No assessment has been made of either introducing a maximum annual limit on the amount of public funding that may be spent on an individual’s adult social care package, or implementing a cap on annual local authority expenditure on adult social care.

Under the Care Act 2014, access to care and support is based on a person's eligible needs, while any contribution towards the cost of that care is based on what they can afford to pay.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Mental Health Act 1983 and their respective statutory codes of practice lay out the guidance for National Health Service trusts regarding Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA), including verification through the Office of Public Guardian (OPG).

The OPG provides online guidance on the verification of an LPA and EPA on the GOV.UK website, which is available to NHS trusts. This includes the online “Use and View an LPA” service for LPAs registered on or after 1 January 2016. This service allows attorneys to provide a digital access code through which organisations, including NHS trusts, can digitally verify that the LPA is registered, and view details of the attorneys authorised to act. The OPG guidance also provides that if the LPA cannot be shared via the “Use and View an LPA” service, an attorney may present an office or certified paper copy to the institution, to use the LPA.

NHS trusts are also bound by the Equality Act 2010 to make relevant reasonable adjustments where appropriate which would cover attorneys acting under an LPA.

The Department does not hold information on individual LPA or EPA verification outcomes in NHS trusts.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Mental Health Act 1983 and their respective statutory codes of practice lay out the guidance for National Health Service trusts regarding Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA), including verification through the Office of Public Guardian (OPG).

The OPG provides online guidance on the verification of an LPA and EPA on the GOV.UK website, which is available to NHS trusts. This includes the online “Use and View an LPA” service for LPAs registered on or after 1 January 2016. This service allows attorneys to provide a digital access code through which organisations, including NHS trusts, can digitally verify that the LPA is registered, and view details of the attorneys authorised to act. The OPG guidance also provides that if the LPA cannot be shared via the “Use and View an LPA” service, an attorney may present an office or certified paper copy to the institution, to use the LPA.

NHS trusts are also bound by the Equality Act 2010 to make relevant reasonable adjustments where appropriate which would cover attorneys acting under an LPA.

The Department does not hold information on individual LPA or EPA verification outcomes in NHS trusts.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Mental Health Act 1983 and their respective statutory codes of practice lay out the guidance for National Health Service trusts regarding Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA), including verification through the Office of Public Guardian (OPG).

The OPG provides online guidance on the verification of an LPA and EPA on the GOV.UK website, which is available to NHS trusts. This includes the online “Use and View an LPA” service for LPAs registered on or after 1 January 2016. This service allows attorneys to provide a digital access code through which organisations, including NHS trusts, can digitally verify that the LPA is registered, and view details of the attorneys authorised to act. The OPG guidance also provides that if the LPA cannot be shared via the “Use and View an LPA” service, an attorney may present an office or certified paper copy to the institution, to use the LPA.

NHS trusts are also bound by the Equality Act 2010 to make relevant reasonable adjustments where appropriate which would cover attorneys acting under an LPA.

The Department does not hold information on individual LPA or EPA verification outcomes in NHS trusts.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet local need, including addressing any identified inequalities in accessing services. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services such as community glaucoma services.

Understanding patient demographics is an essential step in identifying and tackling health inequalities. The Elective Reform Plan included a commitment to publish waiting list information broken down by demographics to allow greater visibility of potential health inequalities. This enables local health services to understand the demographics of patients on their waiting list to better tailor services to their needs. The Elective Reform Plan is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/reforming-elective-care-for-patients/

Data on the demographics of the elective waiting list for the week ending 29 March 2026 can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/wlmds/

It shows Referral to Treatment waiting times from the Waiting List Minimum Data Set for Ophthalmology split by age, sex, deprivation, and ethnicity.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework Eye Health Indicator also continues to track the rate of sight loss for age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. This information is available to commissioners and can be used to drive improved local outcomes and interventions.

National Health Service funded sight tests play an important role in identifying a range of sight threatening conditions, including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and quality standards support commissioners and providers to deliver timely diagnosis and effective management to prevent avoidable sight loss, including for glaucoma and AMD. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme has also produced materials to help spread clinical best practice in ophthalmology. This includes best practice guidance for glaucoma services, and a best practice pathway for AMD.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework Eye Health Indicator also continues to track the rate of sight loss for age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. This information is available to commissioners and can be used to drive improved local outcomes and interventions.

At the end of March 2026, the ophthalmology waiting list stood at 607,560 pathways. Since the Government came into office, this is a decrease of 2,716 pathways, while the proportion of pathways waiting 18 weeks or less has increased by 6.8% to 72.9%. Improving waiting times and access to treatment, including for patients with glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, will be vital to prevent avoidable sight loss.

The Department is aware of research that shows differences in bystander response in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to men versus women. Research also shows that training is key to improving bystander confidence in providing CPR to women and use of female manikins may assist in this.

