Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of systematic screening for Lynch Syndrome for people diagnosed with bowel cancer in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire.

In February 2017, testing for Lynch syndrome was recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as important in identifying genetic predisposition to bowel cancer, which could lead to better outcomes for patients through earlier diagnosis and treatment. The NICE guideline does not carry a funding direction and therefore commissioners, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England, need to consider the implementation of the guidance alongside other priorities and any financial impact on pathology services and genetic testing services. Also, the NICE guidance recommends, but does not mandate, how healthcare professionals should apply the guidance to those diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Barnsley, alongside other CCGs in the area, currently use a testing service in Leeds. It is not commissioned as it is being provided free of charge as part of a pilot piece of work. Referrals are made where hospital clinicians judge this to be appropriate. However, the Cancer Alliance is looking at future options in the expectation that the free provision in Leeds may stop once the current pilot ends.

NHS England will be working with CCG pathology service commissioners during 2018/19 to determine whether they can jointly develop a policy proposition relating to genetic testing for Lynch syndrome that takes into account the NICE guideline and helps to ensure that patients and their families receive the test where appropriate.