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 ensure elective surgery capacity and delivery is maintained through future waves of covid-19.

The Department has been clear that non-COVID-19 services such as elective surgery will be maintained as far as possible. This is the approach currently being taken, whilst also managing winter demand and COVID-19 pressures. We continue to work closely with the National Health Service and partners and are carefully monitoring progress to ensure normal levels of elective treatments are restored as soon as possible

The recent Spending Review provided £3 billion for 2021/22 to support the NHS in tackling the impact of COVID-19. This included £1 billion to tackle long waiting lists and address backlogs which would include elective surgery.