Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which genomic and biomarker testing is routinely embedded at the point of cancer diagnosis across NHS England.

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (NHS GMS) and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory, which includes tests for over 200 cancer clinical indications.

From April 2026 NHS England has been embedding a new operating model for delivery of the NHS GMS through seven NHS GMS Lead Providers. Each NHS GMS will deliver a cancer genomics clinical function to bring together multi-profession leadership to embed and drive improvements in end to end cancer genomics pathways and deliver genomic testing in clinically relevant turnaround times. The programme also includes expanding the number of cellular pathology genomic centres to streamline the cancer diagnostic sample pathway and support timely return of genomic test results to inform clinical management and enable cancer patients to access innovative therapies.

In addition, the National Cancer Plan identified diagnostic technologies as a strategic research priority for improving survival rates for those living with or treated for cancer. The Office for Life Sciences has funded a primary care intervention study via the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment Programme to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of the use of multi-cancer detection tests in primary care to support future commissioning of diagnostic biomarkers in diagnostic pathways.