Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Tuesday 13th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

If the hon. Lady is talking about NHS England head of emergency medicine Professor Keith Willett, I meet him pretty much every week.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

10. What steps his Department is taking to ensure support for smaller district hospitals.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jane Ellison)]

The NHS “Five Year Forward View” sets out a range of actions to help sustain smaller local hospitals, and we have backed that with almost £2 billion. NHS England is making a £200 million transformation fund available to smaller hospitals looking to develop prototypes.

[Mark Pawsey]

Did the Minister see the recent remarks by Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, on how smaller local hospitals can play a role in providing care, particularly to older patients, many of whom prefer to be treated close to home? Does she agree that this makes the case for the future within the NHS for smaller hospitals such as St Cross in Rugby?

[Jane Ellison]

It is exactly that kind of flexibility that we so much welcome in the “Five Year Forward View”, recognising the potential of smaller hospitals. My hon. Friend’s local hospital, which he champions so well, can apply to be one of NHS England’s prototypes, and I would encourage it to do so.