Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) improve access to hospital services in rural constituencies and (b) encourage cross-county border working in rural health services.

The Department supports statutory integrated care systems (ICSs) in delivering National Health Services across England. ICSs are partnerships of organisations which come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, and to improve the lives of the people who live and work in their area. This includes considering access to hospitals in rural areas, and looking at opportunities for collaborative working across different administrative footprints, including local councils.

The organisations within an ICS include the NHS, local government, social care providers, charities, and other organisations working together to provide more joined up care for people, and to improve the outcomes for their populations.