Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2022 to Question 18021 on Radioligand Therapy, what assessment he has made of the ability of NHS regional teams to assess providers’ ability to deliver against required standards for radioligand therapy commissioning in the absence of agreed national standards.

No specific assessment has been made. Where treatments are approved via the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisals, NHS England and NHS Improvement seek to ensure appropriate access for patients which reflects NICE’s recommendations within the license of the treatment. Regional teams receive advice and guidance from NHS England and NHS Improvement’s specialised commissioning team.

While no specific discussions are planned, NHS England and NHS Improvement recognise the potential of NICE-approved radioligand therapies and are appointing a new National Specialty Advisor for Nuclear Medicine to ensure these opportunities are realised.