Written questions by Collins.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the training of healthcare employees in recognising symptoms of endometriosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. In November 2024, NICE published updated recommendations on the diagnosis, management and treatment of endometriosis. This can be accessed through the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73Endometriosis is included in the core curriculum for general practitioners, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment for most incoming doctors, including all medical students graduating from academic year 2024/25 and onwards. Within this assessment are several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of endometriosis among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom.

Whether he plans to review the Women’s Health Strategy.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.Our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible actions, for instance by providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS from October 2025, taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan, and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What steps his Department is taking to support GPs in diagnosing ovarian cancer.

The Government is committed to supporting the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including ovarian cancer, earlier and faster.We are improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. We are also investing an additional £889 million in general practice (GP) to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26.In October 2024, we invested £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which has enabled the recruitment of over 1,500 recently qualified GPs across England, which will increase the number of appointments delivered and care for thousands of patients.We are committed to ensuring that GPs have the right training and systems to identify cancer. The Department will continue to look at opportunities to utilise artificial intelligence to transform diagnostic performance and ultimately bring down waiting times. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including for rare and less common cancers. It will aim to speed up diagnosis and treatment and will ensure that all patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.

How much his Department spent on ovarian cancer research in the latest period for which data is available.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being one of the largest areas of spend, at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR has funded 17 research projects into ovarian cancer for the period 2019/20 to 2023/24, with a combined total funding value of £6.4 million, and enabled 109 clinical research studies into ovarian cancer to take place in the National Health Service in 2023/24.Examples of NIHR investments in ovarian cancer research include the ROCkeTS study, which aims to identify the best diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer. The NIHR has also funded the MR in Ovarian Cancer, or MROC, study, which studies the impact of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging on the staging and management of patients with ovarian cancer.The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ovarian cancer research.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve (a) rates of early diagnosis, (b) access to treatment and (c) specialist care for people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), by supporting earlier diagnosis, improving access to treatment, and enhancing specialist care. Under the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2025, we remain focused on delivering against the four key priorities set out in the UK Rare Diseases Framework. The 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan was published on 28 February 2025, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2025.To support earlier diagnosis, we are digitalising the National Genomic Test Directory to improve access to genomic testing, and have established eight Genomic Networks of Excellence to standardise services and speed up diagnoses.We are improving access to treatment for rare conditions like DMD by reforming clinical trial regulations through the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which facilitates the development and approval of new therapies.Progress is also being made on repurposing existing medicines and advancing new therapies, to expand treatment options. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plays a key role by making recommendations on which licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE has recently published guidance recommending vamorolone as an option for treating DMD in people aged four years old and older, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund treatment for eligible patients in line with the NICE’s recommendations. The NICE is currently appraising givinostat, which received a conditional marketing authorisation from the MHRA in December 2024 for treating DMD in patients aged six years old and over, to see if it can be recommended for routine funding on the NHS.To enhance specialist care, NHS England is supporting multi-system disorder clinics to reduce appointments and ease care coordination for families. Research is underway to improve service integration, and five new Rare Disease Collaborative Networks have been launched to strengthen specialist support across the NHS.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on reviewing the eligibility of unpaid carers for (a) legal aid and (b) advocacy; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for respite breaks for unpaid carers.

To be eligible for legal aid, which includes advice, assistance, and advocacy, where applicable, generally an applicant’s legal matter must be in scope for legal aid, and they must pass both a merits and a means test. The merits test, for civil legal aid, and the interests of justice test, for criminal legal aid, assess the merits of the case, including the likelihood of success, and the benefit to the applicant. The means test assesses an applicant’s financial eligibility. Unpaid carers that meet the eligibility criteria are eligible for legal aid.On the potential merits of increasing funding for respite breaks for unpaid carers, local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.Ministers regularly engage with colleagues in other Government departments on a range of issues.

Whether the 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme applies a currency model to commission (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care services.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.  ICBs are responsible for commissioning palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations.Details of currency models for the last year of life and end of life care were published as supporting documents to the 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme. This supporting document is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/2025-26-nhs-payment-scheme/#heading-3The currencies are not directly linked to payment for 2025/26, but providers and commissioners should ensure that all data items for the currency models are collected. The currencies should be used to inform ICB commissioning plans and to support service planning and local benchmarking, as well as evaluating service provision.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost of dental care for (a) low income families and (b) pensioners.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.The responsibility for commissioning primary care, including dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards across England. Free NHS dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria: - under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;- pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;- being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, although patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges; or- receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits.Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for an exemption or a full remission of dental patient charges. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/

If will make it his policy that unpaid carers are the central focus of the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care.

