Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to work with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust following the closure of Chorley Accident and Emergency unit.

The Department is concerned about the current situation at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital and is actively monitoring developments. These matters, including recruitment, are for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as employer, and NHS Improvement as regulator. The Trust has not asked the Department for any support in resolving these issues.