1-20 of 282 results for subject:Ultrasonics
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.286 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.003 seconds
- Search query
- subject:Ultrasonics
- We searched for
- subject_t:Ultrasonics OR subject_t:"Ultrasonic devices" OR subject_ses:93364
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
Member
More
Primary member
More
Answering member
More
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
More
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of recovery rates from High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of recovery rates from High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound.
In June 2026 the Government announced that it would expand access to focal therapy, including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy, by investing up to £2.8 million. Access to focal therapies will be expanded in line with the expansion of TRANSFORM trial.
Focal therapies are still under research and assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and are not currently a standard part of the prostate cancer treatment pathway. NICE’s guidelines recommend that HIFU should not be offered to people with localised or locally advanced prostate cancer, other than in the context of controlled clinical trials comparing their use with established interventions. Further information is available in the response to the Hon Member for Gosport of 12 June 2025, to Question 56192.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to expand the evidence base for the effectiveness of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in treating prostate cancer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to expand the evidence base for the effectiveness of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in treating prostate cancer.
In June 2026 the Government announced that it would expand access to focal therapy, including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy, by investing up to £2.8 million. Access to focal therapies will be expanded in line with the expansion of TRANSFORM trial.
Focal therapies are still under research and assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and are not currently a standard part of the prostate cancer treatment pathway. NICE’s guidelines recommend that HIFU should not be offered to people with localised or locally advanced prostate cancer, other than in the context of controlled clinical trials comparing their use with established interventions. Further information is available in the response to the Hon Member for Gosport of 12 June 2025, to Question 56192.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress she has made on the review of statutory regulation for sonographers; and when she expects to publish the findings of that review.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress she has made on the review of statutory regulation for sonographers; and when she expects to publish the findings of that review.
The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public. The National Cancer Plan set out a commitment to review the evidence and engage stakeholders on the potential benefits of independent statutory regulation for sonographers. That work is ongoing and any decisions will be announced in the usual way in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the absence of statutory regulation for sonographers on patient safety.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the absence of statutory regulation for sonographers on patient safety.
The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public. The National Cancer Plan set out a commitment to review the evidence and engage stakeholders on the potential benefits of independent statutory regulation for sonographers. That work is ongoing and any decisions will be announced in the usual way in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with the Health and Care Professions Council on the creation of a dedicated statutory register for sonographers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with the Health and Care Professions Council on the creation of a dedicated statutory register for sonographers.
The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public. The National Cancer Plan set out a commitment to review the evidence and engage stakeholders on the potential benefits of independent statutory regulation for sonographers. That work is ongoing and any decisions will be announced in the usual way in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the waiting time for emergency ultrasound scans at Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB hospitals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the waiting time for emergency ultrasound scans at Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB hospitals.
The Department does not hold information on waiting times for emergency ultrasound scans.
However, in December 2025, the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board carried out 2,021 unscheduled, or emergency, non-obstetric ultrasound tests. Unscheduled tests are defined as including the number of diagnostic tests or procedures carried out during the month on patients following an emergency admission, and any diagnostic tests or procedures on patients in accident and emergency.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women can access an emergency ultrasound scan in NHS hospitals within 24 hours of coming into A&E.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women can access an emergency ultrasound scan in NHS hospitals within 24 hours of coming into A&E.
Pregnant women presenting at accident and emergency departments should be assessed and will receive additional care, such as further investigations, which may include an ultrasound scan, where clinical assessment indicates a need.
Only in the context of the mother's presentation relating to concern around health or viability of the foetus would urgent scanning be required. This would be provided in an Early Pregnancy Unit for complications in the first trimester or maternity ultrasound services for complications in later pregnancy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targets his Department has for NHS trusts regarding wait times for an ultrasound scan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targets his Department has for NHS trusts regarding wait times for an ultrasound scan.
We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to bring down the size of the list and reduce waiting times, including for ultrasound.
The National Imaging Data Collection (NIDC) is an annual retrospective data collection for NHS imaging services within England, including the number of reported imaging assets, including ultrasound scanners. The latest collection was published in February 2026 and details that as of March 2025, there were 3,620 ultrasound assets in England, an increase of 152 compared to March 2024. The NIDC can be found at the following link:
The constitutional standard for patients waiting for a diagnostic test, including non-obstetric ultrasound, is that no more than 1% of patients will wait over six weeks from the point of referral. NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework formally commits the NHS to achieve this 1% constitutional standard by March 2029. By March 2027, the national performance target is that no more than 14% of patients are waiting over six weeks for a test, with every system required to deliver a minimum 3% performance improvement or ensure performance is at 20% or lower, whichever level of improvement is greater.
Six-week wait performance for non-obstetric ultrasound is published as part of the Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity data collection, which can be found at the following link:
As at the end of December 2025, 21.4% of patients, or 132,475 patients, were waiting more than six weeks for a non-obstetric ultrasound.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS ultrasound provision.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS ultrasound provision.
