Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make (a) an assessment of the adequacy of the NHS (i) capacity and (ii) capability to diagnose Lyme disease and (b) a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in (A) the UK, (B) the US and (C) Germany.

The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.

Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.

Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.