Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing treatment for pectus excavatum on the NHS in England.

There are a range of surgical and non-surgical treatments available through the National Health Service in England to manage the condition and individuals with a pectus deformity may be referred to a thoracic surgical clinic for advice. Treatment options are assessed according to the type of pectus deformity, degree of deformity, simple versus mixed deformity and determination of whether the deformity is isolated or part of a syndrome.

In most cases, while surgery can correct the chest wall deformity, surgical intervention does not take place, as the majority of patients experience mild physical or psychological symptoms. Non-surgical options include posture, exercise programmes, bracing and psychological support.