Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has with the Secretary of State for Transport on the role of buses in helping to provide access to healthcare.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not met with the Secretary of State for Transport on the role of buses in helping provide access to healthcare.

However, National Health Service organisations already include the utilisation of bus services for patient, visitors and staff as part of their overall strategy along with other transport services to provide access to healthcare. This includes consideration of existing services, as well as the setting up of bus services specifically for the NHS e.g. shuttle buses. Guidance has been provided to the NHS on this in ‘Health Technical Memorandum 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability 2015 edition’.