Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they have conducted on the impact of the proposed NHS England 2025–26 Payment Scheme and Standard Contract on patient choice and the Government’s ambitions to reduce waiting lists.

As part of its annual planning round for 2025/26, NHS England consulted on proposals for the NHS Payment Scheme (NHSPS), a set of rules, prices, and guidance that governs transactions between providers and commissioners of National Health Service funded secondary care. It is not a change to the Right to Choose.

As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, integrated care boards will be allocated the funding needed to deliver improvements to the 18-week referral-to-treatment performance standard for consultant-led care.

NHS England has conducted an assessment of the impact of the proposed NHSPS, as required by law, which is attached. This impact assessment includes consideration of the impact on patient choice.