Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy that clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be required to meet current national service standards for the provision of obesity surgery after the planned transfer of obesity surgery commissioning responsibilities from NHS England to CCGs in April 2016.

CCGs will have the full commissioning responsibility for the obesity services within their remit to set standards for services for their population and to make clinical commissioning policy decisions in terms of patient eligibility with effect from April 2016.

NHS England is supporting the transfer of commissioning responsibilities to CCGs by providing clinical guidance on standards for the adult obesity surgery pathway. This guidance is in development, supported by national clinical experts.

The draft clinical commissioning policy includes reference to the relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance to support CCGs in determining patient eligibility to obesity surgery. The draft service specification will reflect best practice and describes the standard providers will need to meet for the surgical service.