Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve services for people with cholesteatoma to ensure they are tested and diagnosed as soon as possible.
We have made £520 million available to improve access and capacity in general practice during the pandemic, enabling patients with cholesteatoma symptoms to be assessed and referred. The National Health Service is expanding access to specialist advice and guidance through Primary Care Networks, including the provision of £10 million through the Investment and Impact Fund.
We are investing £2.3 billion in opening up to 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) by March 2025, increasing capacity for computed tomography scans which can diagnose cholesteatoma. CDCs have already delivered over 550,00 additional checks. We are also investing £1.5 billion to expand elective surgical hubs, which will increase surgical capacity to remove cholesteatomas. There are currently over 40 surgical hubs.