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 improve access for patients to new techniques for tackling heart valve disease.

NHS England and NHS Improvement evaluate new technology and the commissioning of newer techniques in tackling heart valve disease as it becomes available. This has led to improvements for patients in accessing new surgical heart valves such as sutureless valve replacement and for mitral valve leaflet repair. NHS England and NHS Improvement are increasing availability to mitral valve repair through commissioning local centres to deliver this procedure, working to their own prioritised timetable. A number of specialised heart valve devices and procedures are being taken through the evaluation process to ensure an appropriate evidenced-based approach to commissioning new technologies and techniques.