Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support his Department is planning to provide to NHS Trusts in relation to the high proportion of patients in hospital with covid-19 as of 1 February 2022.

In 2021/22, we have provided £3 billion the National Health Service’s recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Earlier in 2021/22, £6.6 billion was allocated for the hospital discharge programme, infection control measures, post-COVID-19 assessment services, and NHS staff support services. A further £4.9 billion and £500 million in capital funding was announced in September for the second half of 2021/22. This includes a £700 million Targeted Investment Fund to support NHS systems and providers for the recovery of elective services and £2 billion for increased elective activity.

We also announced an additional £23.3 billion from April 2022 to March 2025 to support the NHS in managing the ongoing impact of COVID-19. This includes over £8 billion to reduce the elective care backlog through the deliver millions of checks, scans and procedures.