Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of how the needs of specialised services for cystic fibrosis will be assessed under the new proposals as set out in the NHS Modernisation Bill.

The Government is committed to ensuring that patients who rely on specialised services continue to receive high-quality, equitable care. Under the proposals in the NHS Modernisation Bill, specialised services will continue to be clearly defined within the statutory commissioning framework, with commissioning arrangements informed by clinical evidence, population need, national service specifications, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, quality standards, and patient outcomes.

We recognise that cystic fibrosis services are specialised in nature and, since April 2025, these services are commissioned by integrated care boards and underpinned by national service specifications, clinical commissioning policies, and NICE technology appraisal guidance.

As part of the wider programme of health and care system reform, we are clear of the need to retain the integrity of specialised services and continue to support high-quality, equitable care for patients with rare and complex conditions such as cystic fibrosis. We recognise the importance of ensuring that clinical networks, service standards, and outcomes are preserved and strengthened through any transition.

Patient and public involvement will also continue to be a core part of specialised commissioning, with the NHS Modernisation Bill strengthening responsibilities at both national and local levels to ensure patient feedback informs decision-making and service planning. Any future commissioning decisions relating to specialised services will continue to be taken with appropriate clinical advice and engagement with patients, charities and other stakeholders, with the aim of maintaining equitable access and improving outcomes for patients with rare and complex conditions.