The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that patients and their families are appropriately informed about treatment and tissue retention options where clinically suitable.

Consent and tissue retention arrangements are subject to requirements set out by the Human Tissue Authority and other relevant guidance. NHS England will continue to consider whether there are opportunities to improve guidance and patient information, ensuring any future approach remains clinically appropriate, legally compliant, and aligned with existing regulatory frameworks.

NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity. 

The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

The Department is looking at ways to support trusts to expand freezer capacity, and will provide an update on this in the autumn.

There are no plans to publish the full gap analysis. The data is management information which is not routinely published.

NHS England has completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is looking at how to support services to provide an equitable expansion of that capacity. 

The Department and NHS England will work with professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance and consent processes.

The Department is looking at ways to support trusts to expand freezer capacity, and will provide an update on this in the autumn.

There are no plans to publish the full gap analysis. The data is management information which is not routinely published.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

The Department has not undertaken separate, specific assessments on access, regional variation, capacity, funding of freezer capacity, and consent to brain cancer tissue freezing. However, NHS England has recently completed a gap analysis of the need for freezer capacity and is exploring options to support services to provide equitable expansion.

NHS England and the Department will work with the professional bodies, including the Royal College of Pathologists, to review tissue retention guidance. This work also includes guidance on consent of fresh-tissue freezing for all cancers, including for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has made several wider commitments to address variation in the access and provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology and genomics across England, including Essex.

The Department continues to engage with NHS England and wider stakeholders on improving access to high-quality pathology and genomics services, including those relevant to brain tumour patients. The Genomics Medicine Service has developed a Genomics Centre of Excellence for brain cancers to ensure access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for brain tumour patients.

NHS England has issued national guidance on sample handling, including for WGS of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples across the National Health Service. This guidance is intended to support consistent approaches to maintaining DNA quality and support improved consistency and access to precision diagnostics across England. The guidance includes consideration of the handling of fresh tissue samples and sets out approaches designed to support genomic testing, including WGS.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity

Information on the number of NHS neurosurgical centres in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.

NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance, including for whole genome sequencing (WGS), of solid tumours to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and support access to precision diagnostics. As part of the guidance, approaches to the handling of fresh tissue have been reviewed, including the use of tissue stabilisers as an alternative to fresh frozen tissue.

The Department has not undertaken a specific, separate assessment of whether reliance on tissue stabilisers could limit access to precision diagnostics, WGS, clinical trials, or research. However, the guidance indicates that the use of tissue stabilisers is intended to support, rather than limit, access to genomic testing, including WGS, by enabling more consistent sample handling pathways across the National Health Service. The aim is to reduce some of the barriers of having to acquire, freeze, and transport the frozen tissue, helping to speed up processes and improve consistency.

NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance, including for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and support access to precision diagnostics. As part of the guidance, approaches to the handling of fresh tissue have been reviewed, including the use of tissue stabilisers as an alternative to fresh frozen tissue.

The Department has not undertaken a specific, separate assessment of whether reliance on tissue stabilisers could limit access to precision diagnostics, WGS, clinical trials, or research. However, the guidance indicates that the use of tissue stabilisers is intended to support, rather than limit, access to genomic testing, including WGS, by enabling more consistent sample handling pathways across the National Health Service. The aim is to reduce some of the barriers of having to acquire, freeze, and transport the frozen tissue, helping to speed up processes and improve consistency.

NHS England is taking steps to address the variation in access to freezer capacity and fresh frozen tissue pathways across the NHS. NHS England is currently working with the British Neuro-Oncology Society to map where freezer storage facilities for fresh frozen tissue are required. Work is also ongoing across genomics, cancer, and pathology programmes to optimise fresh tissue pathways, including mapping infrastructure requirements and developing the supporting evidence base.

This work aims to reduce variation in local infrastructure and support more equitable access to both fresh frozen tissue pathways and genomic testing across England.

NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance, including for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and support access to precision diagnostics. As part of the guidance, approaches to the handling of fresh tissue have been reviewed, including the use of tissue stabilisers as an alternative to fresh frozen tissue.

The Department has not undertaken a specific, separate assessment of whether reliance on tissue stabilisers could limit access to precision diagnostics, WGS, clinical trials, or research. However, the guidance indicates that the use of tissue stabilisers is intended to support, rather than limit, access to genomic testing, including WGS, by enabling more consistent sample handling pathways across the National Health Service. The aim is to reduce some of the barriers of having to acquire, freeze, and transport the frozen tissue, helping to speed up processes and improve consistency.

NHS England is taking steps to address the variation in access to freezer capacity and fresh frozen tissue pathways across the NHS. NHS England is currently working with the British Neuro-Oncology Society to map where freezer storage facilities for fresh frozen tissue are required. Work is also ongoing across genomics, cancer, and pathology programmes to optimise fresh tissue pathways, including mapping infrastructure requirements and developing the supporting evidence base.

This work aims to reduce variation in local infrastructure and support more equitable access to both fresh frozen tissue pathways and genomic testing across England.

The Department has neither set nor considered setting a national standard for the maximum timeframe within which brain tumour tissue should be placed into a fresh-frozen state following surgical excision.

Fresh-freezing, also referred to as snap-freezing, is a standard technique used by pathology networks to preserve tissue architecture without chemical fixatives, allowing for subsequent molecular or histological analysis, typically supporting research or advanced diagnostic applications.

Pathology services in England are delivered through 27 regional pathology networks, and offer a comprehensive range of tests, including the analysis of brain tissues. Individual pathology services in England maintain their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh, or the snap-freezing, of tissue samples. These SOPs outline local capabilities and practices. While NHS England does not routinely set detailed technical standards for specific laboratory processes, relevant professional bodies, such as Royal College of Pathologists, may develop guidance to support consistent practice across services.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.

There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.

The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.

There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.

The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.

There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.

The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.