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 support people with digestive system disorders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to putting patients first, by making sure that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care, including those with digestive system disorders. We have committed to getting back to the National Health Service constitutional standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, and we have already made progress, exceeding our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, with over three million more delivered between July 2024 and January 2025.

In January, we published the Elective Reform Plan. This commits to pathway reform starting in five areas, with gastroenterology being one. The commitment is to develop an integrated pathway across primary, community, and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive the rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways, which reduces consultant-led outpatient appointments by over 50%.

The plan also commits to work with patients, carers, and their representatives to publish the standards patients should expect to experience while they wait for care, including for those waiting for gastroenterology services.