Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of patients' preferences and needs in determining the proximity of the provision of hospital services in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Views on patients’ preferences around the proximity of hospital services are not collected nationally. However, individual clinical commissioning groups may consult with patients on such matters as part of their patient participation and engagement work.

The Department has not held discussions with health trusts on maintaining adequate, locally-provided hospital services in rural areas. However, the NHS Long Term Plan confirms that a standard model of delivery will be developed for use in smaller acute hospitals who serve rural populations.