Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the number of hyperbaric chambers on accessibility for patients.

NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We will meet our obligations to do so through implementing plans to deliver the commissioning intentions set out during the public consultation which took place last year. Further information on the public consultation is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/#:~:text=Background-,Background,Manual%20of%20Prescribed%20Specialised%20Services

It is proposed that the number of commissioned HBOT centres in England is reduced from eight centres to six centres. The geographical scope of these services will ensure that there is no more than four hours travelling time, by road, from coastal locations, the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines.