Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what specific steps he is taking to increase access to radiotherapy cancer treatments.

NHS England, as the accountable commissioner for radiotherapy services, is responsible for setting evidence-based national service standards. This includes service specifications, clinical commissioning policies and ensuring the implementation of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Technology Appraisal Guidance within local systems.

This has led to the expansion of access to stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy, selective internal radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery/stereotactic radiation therapy, brachytherapy and proton beam therapy. NHS England actively encourages clinicians to submit proposals to expand the range of clinical commissioning policies, helping to ensure that patients remain able to access the latest evidence-based treatments and care.