Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will support plans to relocate additional facilities to West Berkshire Community Hospital to help ease pressures at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

National Health Service commissioners are responsible for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services, rather than the Department. Local health and care organisations are best placed to make decisions on commissioning services for their communities. Decisions about services should be clinically led, following appropriate engagement with the local authority, the local population, and stakeholders.

All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.

Substantial planned service change is subject to a full public consultation and must meet the Government and NHS England’s ‘tests’ to ensure good decision making.