We are launching an independent commission chaired by Baroness Louise Casey into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission is independent. We expect it will engage unpaid carers as part of a national conversation on what adult social care should achieve for people. This will produce recommendations that address major challenges and drive meaningful reform to better meet the needs of everyone, including unpaid carers.

What steps he is taking to help improve staffing levels at GP surgeries to ensure ring timely access to women's health services.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. Since 1 October 2024, 851 full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs have been recruited through the scheme.In addition, for GPs employed by practices directly, as of January 2025, there were 573 more fully qualified, FTE GPs working in practices in England compared to July 2024. The recruitment boost, part of the Government’s Plan for Change, will help to end the scandal of patients struggling to see a doctor, easing pressure on GPs and cutting waiting times. Alongside changes to the GP Contract for 2025/26, these additional GPs will help end the 8:00am scramble for appointments which so many patients currently endure every day.The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service. Women's health is included the Royal College of General Practitioners’ curriculum for trainee GPs, including gynaecology, menopause, sexual health, and breast health.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of available NHS dental appointments in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 April 2025 to Question 44281.

Whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for fracture liaison services to help increase the (a) coverage and (b) quality of those services.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.In the meantime, we are investing in high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

What plans his Department have to ensure that local authorities can fulfil their duties to carers under the Care Act 2014.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers.  This means that the CQC is looking at how local authorities are supporting unpaid carers in their area.All 153 local authorities in England are being assessed, with ratings and reports available on the CQC’s website. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice, and helping us to target support where it is most needed.The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system. That is why the Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.

If his Department will provide Integrated Care Boards with detailed guidance on the minimum provision of palliative care required for hospices in their area.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. Although the statutory guidance does not specifically set out a minimum provision of palliative care required by ICBs, it does state that ICBs have a legal duty to commission palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and to their loved ones.Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.

What plans his Department has to ensure effective fracture liaison services for over 50s.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.In the meantime, we are investing in high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

What steps his Department is taking to develop a (a) comprehensive and (b) fully-funded plan to effectively (i) recruit, (ii) train, and (iii) retain a sustainable social care workforce.

We are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. We expect that the commission will look at workforce issues, building on work already underway to provide a career structure, give care professionals greater skills and legislate for the first ever Fair Pay Agreements.

Whether his Department plans to incentivise dentists to increase NHS appointments in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, this is the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB is expected to deliver 5,712 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.Areas which are struggling to recruit and retain NHS dentists can make use of the Golden Hello scheme, which aims to encourage dentists to work in areas where they are needed most.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential impact of the energy price cap increase on unpaid carers.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run, is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.However, we recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to approximately three million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February 2025, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring approximately 2.7 million households into the scheme, pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to approximately six million.The Government is continuing to work with Ofgem and energy suppliers to ensure energy bills remain fair and affordable while we transition to clean power by 2030.Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.Ministers regularly engage with colleagues in other Government departments on a range of issues.

What steps he is taking to ensure the move to a neighbourhood health service will (a) meet the complex needs of people living with dementia and their families and (b) include (i) Admiral Nurses and (ii) other dementia specialist nurses as a core role within these multidisciplinary teams.

We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier, supporting people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer. The Government also wants a society where every person with dementia receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.Neighbourhood Health Guidelines have been published alongside the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning Guidance and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, to help integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities and health and care providers to continue to progress neighbourhood health in 2025/26. The focus for 2025/26 is on individuals with complex needs who require support from multiple services and organisations, which could include those living with dementia.Neighbourhood health reinforces integrated working for the National Health Service, local government, social care and wider partners including the voluntary sector as the norm, not the exception. Admiral Nurses are developed and supported by Dementia UK as an independent charitable organisation. Provision of dementia health services is the responsibility of local ICBs. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends providing people living with dementia with a single named health or social care professional who is responsible for coordinating their care.The full vision for the health system will be set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) psychotherapy and (b) counselling professionals operating without a protected title on patients.

Psychotherapists and counsellors are not statutorily regulated. Where a health profession is regulated by law, this normally allows for a professional’s title to be protected in law, making it a criminal offence for someone to practise or use a protected title without being registered with the relevant regulator. The Government has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to psychotherapists and or counsellors.