Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with integrated care boards and NHS England on ensuring that sufficient capacity is commissioned from independent sector providers to facilitate patient choice.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have the flexibility to commission services across specialties within a fixed financial envelope and may use contract levers to manage that activity. This represents good management of public money to achieve the outcomes we want to see.

Patients have a legal right to choose any qualified provider holding a contract with an ICB to deliver the services patients need. This right applies irrespective of levels of activity outlined in indicative activity plans contained in contracts.