Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to roll out colon capsule endoscopies across the NHS.

Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) is currently being offered to low to intermediate risk patients on a lower gastrointestinal urgent cancer pathway and post-polypectomy surveillance patients in 52 sites across England as part of a national pilot.

So far, 6,000 CCE’s have been carried out and 70% of patients who have had this procedure have been spared a colonoscopy. An evaluation is running alongside the pilot to assess outcomes, diagnostic accuracy and patient experience. The evaluation will conclude in March 2024 and the resultant paper will inform long-term commissioning in local systems.