Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the effect on the employment status of staff would be of the failure of Dudley's multi-speciality community provider.

The new Multi-specialty Community Provider contract includes additional provisions that allow Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group to understand the financial health of the provider and take early action to rectify and prevent failure, as well as ensure continuity of services.

Practical arrangements to ensure service continuity on contract expiry or early termination for any reason will be agreed with the provider before the contract is awarded. These arrangements will aim to protect the employees involved, and will be reflected in obligations on the part of the provider in the signed contract.