Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with private hospital operators on the use of private hospital beds by the NHS at no cost to the public purse in the event that additional capacity is required to treat patients with covid-19.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to increase capacity and resource within the National Health Service, adding around 8,000 beds and 20,000 clinical staff. This will ensure that more facilities are available for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Under the agreement, the independent sector will be reimbursed at cost.