Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Written Statement of 16 July 2015, HCWS114, on NHS Remuneration: Doctors and Dentists, what his definition is of a seven day health service.

The Government is committed to ensuring that patients can get the same high quality of care seven days a week.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s statement of 16 July 2015, HCWS114, on NHS Remuneration: Doctors and Dentists discussed reforming the consultant contract in order to support seven day hospital services. A seven day hospital service would mean that, by 2020, all patients admitted to hospital at the weekend will get the urgent and emergency treatment they need; and those who are already receiving treatment and care will get it to the same high standards at weekends as during the week.