Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consultation has been undertaken to assess the effect of potential NHS service consolidation in (a) the London Borough of Enfield and (b) North Central London.

Health organisations across North London are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to make sure they deliver safe and effective patient care within budget. North London Sustainability and Transformation partnership consists of health organisations and local authorities across the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.

If holding a consultation does become appropriate as a result of planned significant service change then a full public consultation will take place. The proposals must have support from clinical commissioners, clarity on the clinical evidence base, robust patient and public engagement and support for patient choice. There is additional NHS England guidance which means that proposed service reconfigurations should be tested for their impact on overall bed numbers in the area. It is right that these decisions are led by local clinicians, who best understand the healthcare needs of their local populations.