Written question asked by Rupert Lowe (Independent (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 October 2025. It was answered by Zubir Ahmed (Labour) on Monday, 22 December 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Genetics: Health Services

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS staff there are whose responsibilities include addressing genetic disorders associated with consanguinity.

Answer: The National Health Service in England supports patients with a variety of conditions related to genetics. NHS England is piloting and evaluating new models of care to improve the equity of access to genetic services for the small proportion of couples at increased genetic risk due to close relative marriage. NHS England is funding additional capacity in several professions, including midwifery, genomics associates, and neonatal nurses, in nine pilot sites through the Genetic Risk Equity Project. 3.8 whole time equivalent (WTE) midwives and one WTE neonatal nurse were in post in 2024/25 to deliver the Genetic Risk Equity Project.

Secondary information