Written questions by Morrison.

What steps he is taking to help tackle and reduce corridor care in accident and emergency departments in Greater Manchester.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to support people with severe Myalgic encephalomyelitis in the context of delays to the consideration of a specialised service for people with very severe Myalgic encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Officials in the Department and NHS England, together with stakeholders, are currently considering interim measures to support patients with very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).Officials have considered the impact of the abolition of NHS England and the changes to integrated care boards (ICBs) on the actions within the final delivery plan on ME/CFS from July 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential impacts of a) the abolition of NHS England and b) changes to ICBs on the final delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Officials in the Department and NHS England, together with stakeholders, are currently considering interim measures to support patients with very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).Officials have considered the impact of the abolition of NHS England and the changes to integrated care boards (ICBs) on the actions within the final delivery plan on ME/CFS from July 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to support those suffering from primary progressive aphasia.

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs) and may include speech and language therapy. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The Government is committed to improving care for everyone with dementia, including those with Primary Progressive Aphasia, which is why we have funded the work of the Dementia 100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool. This will help simplify best practice for busy system leaders and help create communities and services where the best possible care and support is available to those with dementia.A number of experts, including those with expertise in speech and language therapy and dementia care, provided independent, desktop analysis of the tool, and this invaluable feedback was integrated into the tool. The D100: Pathway Assessment Tool can be found at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-tool

What proportion of people diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis who applied for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding were (a) assessed as eligible following a Decision Support Tool assessment and (b) refused following a Decision Support Tool assessment in each of the last five years.

NHS England does not collect data on the proportion of people diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis who are found eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), or any other condition. Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or condition, but is assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into account the totality of an individual’s needs, and whether they constitute a ‘primary health need’.Operational delivery of CHC is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs), including conducting CHC assessments using the standardised Decision Support Tool. NHS England holds ICBs to account, including through robust assurance mechanisms, to ensure they are delivering their statutory functions.

What support is available for those suffering from primary progressive aphasia.

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs) and may include speech and language therapy. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The Government is committed to improving care for everyone with dementia, including those with Primary Progressive Aphasia, which is why we have funded the work of the Dementia 100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool. This will help simplify best practice for busy system leaders and help create communities and services where the best possible care and support is available to those with dementia.A number of experts, including those with expertise in speech and language therapy and dementia care, provided independent, desktop analysis of the tool, and this invaluable feedback was integrated into the tool. The D100: Pathway Assessment Tool can be found at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-tool

A) what steps he is taking to support parents to have 3 cycles of free NHS IVF in all areas of the country b) what steps he is taking to help reduce financial barriers to becoming a parent and c) what steps he is taking to combat the disease of infertility as categorised by the WHO.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, to support equitable access to fertility treatment across England. We expect ICBs to take account of the updated NICE guidance, published 31 March, in their commissioning decisions. The guidance recommends that women under 40 years old, who meet the clinical eligibility criteria, should be offered up to three full cycles of in vitro fertilisation and sets out new and updated recommendations for diagnosing and treating health related fertility problems with the aim of improving how they are investigated and managed. We expect all ICBs to consider and reflect the updated NICE fertility guideline in their commissioning decisions and we are working with NHS England to better understand the offer around National Health Service funded fertility services and support more consistent provision. Reducing unwarranted variation in access to NHS-funded fertility services will help to reduce the financial barriers faced by patients in becoming parents. We also recognise that there are areas where the fertility evidence base could be strengthened, and we will consider how best to support further research and data collection as work progresses.

What steps his Department are taking to help prevent delays to spinal operations including where infrastructure such as operating room seals are broken leading to operations being cancelled and delayed.

The Government recognises the significant impact that delays to spinal surgery can have on patients and is taking action to reduce waiting times and minimise cancellations. As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we are increasing elective capacity and improving productivity across the National Health Service, including through the expansion of dedicated surgical hubs. These hubs use ringfenced staff and facilities to protect planned operations from urgent and emergency pressures. NHS England also provides targeted national and regional support to trusts with the greatest waiting list pressures, including through the clinically led Getting It Right First Time programme and their Further Faster programme for spinal services.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that delays to spinal operations are mitigated against and minimised.

