Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that cancer patients wishing to access radioligand therapy do not have to travel up to 200 miles for that treatment as outlined in the Royal College of Radiologist’s report entitled Review of molecular radiotherapy services in the UK.

The Royal College’s report refers to three specific treatments: Lu-177; Ra-223; and Y-90 selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). These treatments are currently available to patients in England, with access based on existing clinical pathways, multi-disciplinary team arrangements and expected activity levels associated with each clinical indication.

Where treatments are approved via the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisals, NHS England and NHS Improvement seek to establish the appropriate access within the license of the treatment and provide advice to regional teams. NHS England and NHS Improvement are undertaking an expansion programme for SIRT to address the anticipated demand in the next two years.