Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to (a) identify and (b) manage potential conflicts of interest during the appointment process to the Elective Recovery Taskforce.

The Elective Recovery Taskforce is a steering group comprised of appointees from across the healthcare sector, including the National Health Service and independent sector providers. Robust discussions at the taskforce enable a cross-section of interests to be heard and challenged, allowing the Department to gain a well-rounded view on different issues.

The Department undertook a due diligence process in advance of the first meeting and is clear that the parameters of the taskforce are sharing best practice, making recommendations to tackle the elective recovery backlog and ensuring a focus on value for money for the NHS. The taskforce does not have decision making powers and is not a commissioning function.