NHS England has published a list of tools and resources on its website to improve cardiac arrest outcomes, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/cvd/improving-outcomes-in-cardiac-arrest-tools-and-resources/

This includes guidance from St John’s Ambulance on How to do CPR and use a defibrillator on a person with breasts, which is available at the following link:

https://www.sja.org.uk/first-aid-advice/cpr-on-women-and-other-people-with-breasts/

The Department is aware of research that shows differences in bystander response in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to men versus women. Research also shows that training is key to improving bystander confidence in providing CPR to women and use of female manikins may assist in this.

NHS England has published a list of tools and resources on its website to improve cardiac arrest outcomes, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/cvd/improving-outcomes-in-cardiac-arrest-tools-and-resources/

This includes guidance from St John’s Ambulance on How to do CPR and use a defibrillator on a person with breasts, which is available at the following link:

https://www.sja.org.uk/first-aid-advice/cpr-on-women-and-other-people-with-breasts/

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Service 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 care and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure that they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next spending review period, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We will closely monitor the shift towards strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

On ICB accountability, NHS England has a legal duty to annually assess the performance of each ICB in respect of each financial year and publish a summary of its findings. This assessment must assess how well the ICB has discharged its functions.

Children and young people’s hospices do incredible work to support seriously ill children and their families and loved ones when they need it most, and we recognise the incredibly tough pressures they are facing.

We are providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which, until recently, was known as the Children’s Hospice Grant.

I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next spending review period, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children’s and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

This revenue funding is intended to be spent by hospices to provide high-quality care and support for the children and the families they care for, either in the hospice or in the community, including in children's homes. They can, for example, use this funding for providing respite care for children who have high health needs, by providing physiotherapy or occupational therapy, or by providing 24/7 nursing support for a child at the end of their life.

We are also supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We recognise the importance of listening to and partnering with people who use the National Health Service, their unpaid carers and the organisations and networks that represent them. The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced new duties for NHS England and integrated care boards to involve carers in public engagement.

I chair a regular cross-government meeting made up of ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Business and Trade, and Department for Education, as well as senior officials from NHS England, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.

NHS England and the Department also regularly engages with both national charities, local carer organisations and unpaid carers directly.

Under the National Health Service Act 2006, integrated care boards (ICBs) must make arrangements to ensure patients, and their carers and representatives are involved in the planning and commissioning of health and care, whether through consultation or the provision of information.

While developing the Joint Forward Plans, ICBs and partner trusts must consult with individuals, patients, carers, and communities in the planning process to ensure the plan reflects the needs and preferences of the local population.

The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced provisions for ICBs to promote the involvement of patients, and their carers and representatives, if any, in decisions relating to the care and treatment of the person they care for.

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. Local authorities are required to undertake Carer’s Assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, and to meet their eligible needs upon request from them.

The Department works with the sector and partners to deliver an annual programme of universal and targeted support to local authorities and their partners. This includes the Partners in Care and Health (PCH) contract.

PCH’s work to support sector partners includes a workstream dedicated to supporting local authorities’ work with unpaid carers. This workstream includes work to identify and support unpaid carers, with a particular focus on identifying those from ethnic minority communities and those who are least likely to self-identify as a carer.

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. Local authorities are required to undertake Carer’s Assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, and to meet their eligible needs upon request from them.

The Department works with the sector and partners to deliver an annual programme of universal and targeted support to local authorities and their partners. This includes the Partners in Care and Health (PCH) contract.

PCH’s work to support sector partners includes a workstream dedicated to supporting local authorities’ work with unpaid carers. This workstream includes work to identify and support unpaid carers, with a particular focus on identifying those from ethnic minority communities and those who are least likely to self-identify as a carer.

Support is already available for parents, including those of twins and multiples, who experience mental health difficulties during the perinatal period. Perinatal mental health services are available in all 42 integrated care system areas of England, and offer specialist psychiatric and psychological assessments and care for women with moderate/severe or complex mental health problems during the perinatal period. These services have also expanded to provide care to women up to two years after birth, improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies, and provide a mental health assessment and signposting support for partners as needed.

In January 2025, the Department announced £126 million for the continuation of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes in 2025/26 in 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation. This includes £36.5 million for bespoke perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support.

In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services are also available for parents who need support with any mental health problems during the perinatal period. Anyone can refer themselves online via the National Health Service website or by contacting their general practitioner.

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 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.

For Leicester East constituency and Leicester, this is NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025 and 10,137 appointments are expected to be commissioned in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the National Health Service, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.

In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.

The Government is also committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient.

As I have said in Parliament, the previous Government was unable to reach an agreement on the funding for community pharmacy ahead of the election. The existing contractual framework has remained in place and payments are made to contractors in accordance with those arrangements. The Government are currently in consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements for community pharmacy for 2024/25 and 2025/26.