Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to address the backlog in NHS Genomics Medicines Service.

Minimising the time taken to deliver a genomic test is a key priority for NHS England. NHS England has implemented a monthly data collection and monitoring system across all seven Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs) to better identify variation, implement service improvements and to ensure agreed national turnaround times are met in every region for all patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an ongoing impact on the genomic testing pathway. NHS England are providing the GLHs with additional funding to support recovery and reduce backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

GLHs are also undertaking clinical risk assessments on all cases waiting for results so that any can be prioritised for early reporting as needed.

Clinicians are also able to classify cases as ‘urgent’ when a patient has a deteriorating or unstable condition that requires a quicker diagnosis.