Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England's 2023-24 priorities and operational planning guidance published on 27 January 2023, what steps his Department is taking to issue guidance to GPs on best practices for the treatment of conditions which moved to a system of self referral.

The range of options for people to self-refer will streamline access to more services for patients and reduce the need for a general practitioner (GP) appointment where this is not clinically necessary. Integrated care boards will work with local people, GPs, and other stakeholders to ensure they have the relevant information to support self-referral.