Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to monitor the potential impact of the award of the contract for adult and community services to HCRG Care Group on patient care.

The Department has received requests asking my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to use the powers under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 to call-in the award of the contract for adult and community services to the Health Care Resourcing Group Care Group. Departmental officials have been asked to look into the issues raised and to provide advice on whether my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care should call-in the decision.

The Department will assess the call-in request against the considerations published in the statutory guidance in January 2024 and the merits of the case.

The responsibility for the delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services ultimately rests with the appropriate NHS commissioner, who are accountable to NHS England. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.