Written questions by Gordon.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of considering improvements in quality of care for people with long term chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease as part of the national quality strategy.

Improving the quality of care for people living with long-term chronic conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, is a key priority for the National Health Service. Rather than being incorporated into the National Quality Strategy, which will set out overarching principles and priorities for improving quality, the NHS is working to improve outcomes and experience for people with long-term conditions through clinically-led improvement activity, data-driven benchmarking, and partnership with professional and patient groups. This work complements the National Quality Strategy’s goal of supporting sustainable quality improvement across the health and care system and reducing health inequalities.

What consideration his Department has given to the integration of recommendations from the Getting It Right First Time programme for gastroenterology into the national quality strategy.

We recognise the value of clinically‑led improvement programmes such as Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) in identifying and addressing unwarranted variation in care, including in gastroenterology. Rather than being incorporated into the National Quality Strategy, which will set out overarching principles and priorities for improving quality, GIRFT recommendations are developed through detailed clinical engagement, analysis of national data, and close working with professional bodies, providers, and systems. Specialty‑specific recommendations from programmes such as GIRFT are used to inform delivery at national, regional, and local levels, rather than being incorporated as prescriptive elements of the strategy itself.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing bursaries or financial support for students training in creative therapies.

The student finance system is the primary funding support package for students in further education, and students training in creative therapies can access student loans via the Student Loans Company. There are no current plans to provide any additional financial support to these students.The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare students under close review. At all times the Government must strike a balance between the level of support students receive and the need to make best use of public funds to deliver value for money.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of workforce shortages in creative therapies for children and young people.

While no such specific assessment has been made, more young people are being supported to access National Health Service mental health services. In the first 12 months of the Government, nearly 40,000 more children and young people received support compared to the previous 12 months. This is helped by over 8,000 extra mental health workers being recruited since July 2024.Work is ongoing in NHS England to determine the adequacy of creative therapies, including art, music, dramatherapy, via the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan. The plan is expected to be published later in the spring.

Whether the NIHR, in line with the Medical Research Council’s Place Framework, also uses the location of the host organisation as a tiebreaker in funding decisions to support a more geographically balanced spread of health research investment across the UK.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) does not use location as a formal tie-breaker criterion in assessment. In the instances of a tie break scenario, the NIHR will typically use strategic fit to make a decision. The NIHR does, however, use 'Working with people and communities' and 'Inclusive research' as part of its assessment criteria, and as part of determining strategic fit, funding committee’s consider aspects such as location. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/application-support/domestic-funding-programmes-assessment-criteria

What criteria the NIHR use to make funding decisions in the event of a tiebreaker.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) does not use location as a formal tie-breaker criterion in assessment. In the instances of a tie break scenario, the NIHR will typically use strategic fit to make a decision. The NIHR does, however, use 'Working with people and communities' and 'Inclusive research' as part of its assessment criteria, and as part of determining strategic fit, funding committee’s consider aspects such as location. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/application-support/domestic-funding-programmes-assessment-criteria

What steps he is taking to increase participation in bowel cancer screening programmes in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The Harrogate, Leeds, and York Bowel Cancer Screening Programme serves the population of Harrogate and Knaresborough. Data from NHS England shows that uptake for this programme is 75.3% for people aged 60 to 74 years old. While this is higher than the England average of 70.3%, we know that there is more work to be done.Work is ongoing to both maintain and improve uptake, which includes collaborating with the Humber North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance and general practices, as well as local communities working together. Additional work to support raising awareness of the bowel cancer screening programme includes development of a recent promotional video which was shared with all North Yorkshire practices to enable them to play on displays in surgery waiting rooms, and with the local authority for use on their social media platforms. Other promotional initiatives have included:Go Racing, which is offering all racecourses/corresponding screening centres to send a representative on race days to chat to race goers/videos on big screen/feature in race card;five facts toilet campaign posters;recorded jingle/promotion at Harrogate radio; andattendance at cattle markets to raise awareness.

