Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will discuss with NHS England undertaking an urgent review into the commissioning of post-stem cell transplant services.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning and funding the transplant related care which takes place 30 days before transplant and continues until 100 days post-transplant. After 100 days post-transplant, commissioning responsibility for the routine follow-up of patients switches from NHS England to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), as outlined in the Manual. The Manual describes which elements of specialised services are commissioned by NHS England and which are commissioned by CCGs:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/prescribed-specialised-services-manual-2.pdf

In the event that transplant patients experience serious complications post-transplant, elements of their care would likely continue to be planned, organised and funded by NHS England specialised commissioning. For example, if a patient requires Extracorporeal Photophersis which is a treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease following transplantation, NHS England commissions this care post-transplant.

There are no current plans to review the responsibilities of services commissioned by NHS England and CCGs for blood and marrow transplants (BMT). NHS England will be assessing BMT in more detail over the next 18 months and will take the opportunity to further support improved pathway planning and commissioning of services that it and CCGs fund.

NHS England’s work in supporting the roll out of the Recovery Package for cancer patients, including those who received BMT, helps ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed and once treatment ends. For patients this means working with their care team to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also additional support, such as help at home or financial advice. By 2020 NHS England wants all cancer patients to have access to the Recovery Package.