Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with NHS England on improving incentives in primary care to adhere to NICE guidelines on coeliac disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, including guidelines for coeliac disease, represent best practice and are expected to be taken into full account by healthcare practitioners, but do not override their responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families or carers where appropriate. The Department has regular discussions with NHS England on the most appropriate form for incentive schemes within primary care. The profession, patients and the broader system will be consulted this year on incentives in primary care to inform future reform.