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 ensure that there are an adequate number of health professionals trained in (a) identifying and (b) supporting people affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a very rare but rapidly progressive and fatal disease. Effective diagnostic and care services are important in ensuring that patients and their families get the support that they need. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for CJD. Treatment options focus on symptom control and palliative care.

Specialist diagnostic services are provided by the National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit. From April 2025, funding for these services is being transferred from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to NHS England.