Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has his Department made of the potential impact of ICB mergers on continuity and access in rural and semi-rural areas.

Across larger integrated care board (ICB) footprints there will be a renewed focus on the local level as part of our commitment to delivering care closer to home, and this includes rural and semi rural areas. As outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan, neighbourhood health plans will be created and will be brought together as part of the ICBs’ plans to improve population health locally.