Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) development and (b) implementation of (i) whole genome sequencing and (ii) other innovative treatments for brain tumours.

We are supporting NHS England in implementing genomic testing, including whole genome sequencing (WGS), in the National Health Service, provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory, which includes tests for over 200 cancer clinical indications, including WGS tests for a range of brain tumours.

The NHS now offers all children and young people with cancer and adults with certain cancers, including brain cancer, whole genome sequencing to enable more comprehensive and precise diagnosis, and access to more personalised treatments.

We recognise that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. We are invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

We are working on developing the National Cancer Plan, which will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. Research is a key focus of the plan, and we will work closely with partners, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research, on this.