Health & Social Care

On this page you will find campaign responses related to the Department of Health & Social Care. The department is responsible for:

  • supporting and advising our ministers: we help them shape and deliver policy that delivers the government’s objectives
  • setting direction: we anticipate the future and lead debate ensuring we protect and improve global and domestic health
  • accountability: we make sure the department and our arm’s length bodies deliver on our agreed plans and commitments
  • acting as guardians of the health and care framework: we make sure the legislative, financial, administrative and policy frameworks are fit for purpose and work together
  • troubleshooting: in the last resort, the public and Parliament expect us to take the action needed to resolve crucial and complex issues
Campaigns

Human-specific Medical Research (Herbie's Law)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about human-specific research techniques. I strongly advocate for these methods and recognise that they will greatly improve our animal welfare standards, the economy and the safety of chemical products in the UK. In the last Parliament, the prev

Cancer Waiting Times

Dear Constituent, Thank you for your correspondence regarding waiting times for cancer treatment. I doubt there is a single family across the country that has not been affected by cancer, and mine is no exception. The Government is investing £8 billion to reduce the cancer care backlog

Social Care Workforce (Alzheimer's Society Campaign)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about social care and the Spring Budget. There are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, so it is crucial that the social care system is set up to meet the needs of those affected

Breast Cancer

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about breast cancer. Please be assured that the Government is committed to ensuring that breast cancer is diagnosed as early as is possible. As part of the 2021 Spending Review, £2.3 billion was allocated to improve diagnostic capacity over t

International Health Regulations

Dear Constituent, Thank you for your correspondence regarding the proposed changes to the International Health Regulations. The Government of the United Kingdom is eager to ensure that countries' obligations under the IHR remain fit for purpose and reflect the lessons learnt from the Cov

Vaping and WHO's COP10 Conference

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the regulation of vaping and e-cigarettes.  The Government is actively supportive of the use of e-cigarettes as a means to help adults stop smoking.

Group B Streptococcus

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about Group B Streptococcus (GBS).  I know that this infection can have a devastating effect for some mothers and their babies.

NHS Workforce (Health and Social Care Bill)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about workforce planning and the Health and Care Bill. The NHS relies on effective workforce planning to ensure we can meet the health and care needs of local communities and I applaud the dedication of healthcare professionals across a range of profes

Water Fluoridisation

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about water fluoridation. I welcome all moves to improve knowledge and awareness of dental hygiene and fluoridation programmes in our country are common practice having been in place for nearly sixty years.

NHS Winter Preparedness (Every Doctor Campaign)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the NHS preparations for winter. I am reassured by the measures being put in place by the NHS, which focuses on increasing protection of the population through vaccination. This includes actions to accelerate the COVID-19 booster vaccine rol

Motor Neurone Disease

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about support for people with motor neurone disease (MND). Please allow me to assure you that research, ensuring early diagnosis, and providing support are the Government’s key priorities for helping those living with MND/ The

Cancer Treatment

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about cancer treatment during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The Government is committed to supporting the NHS recovery from COVID-19, recognising the need to extend the record funding already provided. Over the next three years, £36 bi

Endometriosis and PCOS

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).  These are common long-term conditions that can have a significant impact on a woman’s life and I am aware of and sympathise with the hardships faced by women who experience severe symptoms

Coronavirus: Vaccine Passports

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about COVID-status certification and vaccine passports. I am very wary of vaccine passports.

Multiple Sclerosis and the NHS

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about multiple sclerosis. With more than 100,000 people across the UK diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, please let me assure you that helping those suffering from this condition to lead as normal lives as possible remains a key commitment of the NHS.

Coronavirus: Children and the Vaccine

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about offering COVID-19 vaccination to 12- to 15-year-olds.  As the Chief Medical Officer has said, the COVID-19 Delta variant is highly infectious and very common, so the great majority of the unvaccinated will catch COVID-19.

Baby Loss

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about baby loss and parental bereavement.  This issue unfortunately affects many people, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered miscarriages, stillbirths, or the loss of child. I applaud&nbs

Children and Young People's Mental Health

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the provision of mental health services for children and young people. It is incredibly important to protect and support the health of children and young people in our society.

Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021

Dear Constituent, Thank you for writing to me about the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021. I am completely opposed to any loosening of the legal protections that exist to defend unborn children.

NHS Private Sector Involvement (including Centene)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about private sector involvement in the NHS, such as Centene. The Government has guaranteed that the NHS will always provide healthcare free at the point of delivery, regardless of ability to pay.

NHS Pay

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about NHS pay. As an NHS user myself I know that the passion, commitment, and specialist knowledge of our NHS staff is part of what makes our NHS so special.

