Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment, with the Elective Recovery Taskforce, on the potential impact of medical technology on steps being taken to reduce waiting for elective care; and if he will make a statement.

The Elective Recovery Taskforce aims to reduce waiting lists and ensure patients can access elective services as soon as possible. The Taskforce will consider the deployment of technical interventions, such as virtual appointments, to reduce waiting times for elective care. While the Taskforce does not have a clinical remit, it may hear evidence of specific technological interventions.