If he will publish a national implementation plan on insulin safety for those with mental health conditions.

Improving the integration between community mental health services and other physical health services and meeting the holistic needs of people with severe mental health problems is a priority, as set out in the Community Mental Health Framework.Recognising the continued need to further support services to provide high quality personalised care for all patients needing secondary mental health services, including those with diabetes, NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework, which sets out how services must effectively assess, plan, and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.The Health Services Safety Investigation Body recently published a report Insulin: supporting safe self-administration for patients in the community with a mental health problem, which recommended that NHS England and the Department develop a strategy for improving collaboration between mental health teams and specialist diabetes services. A formal response to this recommendation will be published in May 2026.

How his Department plans to improve the understanding, identification and management of Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people with Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) receive support and care which meets their needs. NHS England will continue to work closely with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to understand emerging areas for consideration in national guidance and has committed to share the current T1DE pilot site evaluation outcomes, when available, with NICE to ensure findings are considered in the development of future guidance.To reduce insulin related harm, the National Health Service’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme published guidance in April 2025 to support trusts to establish Diabetes Safety Boards, with more information available at the following link:https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/supporting-hospital-teams-with-safe-inpatient-diabetes-care/ GIRFT is also undertaking a pilot across 20 integrated care systems as part of a Community and District Nurse Insulin Programme which works to empower community diabetes nurses and district nursing teams to support patients at home requiring insulin administration. To further support services to provide high quality personalised care for all patients needing secondary mental health services, including those with diabetes, NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework. The framework sets out how services must effectively assess, plan and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.

What assessment he has made of the potential cost implications for the NHS of insulin-related harm arising from inadequate discharge planning and community support.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people with Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) receive support and care which meets their needs. NHS England will continue to work closely with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to understand emerging areas for consideration in national guidance and has committed to share the current T1DE pilot site evaluation outcomes, when available, with NICE to ensure findings are considered in the development of future guidance.To reduce insulin related harm, the National Health Service’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme published guidance in April 2025 to support trusts to establish Diabetes Safety Boards, with more information available at the following link:https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/supporting-hospital-teams-with-safe-inpatient-diabetes-care/ GIRFT is also undertaking a pilot across 20 integrated care systems as part of a Community and District Nurse Insulin Programme which works to empower community diabetes nurses and district nursing teams to support patients at home requiring insulin administration. To further support services to provide high quality personalised care for all patients needing secondary mental health services, including those with diabetes, NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework. The framework sets out how services must effectively assess, plan and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.

What guidance his Department provides to integrated care boards on supporting vulnerable people, including those with mental health conditions, cognitive impairment or learning disabilities, to safely self-administer insulin.

Improving the integration between community mental health services and other physical health services and meeting the holistic needs of people with severe mental health problems is a priority, as set out in the Community Mental Health Framework.Recognising the continued need to further support services to provide high quality personalised care for all patients needing secondary mental health services, including those with diabetes, NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework, which sets out how services must effectively assess, plan, and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.The Health Services Safety Investigation Body recently published a report Insulin: supporting safe self-administration for patients in the community with a mental health problem, which recommended that NHS England and the Department develop a strategy for improving collaboration between mental health teams and specialist diabetes services. A formal response to this recommendation will be published in May 2026.

What steps he is taking to improve coordination between community mental health teams and specialist diabetes services.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people with Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) receive support and care which meets their needs. NHS England will continue to work closely with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to understand emerging areas for consideration in national guidance and has committed to share the current T1DE pilot site evaluation outcomes, when available, with NICE to ensure findings are considered in the development of future guidance.To reduce insulin related harm, the National Health Service’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme published guidance in April 2025 to support trusts to establish Diabetes Safety Boards, with more information available at the following link:https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/supporting-hospital-teams-with-safe-inpatient-diabetes-care/ GIRFT is also undertaking a pilot across 20 integrated care systems as part of a Community and District Nurse Insulin Programme which works to empower community diabetes nurses and district nursing teams to support patients at home requiring insulin administration. To further support services to provide high quality personalised care for all patients needing secondary mental health services, including those with diabetes, NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework. The framework sets out how services must effectively assess, plan and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.

