Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of genomic data in primary care settings on (a) patient outcomes and (b) the accuracy of diagnoses; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of that use.

No formal assessment has been made. Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service as outlined in the National Genomic Test Directory. Healthcare professionals in primary care settings can refer a patient for genomic testing according to the eligibility and referral criteria in the Test Directory, which may involve a referral to the relevant specialist service, including clinical genetics services.

NHS England has a policy in place to ensure that genomic testing continues to be available for all patients where it would be of clinical benefit, which considers any impact on primary care.