Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the updated Renal Service Specification is expected to be published.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The specification is being worked on by NHS England in line with their national service specification methods process, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/methods-national-service-specifications/

Stakeholder testing was recently undertaken. The timing of full publication has yet to be decided upon as the feedback from stakeholders is being considered, alongside any changes required. NHS England will set out the expected date of publication as soon as this is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider commissioning a standalone Modern Service Framework for chronic kidney disease, including dialysis, transplantation, paediatrics, frailty, rare kidney disease and genetic kidney conditions.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs). The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for any new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the role of home dialysis in supporting the shift from hospital to community care set out in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with kidney disease, through its renal services transformation programme. This includes a specification for renal services which sets out the scope for the work of the renal clinical networks commissioned across England, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PRN231110-renal-clinical-network-specification-2023-.pdf

The goals of the specification include reducing variation across the renal care pathway by developing, agreeing, and implementing standardised pathways of care, including dialysis and home therapy services for adult and paediatric services. The eight regional kidney networks in England, working with providers, are implementing this toolkit with a clear focus on improving early diagnosis, slowing disease progression, and reducing the number of patients reaching advanced stages of kidney disease. This work is supported nationally by the Renal Clinical Reference Group.

NHS England is also supporting the Department and key kidney organisations to identify further opportunities to enhance prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long‑term outcomes for people living with kidney disease, including improved access to home dialysis.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to home dialysis for patients with kidney failure.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with kidney disease, through its renal services transformation programme. This includes a specification for renal services which sets out the scope for the work of the renal clinical networks commissioned across England, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PRN231110-renal-clinical-network-specification-2023-.pdf

The goals of the specification include reducing variation across the renal care pathway by developing, agreeing, and implementing standardised pathways of care, including dialysis and home therapy services for adult and paediatric services. The eight regional kidney networks in England, working with providers, are implementing this toolkit with a clear focus on improving early diagnosis, slowing disease progression, and reducing the number of patients reaching advanced stages of kidney disease. This work is supported nationally by the Renal Clinical Reference Group.

NHS England is also supporting the Department and key kidney organisations to identify further opportunities to enhance prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long‑term outcomes for people living with kidney disease, including improved access to home dialysis.

Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

US sanctions on Cuba

Found: Research Briefing, 22 May 2026 Annex A Membership of public bill committee The chairs were: Paula Barker