Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the potential merits of a National Clinical Director for coeliac disease.

NHS England has invested in senior clinical leadership in gastroenterology as a workstream in the national Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme as one of its priority workstreams, which includes coeliac disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease, and improve the diagnostic pathway nationally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the recognition, assessment and management of coeliac disease [NG20]. A copy of the guidance is attached.

NICE guidelines represent best practice, and healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and service commissioners are expected to take them fully into account. Guidelines published by NICE are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.

To assist with increasing the visibility of coeliac disease, NICE promotes guidance via its website, newsletters and other media. It also publishes information for the public, which explains the care people with coeliac disease should receive as set out in the NICE guideline.

Information for the public on coeliac disease is also published by the National Health Service and is available on its website in an online-only format.