Written questions by Braverman.

What assessment he has made of the potential long‑term educational and developmental impact on children whose ADHD assessments have been delayed until 2027.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

What assessment he has made of the reasons for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board’s decision to pause routine ADHD and autism assessments until April 2027.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of involuntary care home moves on older people living with dementia; and what safeguards are in place to prevent inappropriate relocation of such residents.

The Department has no current plans to reform the residential care funding framework. The responsibility for meeting eligible needs rests with local authorities under the Care Act 2014. The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. In terms of an assessment of the impact of involuntary care home moves on older people with dementia, the Care Act places a duty on local authorities to promote wellbeing when arranging social care for an individual, and this provides individuals and their carers with more control over the way in which care and support is provided. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene. The Independent Commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, is looking at the medium and long-term reforms needed in adult social care to deliver a fair and affordable system that is fit for the future, including looking at what long-term and sustainable funding solutions should look like.

What information his Department holds on the trends in the level of older people being required to move from established care home placements to alternative homes solely on cost grounds once they become local‑authority funded.

The Department does not hold this information.Where an individual is assessed as requiring support in a residential care home, and they are eligible for means tested support from their local authority, the local authority must ensure that the individual drawing on care is offered a genuine choice of accommodation. This must include at least one option which is affordable within the person’s personal budget.Where an individual wishes to remain in their current accommodation, and this accommodation is more expensive than their personal budget, the local authority is under a duty to arrange for the person to be placed in the preferred accommodation where it is satisfied that another person on their behalf, or in some limited circumstances the person receiving care, is willing and able to cover the difference in cost for the expected duration of the care arrangement, and other conditions set out in regulations are met.

How many children in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are currently on waiting lists for ADHD or autism assessments, and what the average waiting time is.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

What discussions he has had with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board on the potential impact of pausing ADHD and autism assessments on children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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

If he will consider requiring Jess’s Rule to be applied across all primary care contact points, including A&E and Child Assessment Units.

Jess’s Rule is an NHS England patient safety initiative for primary care. It is designed for general practitioners and supports them to reconsider a patient’s presentation and/or diagnosis where the patient has attended general practice three or more times and symptoms have escalated, or the diagnosis is uncertain.Martha’s Rule is an NHS England patient safety initiative for secondary care. It enables patients, families, and carers to request an urgent, independent review if they believe a hospital inpatient’s condition is deteriorating and is not being adequately addressed. This includes all acute hospitals in England, including paediatric acute inpatient service.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending Jess’s Rule, or establishing a similar national protocol, to ensure that recurrent presentations automatically trigger a clinical review.

Jess’s Rule was published in September 2024 as formal clinical guidance, developed with the Royal College of General Practitioners and NHS England, to support and strengthen general practitioners’ (GPs’) clinical judgement. It encourages GPs to pause, review recurrent presentations, and consider whether anything may have been missed.Jess’s Rule formalises best practice, helping to embed a more consistent approach and reduce harmful inequalities in care. However, the guidance is intended to support, not replace, clinical decision-making. It does not mandate automatic referrals or investigations, as the GP remains responsible for deciding what action is clinically appropriate for the individual patient, in line with local pathways, and to avoid unnecessary pressure on services.We will continue to keep Jess’s Rule under review, including the case for any future updates to national guidance.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory national screening programme for prostate cancer to help improve early detection and reduce mortality.

On 28 November 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) opened a 12-week public consultation on a draft recommendation to offer targeted screening for prostate cancer in men with variants of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, every two years from the age of 45 to 61 years old. This consultation has now closed, and the committee is considering the responses.We welcome the UK NSC’s consideration of the evidence and robust consultation process. We expect the UK NSC to make a final recommendation soon. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will then consider the advice, make a decision, and determine the next steps.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to integrated care boards on local commissioning in the context of patients’ legal right to choose under the NHS Choice Framework.

The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. Patients’ right to choose is set out in legislation and integrated care boards remain responsible for ensuring their own processes comply with the Right to Choose, including clinical appropriateness, eligibility criteria, and qualifying contract requirements. NHS England has issued national Patient Choice Guidance, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/ This sets out an overview of the choices available to patients and the rules that underpin those rights. The guidance explains how commissioners can meet their statutory duties in relation to patient choice, supports greater consistency in the application of those rights across the National Health Service, and describes how NHS England manages enquiries and complaints relating to patient choice. NHS England has also published, as part of its Enforcement Guidance, further material explaining how it exercises its enforcement powers in relation to patient choice. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

What steps he is taking to reduce NHS waiting times for ADHD assessments; and what role he expects the independent sector capacity to have in meeting demand.

