Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of using longer-term commissioning arrangements with independent providers to reduce ophthalmology waiting lists.

Commissioning decisions are for integrated care boards (ICBs) to make, who have a duty to arrange health services for the patients they are responsible for while living within their annual financial allocations.

The Government will continue to cut waiting lists, deliver more appointments, and make care more convenient as we work to make the National Health Service fit for the future and return to the 18-week standard. Since the General Election in July 2024, the ophthalmology waiting list has fallen, average waiting times have reduced, and 18‑week performance has improved from 66.1% to 69.7%.