.

Whether his Department has undertaken sampling of patient experiences since changes to the Patient Access Charter in October 2025.

The Office for National Statistics’ Health Insight Survey has been collecting monthly data on patient experience since July 2024. Recent findings show that overall patient satisfaction has begun to improve after a decade of decline. The survey also reports that ease of access has improved since October 2025, rising from 73.7% in that month to 76.8% in January 2026.

What recent consideration he has made of the potential merits of a national workforce strategy for community pharmacies.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.To support community pharmacy employers in developing their staff and deliver quality NHS services, NHS England provides a number of funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This includes independent prescriber training, clinical examination skills, and training the next generation of education supervisors.

What steps he is taking to help improve the prognosis of those with secondary breast cancer.

The National Cancer Plan, published 4 February 2026, has set out actions aimed at improving prognosis for people with secondary breast cancer. The plan highlights the Government’s ambition to ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while driving up cancer survival rates.NHS England is piloting the use of self-referral breast cancer pathways to streamline diagnostic pathways and free up primary care capacity using the NHS App and NHS 111 online service. This is in addition to the Government’s commitment for NHS England to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 through a £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and by ensuring that as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.To improve diagnosis of breast cancer, the National Health Service will harness 'circulating tumour DNA' tests for breast cancer which can pick up relapse months earlier, accelerating clinical decisions and allowing patients to start the most effective treatment faster. The National Cancer Plan has identified four priority areas to accelerate access to new technologies, which include artificial intelligence-assisted interpretation of pathology images for suspected prostate and breast cancer diagnosis.To improve outcomes for breast cancer patients, NHS England funds the National Audit of Breast Cancer Treatment, covering both primary and metastatic disease. By analysing routine clinical data from NHS settings, these audits identify regional variations in care quality and establish best practices. This will benefit all breast cancer patients, including secondary breast cancer patients.At the same time, the NHS is focusing on improving the experience of those with a cancer diagnosis. Every patient diagnosed with cancer will be supported through a full neighbourhood-level personalised care package, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns. For people with secondary breast cancer, this will be a step forward in building care around them, their needs, their lives, and their families.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of NICE condition severity ratings on the accessibility of drugs for those with secondary breast cancer.

he latest data for technology appraisals published up until the end of September 2025 shows that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a greater proportion of medicines for advanced cancer since the severity modifier was introduced compared with NICE’s previous methods. The proportion of positive decisions for advanced cancer treatments since the severity modifier was introduced is 85% compared with 69% using NICE’s previous methods. Since the severity modifier was introduced, NICE has recommended all but one treatment for advanced breast cancer where the company has participated fully in the appraisal. The only treatment for advanced breast cancer that NICE has not been able to recommend in final guidance since the severity modifier was introduced is Enhertu.

What assessment has he made of the adequacy of dental care given to (a) veterans and (b) those suffering with long-term illnesses.

We are aware of the challenges faced by many in accessing a National Health Service dentist, including people suffering with long-term illnesses, and valued members of the Armed Forces community, such as our respected veterans who have spent their careers defending our country.We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available since April 2025.ICBs are also recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on the quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reformsFree NHS dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria:under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, although patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges;receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits; andreceiving War Pension Scheme payments, or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to dentistry services for (a) veterans and (b) people suffering with long-term illnesses.

We are aware of the challenges faced by many in accessing a National Health Service dentist, including people suffering with long-term illnesses, and valued members of the Armed Forces community, such as our respected veterans who have spent their careers defending our country.We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available since April 2025.ICBs are also recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on the quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reformsFree NHS dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria:under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, although patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges;receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits; andreceiving War Pension Scheme payments, or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sexual misconduct policies implemented by NHS integrated care boards for protecting NHS staff from sexual misconduct by other staff members.

Sexual misconduct of any kind has no place in the National Health Service. NHS England is actively working to ensure that the NHS is a safe environment for employees, patients, and visitors.NHS England published the Sexual Safety Charter in 2023, setting out the principles we expect all NHS organisations to uphold. Every integrated care board (ICB) and NHS trust has now signed up to the charter and are in the process of assuring themselves that actions are being taken against all principles. Further information on the Sexual Safety Charter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/sexual-safety-in-healthcare-organisational-charter/In 2024, all ICBs and NHS trusts were asked to implement the Sexual Misconduct Policy Framework which proposes that NHS organisations adopt, among other things, anonymous reporting mechanisms for staff. In line with this policy, approximately three quarters of all trusts have adopted anonymous reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. Further information on the Sexual Misconduct Policy Framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-people-sexual-misconduct-policy-framework/From August 2025, all trusts and ICBs were required to audit their sexual misconduct policies, review and update relevant policies, such as information sharing and chaperoning, and keep Electronic Staff Records up to date with ongoing and completed staff investigations.In December 2025, all trusts and ICBs were required to redouble their efforts in relation to sexual misconduct. This includes participating in nationally commissioned training on investigating sexual misconduct cases, ensuring they have a pool of specially trained doctors and dentists, and implementing review groups for cases where there is a sexual dimension to allegations. A further requirement on ICBs and trusts to audit their sexual misconduct policies was issued at this timeThe Government will introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards are likely to focus on areas such as improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture.While important progress is being made on sexual misconduct policies, the Government is clear that we will continue to monitor and take all necessary action to address sexual misconduct in the NHS.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for Time for Young People in Torbay; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of early support provision.

We recognise the importance of high-quality, community-based early support for children and young people’s mental health, including innovative local services such as Time for Young People in Torbay. These services play a key role in offering early, accessible support to young people at a point when they may not meet clinical thresholds for statutory National Health Service mental health services. It is open to integrated care boards and local authorities to commission voluntary sector providers to ensure the mental health and wellbeing needs of their local population are met.Whilst Government does not directly fund Time for Young People in Torbay, as part of the Department’s wider commitment to early intervention and prevention, we are working with NHS England to expand funding for a range of early support initiatives and to strengthen the evidence base for such provision. For example, in 2024/25, the Department provided £8 million of funding to boost and evaluate the impact of 24 existing early support hubs, with a further £7 million in 2025/26. Findings from the evaluation will help inform the design and implementation of Young Futures Hubs, a national model for open-access support in communities.This is in addition to other ongoing initiatives that deliver early intervention, for example through further investment and expansion of mental health support teams in schools so that up to 900,000 additional children and young people in England will have access to an NHS-funded mental health support team in their school or college by Spring 2026, compared to Spring 2025. We intend to reach full coverage by 2029.

What steps his Department is taking to create capacity in hospital eye services by expanding the use of optometry-led diagnostic and treatment pathways.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.NHS England’s accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the regional provision of Minor Eye Conditions Services.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.NHS England’s accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to expand the use of community optometry services.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.NHS England’s accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) eye care services provision and (b) steps taken by Integrated Care Boards to ensure equality of access to eye care services in each region.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet local need. NHS sight tests are widely available across the country. The decision to commission enhanced eye care services will be determined by local ICBs following a local needs assessment.ICBs are required to work with local authorities to assess the current and future health, care and wellbeing needs of their local populations. They will then set out in joint local health and wellbeing strategies how they will meet those needs, which could include addressing any identified inequalities in accessing services. ICBs will also want to take account of published waiting list information which is broken down by demographics to allow greater visibility of potential health inequalities.