Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the (a) importance of meetings of NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group taking place and (b) commissioning of new clinical procedures and therapies as part of the Government’s commitment to see non-covid19 aspects of the NHS resume as part of the recovery agenda; and if he will make a statement.

The Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group last met in June 2019. This is because the meeting structure has since changed, and NHS England now have a Strategy and Policy Group meeting on a monthly basis and a Delivery Group meeting on a monthly basis instead.

Although there is no specific agenda for the next meeting, the Strategy and Policy group considers the recommendations made by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) relating to clinical policies and service specifications. The CPAG looks at NHS England’s approach to commissioning services, treatments and technologies, and considers which of these should be prioritised for investment.