Written questions by Hayes.

What assessment he has made of the impact of marketing on levels of consumption of alcohol (a) in general and (b) by people at risk of alcoholism.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. To strengthen the evidence base on the impact of alcohol marketing on levels of consumption, the Department has commissioned a study to examine the causal association between alcohol marketing and alcohol related attitudes and consumption. More information about the study is available at the following link:https://www.stir.ac.uk/research/hub/contract/1960743

Whether he plans to bring forward a strategy on tackling alcohol abuse.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across Government to understand how best to reduce alcohol-related harms.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle shortages of Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy.

The Department has been working with suppliers to address current supply issues with Creon, which is used by patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis and certain cancers including pancreatic cancer. The supply issues with Creon are impacting countries throughout Europe and have been caused by limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints to produce volumes needed to meet demand. These issues have resulted in knock-on supply disruptions of alternative pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy medications. The Department is continuing to work with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term. This includes asking that they expedite deliveries, source stock from other markets, and increase production.The supplier of Creon has advised that they expect to have regular supplies released each month going forward and are working to increase the quantities released. Serious Shortage Protocols are in place for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules which pharmacists can use to restrict supply to one month at a time to ensure more patients have access to it whilst stock is limited.We have worked closely with colleagues in NHS England to issue comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals about these supply issues and encourage sharing of local solutions. The guidance provides advice on how to manage patients whilst there is disruption to supply and is being kept under review, with updates made as necessary.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of (a) avoidable disability and (b) premature death for people at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of avoidable disability and premature death in the United Kingdom. This is why the Government has set a goal for fewer lives being lost to the biggest killers, including from CVD, and why the NHS England Long Term Plan, published in 2019, sets out several actions that aim to help prevent up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases by 2029.The Government is continuing to support the delivery of NHS Health Checks, England's flagship CVD prevention programme, to people aged between 40 and 74 years old. This programme identifies people at risk of CVD, supports people to reduce their risk and prevents around 400 heart attacks or strokes each year. To improve access and engagement with the life-saving programme, we are developing a digital NHS Health Check which will be ready for testing in early 2025 and will enable people to undertake a check at home. We are also trialling the delivery of heart health checks to over 130,000 people in workplaces across the country.Community pharmacies also provide a free blood pressure check service for anyone over 40. In cases where this results in a high reading, pharmacists can make sure people receive the right National Health Service support to reduce their blood pressure, whether that be simple advice on how to live healthily, or an urgent referral to see their general practitioner. This means more people at risk of CVD can access simple, low-cost treatments that will reduce their risk of death or serious disability.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure NHS mental health trusts are putting into practice lessons learned from patient homicides.

Under the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, mental health-related homicides are required to be referred to the NHS England Regional Independent Investigation Team for consideration for an independent or locally-led patient safety incident investigation, to understand what happened and how. Organisations are then expected to respond to incidents through a patient safety incident response plan in a way that maximises learning and improvement.Following the publication of the Care Quality Commission’s review of the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust under section 48 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in March and August 2024, NHS England accepted all of the review’s recommendations and is working with providers to implement them. The Department expects that the review’s findings and recommendations will be considered and applied throughout the country with regular progress updates from NHS England.As part of this work, NHS England has published national guidance around providing intensive support to people with a serious mental illness and has tasked every mental health provider in England to review the policies and practices in place. NHS England will also develop guidance on what good quality and safe care looks like for community mental health services and share best practice. This will include a review of public and patient safety and the fundamentals of good quality care, such as care coordination, patient and family engagement, risk and safety management, treatment, and effective discharge.In addition, the forthcoming Mental Health Bill will modernise mental health legislation to make it fit for the 21st Century.

Whether his Department plans to fund research on mental health patient (a) homicide and (b) suicide.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research in mental health, including research relating to homicide and suicide. This includes a study which aims to understand whether and how a ‘Distress Brief Intervention’ can reduce suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviour and self-harm among those presenting to front line services in distress and a study to understand the extent of suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, and self-harm in parent carers.The NIHR welcomes high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including mental health patient homicide and suicide.

Whether his Department will take steps to fund new research into (a) prevention and (b) treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The Government, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), is committed to funding high quality, timely research that leads to improved outcomes for patients and the public, and that makes the health and social care system more efficient, effective, and safe. Research evidence is vital for improving treatments and outcomes for people, including those with cardiovascular disease. The Department is proud to invest £1.5 billion per year on health research through the NIHR.Over the past five financial years, from 2019/20 to 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. Our wider investments in NIHR infrastructure, strengthening specialist facilities, the workforce, and support services to enable research in the health and care system, have enabled significant CVD and stroke research funded by other funders to take place.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including CVD. As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of information (a) provided by the NHS and (b) on adult social care.

Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are required to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), in order to meet the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss.NHS England is responsible for the AIS, and has completed a review as part of the revision of the AIS. The review considered the effectiveness of the current AIS, how the standard is implemented and enforced in practice, and identified recommendations for improvement.Once the revised standard receives publishing approval, NHS England will support implementation of it to ensure NHS staff are better aware of the standard and their roles and responsibilities.The Department is working to ensure that data and information about adult social care is collected, shared, and used more effectively. This will help people access the right care, allow for better planning of how care is organised, and join up health and care services to ensure good outcomes for people who receive care and support.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that hospitals work with (a) homelessness support teams and (b) drug and alcohol services to establish a clear understanding of (i) addiction, (ii) managing pain relief and (iii) managing withdrawal symptoms.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure hospital staff are trained to provide services which aim to address health inequalities, are inclusive and pay attention to the diverse experiences of people using these services.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.

If his Department will take steps to increase the number of neighbourhood health services staffed by people with lived experience of homelessness.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.

What steps his Department is taking to increase understanding of homelessness across primary care networks.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.

What steps his Department is taking to support people experiencing homelessness to register with a (a) GP and (b) dentist.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.

What steps his Department are taking to drive innovation in meeting the health needs of people rough sleeping.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214NHS England has delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people, and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma. The framework supports regions and systems to review, plan, and improve health services for people in inclusion health groups, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214NHS England is also delivering the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities programme which has provided learning around effective new ways of improving equitable access to the latest health technologies and medicines, as well as being a springboard for further work at a system level in tackling healthcare inequalities. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/We know that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), especially those belonging to health inclusion groups. We are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. The Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising continuity of care so patients can see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key in improving complex and ongoing conditions. We will also introduce Neighborhood Health Centres to bring together vital health and care services, ensuring healthcare is closer to home.The Introduction to inclusion health e-learning course is available to help NHS staff understand what inclusion health is, the factors that cause exclusion, and the practical actions that GPs can take to improve care for these patients. Further information is available at the following link:https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=459In relation to dentists, patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend, allowing patients the choice of where they would like to receive a course of treatment. Community Dental Services are available across the country and provide specialised dental services to people who are unable to access dental treatment by a high street NHS dentist due to additional needs.83 local authorities with the highest levels of need have received funding since 2021 for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to provide targeted support and treatment to people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, with substance dependency. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole are receiving £1 million for these services in 2024/25, and Bournemouth is receiving an additional £1.3 million from the Department in 2024/25 for the Housing Support Grant. This is funding a team to provide targeted housing support to people in treatment for substance dependence, and is showing promising results around reducing evictions, which we hope will have an equally positive impact on people’s treatment outcomes.