Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with private healthcare providers in (a) the North West, (b) Merseyside and (c) Wirral on the NHS requisitioning private beds for use during the covid-19 outbreak.
The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector on a national basis to increase capacity and resource within the National Health Service, adding around 8,000 beds and 20,000 clinical staff. This will ensure that more facilities across England are available for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
Under the agreement, the independent sector will be reimbursed at cost.