Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to improve NHS guidance on the characterisation of symptoms associated with haemochromatosis.

It is not NHS England’s role to develop clinical guidelines; however, should a new evidence base arise, clinical policy may be updated by relevant organisations, for example, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NHS England would then consider the development of care pathways. Implementing treatments that are in line with NICE guidelines helps to improve patient safety and reduce the risk of harm across the health system.

NICE reviewed its guidelines portfolio in May 2023 to identify topics that it thinks will add the most value to the health and care system. As a result, NICE identified several topics, including the guidance on haemochromatosis, where work will stop for the time being to allow focus on key priorities.

These topics will be reconsidered by NICE’s new Prioritisation Board that is being established by its Chief Medical Officer, and as work to establish the prioritisation board progresses during this year, more information on timescales will become available. NICE will make further information available on its website once topics have been reprioritised.