Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to tackle the backlogs in (1) respiratory care, (2) respiratory diagnosis, and (3) referrals for urgent care, for those with lung conditions.

NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI) has worked with local leaders to update its plans and priorities, including for respiratory services, with a renewed focus on continuing the recovery of non-COVID care and tackling long waits.

The priorities in recovery of services includes tackling the COVID backlog for non-urgent treatment such as eliminating waits of two years or more, stopping the increase in one year plus waits, and stabilising total waiting lists.

£1.5 billion is being made available to help local teams increase their capacity and invest in other proven measures to achieve these goals.

There has been no official assessment made on the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on waiting times for respiratory diagnostic appointments. However, the NHS is determined to tackle backlogs and is taking steps to restore services and improve waiting times as a priority, including services for respiratory patients. This year, we are providing a record amount of funding to the NHS, which includes £2 billion to help tackle the backlog that built up during the pandemic. We have also committed £8 billion over the next three years to step up elective activity and transform elective services.

Elective waiting lists, which include those with respiratory symptoms, are managed at system as well as trust level. Digital solutions are available to ensure the most clinically urgent patients are managed first, which will help improve waiting times.