Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to refer to the role of specialist hospitals in research, innovation and training in future NHS planning.

NHS England will be considering the implications of the report’s recommendations to consider how the National Health Service could take greater advantage of specialist hospitals and their strengths and, in liaison with the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), ensure that AHSNs continue to build and develop their local and regional networks, strengthening relationships with all NHS organisations including specialist hospitals.