Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to help improve the (a) availability of and (b) access to innovative treatments for sickle cell disease.

On 9th January 2021, the Government published the United Kingdom Rare Diseases Framework, outlining four key priorities to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Improving access to specialist care, treatment and drugs is listed as one of these priorities, alongside helping patients get a final diagnosis faster, increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals, and better coordination of care. The Framework will be followed by nation-specific action plans, detailing how each nation of the UK will meet the shared priorities of the Framework.