Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made toward the publication of NHS transformation and sustainability plans for Cheshire and Merseyside.

Every health and care system in England is producing a multi-year Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), showing how local services will evolve and become sustainable over the next five years – ultimately delivering the Five Year Forward View vision of better health, better patient care and improved National Health Service efficiency.

Understandably these are at different stages of development, but over the coming months most are likely to be discussing proposals they are considering with local communities and other local partners.

Cheshire and Merseyside are currently working with health and social care leaders on their STPs to deliver practical and important improvements for patients over the next five years, on mental health, cancer, general practice and other services.

Proposals will be published when they are ready and every area will be working to a different timeframe, based on own circumstances and how well-progressed the plan is.