Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report entitled, Understanding the performance and potential of specialist hospitals, published by the Innovation Agency and UCLPartners Academic Health Science Partnership in October 2018 , whether he has plans to encourage a closer working relationship between academic health science networks and specialist hospitals to improve performance in the NHS.

As part of their licence, Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) are required to flexibly address specific local needs and challenges. In practice, this means that AHSNs will continue to build and develop their local and regional networks, strengthening relationships with all National Health Service organisations including specialist hospitals.