Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) steps his Department is taking and (b) resources have been allocated to reduce NHS endoscopy waiting times.

Endoscopy is a key part of diagnostic activity. The 2020 Spending Review committed £325 million for diagnostics in 2021/22, including the development of community diagnostics hubs. The exact allocations of this funding will be confirmed in due course.

In addition, the Accelerator programme has commenced in May 2021 which supports 13 integrated care systems and £160 million has been allocated to support new rapid programmes of work over a 13 week period, which include diagnostic recovery. Learning from these sites will be applied rapidly across England to support wider elective recovery. Alongside the Accelerator programme, £1 billon is being invested in 2021/22 through the Elective Recovery Fund. Endoscopy activity is one of the activities included as part of the Elective Recovery Fund. This fund is available across England for all providers of secondary care services to increase levels of elective activity including diagnostics.