When the 10-Year NHS Workforce Plan will be published.

We will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026.

Whether the 10 Year NHS Workforce Plan will include measures to (a) increase the clinical academic workforce and (b) ensure that all regions have access to a strong clinical academic base.

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. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is the United Kingdom’s largest funder of clinical academic training. The NIHR delivers a comprehensive research career pathway, from internships and predoctoral fellowships through to research professorships, for the full range of clinicians working across England, providing the skilled research workforce in universities and NHS trusts to lead research and help train future generations of clinicians. The NIHR invests over £220 million each year in research training programmes.

Whether in person support will also be provided where necessary in addition to the digital first prehabilitation offer for people with cancer set out in the National Cancer Plan.

The National Cancer Plan sets out that we will deliver new quality standards for prehabilitation across the country in 2028 to help patients get healthier before treatment. The new standards will ensure access to prehabilitation services and that they fit around patients’ lives. This will include in person support where that is more appropriate for the patient and bringing services into the community and closer to patients’ homes.Part of that will include the roll out a national digital first prehabilitation offer through the NHS App and other digital channels. This will help support patients closer to home, where that is their preference.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of targeted oncology training places announced in the National Cancer Plan for areas with higher vacancy rates on the expansion of the clinical academic workforce.

The recently published National Cancer Plan sets out that the National Health Service will use training places more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance. This includes prioritising training places in trusts, including in rural and coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower.The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address vacancy and performance pressures.In 2025, there were 157% more medical oncology training places than in 2015. Medical oncologists are a core component of the clinical academic workforce, contributing both to frontline patient care and to the development and delivery of cancer research.

If he will make it policy to extend funding for Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating pilot programmes to ensure (a) they do not collapse and (b) a national network of specialist treatment centres can be established.

Funding for the Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) pilots was time-limited with the expectation that once the national funding expires, responsibility for considering the future provision of T1DE services would sit with the relevant integrated care board (ICB) who are responsible for planning and commissioning diabetes treatment and care.NHS England has previously extended the initial two-year funding term, which has enabled the sites to run for much longer than initially expected. NHS England is providing evaluation data to the ICBs to support local decision making. The pilot sites will receive confirmation in relation to any future national funding shortly.

With reference to the 2024 National NHS Staff Survey Results, if he will publish data on staff wellbeing indicators for (a) clinical radiology and (b) clinical oncology, including the data by specialty for (i) q10b on additional paid hours worked, (ii) q10c on additional unpaid hours worked, (iii) q11c on work related stress and (iv) q12b on burnout.

The Department does not hold this data nor are there any plans to collect NHS Staff Survey data from any additional occupational groups.As reported in the 2024 NHS Staff Survey, 30.24% of respondents reported having felt burnout because of their work. Data taken from the NHS Staff Survey cannot however be used to identity trends in specialities.

With reference to the 2024 National NHS Staff Survey Results, what data his Department holds on whether (a) consultants, (b) trainees and (c) specialty, associate specialists and specialist doctors in (i) clinical radiology and (ii) clinical oncology believe there are enough staff in their organisation for them to do their job properly.

The Department does not hold this data. As reported in the 2024 NHS Staff Survey, 34.01% of respondents said that there are enough staff at their organisation for them to do their job properly. The data from the Staff Survey cannot, however, be used to identity trends in specialities.

With reference to the 2024 National NHS Staff Survey Results, what data his Department holds on staff wellbeing indicators for (a) consultants, (b) trainees and (c) specialty, associate specialists and specialist doctors in (i) clinical radiology and (ii) clinical oncology, including (A) additional paid hours worked, (B) additional unpaid hours worked, (C) trends in the level of stress and (D) trends in the level of burnout.

As reported in the 2024 NHS Staff Survey, 30.24% of respondents reported having felt burnout because of their work. Data taken from the NHS Staff Survey cannot however be used to identity trends in specialities.