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 the retention of blood cancer clinical expertise following the merger of NHS England with his Department.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.

We continue to work collaboratively across both organisations to put in place plans to ensure continuity of services and patient safety, including for retaining blood cancer clinical expertise.

We will publish a refreshed Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, including for blood cancer.