Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to ensure equitable regional access to hyperbaric treatment services.

Last year, NHS England held a public consultation on a revised service specification and changes to commissioning arrangements for hyperbaric oxygen services. This included consideration of the impacts on geographical access to services and traveling times.

As a formal public consultation, responses were invited from all those with an interest in these services, and responses were received from a range of experts.

Further information regarding the feedback received was published in November 2024, and is available at the following link:

Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-engagement-report-November-2024.pdf

The updated service specification was published in January 2025, and is available at the following link:

Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-services-all-ages-Service-specification-January-2025.pdf