The Government recognises the significant impact that delays to spinal surgery can have on patients and is taking action to reduce waiting times and minimise cancellations. As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we are increasing elective capacity and improving productivity across the National Health Service, including through the expansion of dedicated surgical hubs. These hubs use ringfenced staff and facilities to protect planned operations from urgent and emergency pressures. NHS England also provides targeted national and regional support to trusts with the greatest waiting list pressures, including through the clinically led Getting It Right First Time programme and their Further Faster programme for spinal services.

What assessment he has made of the recent decision that all Greater Manchester boroughs offer 1 cycle of free NHS IVF, in the context of the NICE guideline advising 3+ cycles and some boroughs such as Stockport previously offering 2 or 3 cycles.

No assessment has been made by the Department. Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population.On 31 March, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its updated fertility guideline, which recommends that women under 40 years old who meet the clinical eligibility criteria should be offered up to three full cycles of in vitro fertilisation.We expect all ICBs to consider and reflect the updated NICE fertility guideline in their commissioning decisions, and we are working with NHS England to support greater consistency in provision.

What assessment he has made of the impact of delayed and cancelled spinal operations on patients' lives and b) what support is available to patients awaiting spinal operations for months or years.

The Government recognises the significant impact that delays to spinal surgery can have on patients and is taking action to reduce waiting times and minimise cancellations. As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we are increasing elective capacity and improving productivity across the National Health Service, including through the expansion of dedicated surgical hubs. These hubs use ringfenced staff and facilities to protect planned operations from urgent and emergency pressures. NHS England also provides targeted national and regional support to trusts with the greatest waiting list pressures, including through the clinically led Getting It Right First Time programme and their Further Faster programme for spinal services.

Whether he has considered the potential merits of providing funding for speech therapy for those suffering from primary progressive aphasia.

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs) and may include speech and language therapy. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

What recent steps he is taking to support unpaid carers a) generally and b) specifically to remove barriers to accessing respite.

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.

What recent steps he is taking to make accessing and understanding support for unpaid carers clear and transparent a) nationally and b) locally.

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.

What assessment he has made of the impact of corridor care in Emergency Departments on patient safety, dignity, and clinical outcomes; and what actions are being taken to address the routine treatment of acutely ill patients in corridor settings.

The provision of clinical care in corridors is unacceptable, and we are committed to ending its practice in the National Health Service. Furthermore, our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 commits to publishing data on the prevalence of corridor care for the first time.We recently published a clear definition of corridor care and based on this, will begin collecting data on its use across the NHS imminently. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on NHS England’s website from May 2026. In parallel, NHS England is also working with trusts to introduce new reporting arrangements on corridor care to improve transparency and support system-wide improvement.We have also introduced new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff. This means that corridor care areas must uphold the same high standards of care for patients as those in planned clinical settings, with patients prioritised by clinical urgency. All patients should be risk‑assessed by senior clinicians at triage and monitored by named nurses.

What steps he is taking to expand access to women's health hubs.

The Government is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.ICBs should take a neighbourhood approach to women’s healthcare, ensuring women can get the care they need regardless of whether they speak first to a general practice (GP), hospital, or other healthcare provider.We are supporting ICBs to continue improving their delivery of neighbourhood women’s healthcare, in line with their responsibility to commission services that meet the needs of their local populations.Neighbourhood women’s healthcare is delivered both by a range of providers and digitally, giving women access not just to GPs and community specialists in women’s health, but to other services include pelvic physiotherapists, pharmacies, and psychological support services. This builds on the successful pilot of women’s health hubs.Outcomes in women’s health will be soon be shared with ICBs through a data dashboard so they can see how well they are meeting the needs of women in their population.

What steps he is taking to improve access to, and the effectiveness of, palliative and end of life care.

