Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many legal entities exist within the National Health Service which do not directly deal with patients.

The Department does not hold the precise information requested. However, the Department has published guidance, entitled The Health and Care System Explained, on organisations that are involved in the delivery of health services since the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act (2012). Based on that guidance, it is estimated that there are 16 national bodies and 224 local bodies that do not directly provide health services to patients within the system.

By contrast, there are approximately 33,000 bodies in England that do provide NHS services directly to patients, including NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts, general practices, dental practices, opticians and community pharmacies.