Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure there is adequate healthcare provision for (a) existing and (b) new populations in (i) towns and (ii) rural areas.

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, to improve the lives of the people who live and work in their area. This includes considering adequate healthcare provision for populations in towns and rural areas, and working collaboratively to plan for population change.

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.