Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department provides to small rural hospitals in England to ensure that health services are available as close to the public as possible.

Responsibility for the commissioning of local NHS services lies with clinical commissioning groups. Small rural and community hospitals have a key role in contributing to more integrated care through better out-of-hospital care at local level for frail older people and people with long-term conditions.