Oral Answers to Questions

Nick Gibb Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)]

6. What assessment he has made of the role of community hospitals in the range of local health care and hospital provision.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr Daniel Poulter)]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of community hospitals in his constituency and elsewhere. They can provide high-quality care close to home, particularly for people with long-term conditions and the frail and elderly.

[Mr Gibb]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. If there is a conflict between local health officials and local people as to the desirability of a community hospital, as there is in Littlehampton in relation to the Littlehampton community hospital, which most people in the town want to see rebuilt, whose views should prevail—the NHS employees or the local residents of Littlehampton?

[Dr Poulter]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. As he is well aware, it is down to local commissioners—local doctors—in Littlehampton to decide, in consultation with local communities, what is good health care. Of course, we must not get fixated on buildings in the NHS. I know there is a local campaign to support the re-establishment of Littlehampton district hospital, and although that may be a very desirable end, there may be many other ways in which high-quality health care can be provided for his constituents closer to home.