Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide health services for disabled people in isolated areas.

Under the NHS Act 2006, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care must promote a comprehensive health service in England.

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are responsible for the planning and delivery of health and care services in their local area, including meeting the needs of disabled people in rural communities. Local priorities are set out in the integrated care strategy, which must be informed by local assessments of need. The Department published updated statutory guidance on integrated care strategies in February 2024.

The importance of supporting rural communities has been recognised by the Chief Medical Officer in his reports, which also recognised the role played by ICSs in understanding local needs and arranging services to meet these needs.