The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The independent sector provides important service capacity within ADHD services. We are committed to ensuring patients have equitable access to safe, effective, and high-quality services, irrespective of their service provider. Patients being referred for consultant-led elective care, or to a mental health professional, have the right to be treated by any clinically appropriate provider who holds a contract for the provision of NHS services.This includes the independent sector, which holds contracts with ICBs across the country to deliver services for the NHS. By working with the independent sector, we are making sure patients have greater choice in their local areas.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Integrated Care Boards placing (a) activity caps and (b) other restrictions on NHS Right to Choose ADHD providers on patient (i) access, (ii) waiting times and (iii) clinical risk.

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of integrated care boards (ICBs) placing activity caps and other restrictions on NHS Right to Choose ADHD providers on patient access, waiting times or clinical risk.Patients have a legal Right to Choose their provider when referred for NHS-funded eligible care. ICBs are responsible for ensuring that their processes comply with the legal Right to Choose.NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation on 7 October 2025. This advice includes guidance on managing service provisions, reviewing waiting lists and providing patient support. The advice is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/adhd-service-delivery-and-prioritisation-advice-to-systems/

If he will make an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a Type 1 Diabetes screening programme.

In the United Kingdom, new screening programmes and modifications to existing screening programmes are recommended by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee.The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 open call process to consider screening for autoimmune type 1 diabetes through blood testing. Once the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published its recommendation on the drug teplizumab, the UK NSC will look again at this open call submission and consider whether a fresh review of the evidence for type 1 diabetes screening should be undertaken.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of piloting a national early-detection scheme for Type 1 Diabetes, in the context of seeking to deliver long-term savings and reducing unplanned hospital admissions.

NHS England has published a RightCare toolkit which sets out what good quality diabetes care looks like for children and young adults and which includes guidance on timely and accurate diagnosis.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children and young people with type 1 diabetes.Through our National Institute for Health and Care Research, we have supported the establishment of the Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes, or the “ELSA” study. This study is exploring the feasibility and benefits of screening for type 1 diabetes.

What action the Government is taking to end regional disparities in access to insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors.

To reduce variation and health inequalities, data on the uptake of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) for diabetics is collected as part of the National Diabetes Audit (NDA).NHS England plans to routinely publish this data in the NDA Core Quarterly dashboard in 2025/26, which will provide the data insights integrated care boards require to deliver CGM to their populations.

What assessment he has made of the implementation of national early-detection programmes for Type 1 Diabetes in England compared to other countries such as Italy, in the context of around a third of people experiencing life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis.

A national Task and Finish Group has been established by NHS England which brings together key experts from across the health system, including academia/research and leading national clinicians, to jointly assess the opportunities and challenges that are associated with a national screening programme for diabetes and to inform the national direction of travel with regard to the development of national policy in this area.

What steps he is taking to prevent the misdiagnosis of adults over 30 with Type 1 Diabetes as Type 2 within the NHS.

To coincide with World Diabetes Day on 14 November 2025, NHS England, in partnership with other key national stakeholders, launched a national awareness campaign to promote health care professionals in their identification and diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.This included a call to action to healthcare professionals, signposting to information, and action to take if a person is displaying any of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, as well as supportive resources.

Whether his Department has considered implementing routine screening for Type 1 diabetes in children.

A National Institute for Healthcare Research funded the EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes, or ELSA, study, which is currently underway in England to explore the feasibility and benefits of screening for type 1 diabetes in children aged three to 13 years old.The UK National Screening Committee, which advises ministers on all aspects of population and targeted screening, is aware of the ELSA study and looks forward to receiving the results of this study when the trial is complete.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that general practitioners receive training on recognising symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in children and young people.

The National Health Service has publicly accessible information on its website about the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms/The DigiBete app, launched in June 2020, provides a wide range of clinically approved, age-appropriate resources to help with the self-management and awareness of type 1 diabetes, with further information available at the following link:https://www.digibete.org/type-1-awareness/It is the responsibility of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to provide guidance and quality standards for the treatment and care of diabetes in England. The NICE NG18 guideline for type 1 and 2 diabetes provides clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children and young people.NG18 recommends that children and young people with suspected type 1 diabetes are referred immediately, on the same day, to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team with the competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care.

What guidance his Department issues to GPs on immediate blood glucose testing when symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are reported.

The National Health Service has publicly accessible information on its website about the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms/The DigiBete app, launched in June 2020, provides a wide range of clinically approved, age-appropriate resources to help with the self-management and awareness of type 1 diabetes, with further information available at the following link:https://www.digibete.org/type-1-awareness/It is the responsibility of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to provide guidance and quality standards for the treatment and care of diabetes in England. The NICE NG18 guideline for type 1 and 2 diabetes provides clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children and young people.NG18 recommends that children and young people with suspected type 1 diabetes are referred immediately, on the same day, to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team with the competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care.