Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on (a) establishing and (b) defining the priorities of the Highly Specialised Services Programme Board.

We will not define the priorities of the Highly Specialised Services Programme Board. NHS England established the Highly Specialised Services Oversight Group (HSSOG), previously referred to as the Highly Specialised Services Programme Board, in April 2023 to ensure that there is a continued clear focus on highly specialised services and rare diseases.

HSSOG is the operational group responsible for discharging NHS England’s duties, powers and responsibilities in respect of the 80 highly specialised services. HSSOG’s membership is across the United Kingdom and includes representation from integrated care boards.

HSSOG takes its strategic clinical advice and clinical leadership from the Rare Diseases Advisory Group and has a role in implementing the England Rare Diseases Action Plan.