Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the use of block contracts for radiotherapy services, in the context of (a) recent trends in levels of patient numbers and (b) Lord Darzi's Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England, published in September 2024.

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that the healthcare needs of local communities are met. These responsibilities include ensuring adequate healthcare provision, care, and wider support for local populations, including in remote and rural areas. This includes radiotherapy treatment. The Government will work to ensure that the best standard of healthcare is available no matter where people live.

Since April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines has been with local systems. However, the Government is investing £70 million of central funding to replace outdated radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it. There are no current plans to review the use of block contracts for radiotherapy services.

All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.