The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable integrated care boards (ICBs) to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in last year’s 10-Year Health Plan.Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality.The MSF will put in place a clear and effective mechanism to deliver a fundamental improvement to the care provided. This will enable the adoption of evidence-based interventions that are proven to make a difference to patients and their families. Examples include earlier identification of need, care delivered closer to home by integrated generalist and specialist teams, and strengthened out-of-hours community health support, including dedicated telephone advice.Last year’s Strategic Commissioning Framework and Medium-Term Planning Guidance for the National Health Service also make clear the expectations that ICBs should understand current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life, creating an overall plan to more effectively meet these needs through neighbourhood health.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 86003, if his Department will commission a specific comparative review, in collaboration with the Medical Research Council, into the relative level of National Institute for Health and Care Research funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome compared with other long-term conditions.

The Department does not intend to commission a specific comparative review into the relative level of National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) or Medical Research Council funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), compared with other long-term conditions. We recognise that ME/CFS is an under-researched area, and we are committed to working with the ME/CFS community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting and funding more research and capacity-building programmes.As outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, there has historically been a relatively low amount of biomedical research funded on ME/CFS, compared with disease burden. Our efforts are focussed on delivering the actions outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan to support and increase research in this area. Since our answer to Question 86003, we have hosted a showcase on post‑acute infection conditions, bringing together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and funders to stimulate further research. A summary of this showcase has been published on NIHR Open Research. We have also made progress with our new funding opportunity for development awards focussed on the feasibility of a phase 2 platform clinical trial. This would test multiple repurposed pharmaceutical interventions and/or non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of post-viral conditions including ME/CFS. The committee will now consider the applications, and shortlisting decisions will be shared with the researchers in March.

How many (a) neurologists, (b) geriatricians and (c) nurses there are working in the NHS who have specialist training in Parkinson’s.

The Department does not hold data on the number of neurologists or geriatricians with specialist training in Parkinson’s disease working in the National Health Service in England. National workforce datasets do not record condition‑specific sub‑specialisms, and responsibility for determining local specialist workforce configurations rests with individual employers and integrated care boards (ICBs).As of December 2025, there were 2,002 full‑time equivalent doctors in neurology and 6,318 in geriatric medicine working in NHS trusts and other organisations in England. These specialties include clinicians who provide care to people with Parkinson’s.The Department does not hold a central count of the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed across the NHS in England. Workforce planning, including decisions about the number and type of specialist nurses needed locally, is the responsibility of individual employers and their ICBs, which are best placed to assess the needs of their populations.We continue to work with NHS England through programmes like Getting It Right First Time to support improvements in access to specialist care. The Department has also established a United Kingdom‑wide Neuro Forum, which brings together governments, the NHS, the devolved administrations, and neurological alliances across the four nations to share best practice and address system-wide challenges, including workforce needs for conditions such as Parkinson’s.

If he will provide an analysis of trends relating to the distribution of take home naloxone kits between 2022 and 2025.

Access to naloxone is vital to respond to the threat of synthetic opioids and to prevent drug related deaths. The Government has long supported expanded provision of naloxone, with guidance and funding, and this has contributed to a significant growth in the amount of naloxone available in the community to reverse opioid overdoses.In England, take-home naloxone supply is recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, which drug and alcohol treatment services complete. It only records supply of take-home naloxone to people in registered treatment and does not record other people who may also be supplied with naloxone, like friends or family of people in treatment. Local authorities may also distribute naloxone via other routes besides substance misuse services.We have recently published statistics on the distribution of naloxone to those in registered treatment from 2024 to 2025. The statistics can be found in the data tables in Table 1.7: naloxone distribution and use to reverse overdose, namely in Table 1.7a: naloxone issued, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/substance-misuse-treatment-for-adults-statistics-2024-to-2025This is the first time that figures on the distribution of naloxone have been published and, therefore, trends in its distribution over time cannot yet be assessed. We intend to continue publishing statistics on naloxone distribution each year.The Department launched a public consultation in December 2025 on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. As part of this consultation, we are proposing specific data reporting requirements to enable more consistent reporting across the United Kingdom on the supply of take-home naloxone. The consultation closes on the 9 March 2026.