Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's guidance, The NHS Choice Framework: what choices are available to me in the NHS?, updated 14 January 2020, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the implementation of her Department's policy on equality of access to a hospital of choice by Barts Health NHS Trust.

‘The NHS Choice Framework: what choices are available to me in the NHS?’ is currently being updated to reflect changes arising from the Health and Care Act 2022. The updated guidance will be published later this year. The existing Framework remains applicable and is available to commissioners, providers and patients.

All services offered by Barts Health NHS Trust are subject to the Framework and there are local policies for each hospital within the Trust to implement it. The Trust will investigate any complaint received, either directly from a patient or via an intermediary.