House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2026
02 March 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care
Proposed by Ashley Dalton Lab West Lancashire
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- England's fifth Rare Diseases Action Plan was published on GOV UK on 2026-03-02.
- The plan outlines government actions to address the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework for the upcoming year.
- The priorities include faster diagnosis, increased awareness, better care coordination, and improved access to specialist care and treatments.
Issue summary
The statement discusses the publication of England’s fifth Rare Diseases Action Plan, focusing on the government's commitment to improving the lives of people with rare diseases.
Action requested
The government has published the action plan on GOV.UK, detailing steps to be taken over the next year to meet the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework: faster diagnosis, increased awareness, better care coordination, and improved access to specialist care and treatments.
Key facts
- The government published England’s fifth Rare Diseases Action Plan on 27th February 2023.
- The UK Rare Diseases Framework was published in January 2021 following a National Conversation that received nearly 6300 responses.
- The Framework has four priorities: faster diagnosis, increased awareness, better care coordination, and improved access to specialist care and treatments.
- The Rare Diseases Action Plan updates on progress made across the NHS, health education, and regulation.