Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled Government turbocharges efforts to tackle COVID-19 backlogs, published on 7 December 2022, whether he is using additional metrics, as well as the stated ambition for 40 per cent of diagnoses to take place in community diagnostic centres by 2025, to monitor the effectiveness of those centres.

NHS England is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of Community Diagnostic Centres and uses a range of metrics. These are included as part of the monthly Diagnostics Data collection, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-data-2022-23/