Coronavirus: Blood Cancer (Vaccine)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about vaccines for the family members of those with blood cancer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that the first priorities for the current COVID-19 vaccination programme should be the prevention of COVID-19 mortality

Coronavirus: PPE (FFP3 Masks)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about PPE for NHS staff. I would like to reassure you that continuing to ensure our frontline staff are properly protected is of paramount importance to me, and to my colleagues on all sides of Parliament.

Coronavirus: Vaccination and People with Down's Syndrome

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the inclusion of adults with Down's Syndrome on the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable list. I know that this has been a challenging time for everyone, and I am extremely grateful for the sacrifices that everyone has made during this time. Early in

Coronavirus: Dementia and Alzheimer's

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about dementia and coronavirus. I imagine how challenging it must be for families caring for loved ones during this difficult time, particularly those who have needed to take on extra responsibilities.

Carer's Allowance

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about Carer’s Allowance.

Supermarket Hygeine

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about hygiene in supermarkets.  I understand your concern that supermarkets should be maintaining good hygiene and cleanliness.

Adult Social Care / Age UK Campaign

I believe we must all receive dignified care in old age. With an ageing population, this is one of the biggest challenges our country faces. I support the Government’s commitment to making sure that the most vulnerable in society gain the support they need.

Arthritis

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about arthritis.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a leading cause of premature mortality. With over 22,000 additional deaths each year, it doubles an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease and costs over £10 billion every year to manage.

Mental Health

I am extremely encouraged by the news that, as part of the five-year funding offer that will see the annual NHS budget grow by over £33.9 billion, mental health services will receive budget growth of £2.3 billion over the five-year funding settlement, the fastest uplift in funding.

NHS Waiting Times

The NHS Long Term Plan laid out how this funding will be invested, with a focus on primary, community and mental health services, helping to deliver prevention and to manage demand.

Dementia and Alzheimer's

Dementia is a top priority for the Government. In 2015, the Challenge on Dementia 2020 was launched and I know that the Government remains committed to delivering this. This sets out the vision for dementia care, support, awareness, and research to be transformed by 2020.

Preventing Child Deaths

The UK is the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, committing £1.44 billion between 2016 and 2020. This support will vaccinate 76 million additional children by 2020, saving 1.4 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases in 68 of the world’s poorest countries.
See Also

Blood Cancers (Leukaemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about blood cancers. With around 13,000 people dying from leukaemia, lymphoma, or myeloma each year across the UK, please allow me to assure you that improving outcomes for patients diagnosed with blood cancers remains a key NHS priority. Early diagno

Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use. Cannabis in its raw form is not recognised as having any medicinal purposes.

Cost of Pharmaceutical Drugs to the NHS

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the cost of pharmaceutical drugs to the National Health Service. I fully appreciate your concerns and I would like to assure you that the Government is committed to paying a fair price for medicines used in the NHS.

Dementia Care

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about dementia care. Dementia is a priority for the Government, who remain committed to delivering the Challenge on Dementia 2020 that was launched in 2015.

Health & Social Care

On this page you will find campaign responses related to the Department of Health & Social Care.

Mental Capacity Bill

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill, which will introduce legislation to replace the current system known as 'Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards' (DoLS). As you may be aware, DoLS is an assessment currently carried out on people who lack the ment

Mental Health & Benefits (Rethink Campaign)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about mental illness and the benefit system. I believe it is vital that those with mental health conditions receive the support they need.

Mental Health Policy

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about mental health. I agree that tackling poor mental health must be a priority and Ministers have legislated to treat it with the same importance as physical health.

National Health Service (Co-funding and Co-Payment) Bill

Dear Constituent, Thank you for your correspondence regarding the National Health Service (Co-funding and Co-Payment) Bill. This is a Private Members Bill which has almost no chance of making it through to the next stage of the parliamentary process.

Organ Donation

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about organ donation. I welcome the Government’s efforts to encourage organ donation across the country, and believe that significant progress has been made. Last year 500 people died waiting for a transplant because a suitable organ was not available

Postnatal Mental Health

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about postnatal mental health and health visitors (HV). Health visitors play a very important role supporting parents and babies across the country.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about rheumatoid arthritis. Living with a long-term condition like rheumatoid arthritis has a significant impact upon a person's well-being and I'm glad the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society is raising awareness of this issue. The guidan

Stem Cell Donation (Anthony Nolan)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about stem cell donation. It is very important to increase the number of stem cell (cord blood and bone marrow) donors in the UK and so I welcome the vital work undertaken by Anthony Nolan. In 2015 the Government announced an extra £3 million in addit

Supported Housing (Rethink Mental Illness)

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about supported housing. As Rethink Mental Illness recognises, supported housing is a lifeline for many people with mental health conditions.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Dear Constituent, Thank you for contacting me about trigeminal neuralgia. It is important to raise awareness of trigeminal neuralgia, which can be incredibly painful to its sufferers.