Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent announcement on the level of employment at Hinchingbrooke Hospital on (a) clinical procedures (b) appointments and (c) work related to the New Hospitals Programme.

It is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts to determine the right level of staffing.

The Government is committed to cutting NHS waiting lists and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care, including at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and across the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. We have already delivered on our pledge of two million extra elective appointments, and this is just a first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the NHS constitutional standard, by March 2029.

Additionally, the New Hospital Programme is prioritising the rebuild of Hinchingbrooke Hospital alongside six other hospitals built primarily from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, to protect patient and staff safety. It is expected that it will enter construction between 2027 and 2028.