Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Crowborough Birthing Centre on (a) public health, (b) patient safety in Sussex Weald and (c) maternity care provision; and whether this closure forms part of a wider cost-saving strategy.

The Department has not made an assessment because local National Health Service organisations are best placed to make decisions on commissioning services locally, including maternity services, working with providers and other stakeholders to best meet people’s needs.

Changes to clinical services should be led by clinicians, and be in the best interests of patients. Substantial planned service change and reconfiguration of services are subject to a public consultation and must meet the Government and NHS England’s tests to ensure good decision making and that proposals are demonstrated to be in the interests of service users and the wider public.