We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to bring down the size of the list and reduce waiting times, including for ultrasound.
The National Imaging Data Collection (NIDC) is an annual retrospective data collection for NHS imaging services within England, including the number of reported imaging assets, including ultrasound scanners. The latest collection was published in February 2026 and details that as of March 2025, there were 3,620 ultrasound assets in England, an increase of 152 compared to March 2024. The NIDC can be found at the following link:
The constitutional standard for patients waiting for a diagnostic test, including non-obstetric ultrasound, is that no more than 1% of patients will wait over six weeks from the point of referral. NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework formally commits the NHS to achieve this 1% constitutional standard by March 2029. By March 2027, the national performance target is that no more than 14% of patients are waiting over six weeks for a test, with every system required to deliver a minimum 3% performance improvement or ensure performance is at 20% or lower, whichever level of improvement is greater.
Six-week wait performance for non-obstetric ultrasound is published as part of the Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity data collection, which can be found at the following link:
As at the end of December 2025, 21.4% of patients, or 132,475 patients, were waiting more than six weeks for a non-obstetric ultrasound.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential mental impact of delays to getting an ultrasound scan on pregnant women.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential mental impact of delays to getting an ultrasound scan on pregnant women.
Women are usually offered two ultrasound scans during their pregnancy, around weeks 12 and 20, although more may be recommended based on their health and the pregnancy. No assessment has been made of the potential mental impact of delays to getting an ultrasound scan on pregnant women.
Midwives and general practitioners are available discuss any concerns during pregnancy in the first instance. They can also refer women to specialist mental health services, which are available in England for those women who experience mental health difficulties as a result of their pregnancy.
Lords committee stage fourteenth day. Clause 191 under consideration. (Part 1 of 2).
Lords committee stage fourteenth day. Clause 191 under consideration. (Part 1 of 2).
Moved by
Baroness Meyer
455: Clause 191, page 223, line 11, leave out “and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929”
Moved by
Baroness Meyer
455: Clause 191, page 223, line 11, leave out “and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929”
My Lords, Amendment 455 in my name seeks to preserve legal protection for unborn babies who could survive outside the womb. Clause 191 would fully decriminalise abortions by stating that a woman would commit no offence in relation to her own pregnancy. In doing so, it would disapply not only...
My Lords, Amendment 455 in my name seeks to preserve legal protection for unborn babies who could survive outside the womb. Clause 191 would fully decriminalise abortions by stating that a woman would commit no offence in relation to her own pregnancy. In doing so, it would disapply not only...
My Lords, I oppose Clause 191 standing part of the Bill.
Our role as parliamentarians, especially in this House, is to ensure that laws that make it on to the statute book are safe. Good laws require careful thought and prior consideration regarding any unintended consequences. Clause 191 fails to meet...
My Lords, I oppose Clause 191 standing part of the Bill.
Our role as parliamentarians, especially in this House, is to ensure that laws that make it on to the statute book are safe. Good laws require careful thought and prior consideration regarding any unintended consequences. Clause 191 fails to meet...
Does the noble Baroness accept that none of these things has happened in Northern Ireland? We changed the law and decriminalised abortion in Northern Ireland several years ago and literally none of the things that she is mentioning has happened there—nor in any of the other 50 countries where abortion...
Does the noble Baroness accept that none of these things has happened in Northern Ireland? We changed the law and decriminalised abortion in Northern Ireland several years ago and literally none of the things that she is mentioning has happened there—nor in any of the other 50 countries where abortion...
My Lords—
My Lords—
I thank the noble Baroness for her intervention.
I thank the noble Baroness for her intervention.
I thank the noble Baroness for giving way. Is she aware that, despite the extreme abortion regime that was imposed on Northern Ireland by the other place, there is no telemedicine in Northern Ireland? That is one thing we do not have.
I thank the noble Baroness for giving way. Is she aware that, despite the extreme abortion regime that was imposed on Northern Ireland by the other place, there is no telemedicine in Northern Ireland? That is one thing we do not have.
I received a letter from a former paediatric practitioner who is deeply concerned about this proposed legislation. She points out that when babies are legally aborted for medical reasons at over 22 weeks’ gestation, they are first euthanised by lethal injection into the heart. This is recommended by the Royal...
I received a letter from a former paediatric practitioner who is deeply concerned about this proposed legislation. She points out that when babies are legally aborted for medical reasons at over 22 weeks’ gestation, they are first euthanised by lethal injection into the heart. This is recommended by the Royal...
My Lords, my Amendment 456 has the support of the noble Baronesses, Lady Wolf and Lady Falkner, and the noble Viscount, Lord Hailsham. I am especially grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, who unfortunately cannot be here due to a prior commitment overseas.
This is a simple amendment: it would...
My Lords, my Amendment 456 has the support of the noble Baronesses, Lady Wolf and Lady Falkner, and the noble Viscount, Lord Hailsham. I am especially grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, who unfortunately cannot be here due to a prior commitment overseas.
This is a simple amendment: it would...