Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has developed a contingency framework to ensure NHS hospitals and clinical staff can respond to a surge in military casualties alongside civilian demand.

The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.

The Department and the National Health Service have plans in place for the management of major incidents which would be drawn upon in the event of a potential conflict or mass casualty event, including those involving military personal. These plans are regularly reviewed to incorporate lessons from incidents, exercises, and ongoing conflicts.

Consideration has been given to the impacts on NHS staffing, capacity, and service provision, and the adaptions needed in the event of a conflict. Work is ongoing in line with NATO direction with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services, to strengthen the resilience of the health system and support United Kingdom preparedness for the demands of any potential future warfighting scenario.