VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Breast Cancer: Screening

Asked by Zöe FranklinLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 23 March 2026UIN 117576

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of commissioning arrangements in NHS breast screening services that result in staff providing NHS services being employed on terms and conditions different from NHS Agenda for Change contracts.

Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson

Breast screening services that deliver the NHS Breast Screening Programme are mainly within National Health Service trusts, with staff on Agenda for Change terms or conditions or medical staff on the consultant, both medical and dental, pay scale. The exception to this is the very small number of breast screening services provided by private providers. Staff delivering breast screening are directly employed by the host organisation not by NHS England.

With regards the plans to transfer NHS England’s direct commissioning function to integrated care boards from April 2027, staff will remain on NHS terms and conditions.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim