Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice or direction they have given to clinical commissioning groups in relation to the reconfiguration of local services, specifically (1) the removal and closure of walk-in centres opened under the reforms set out in the Darzi Review, and (2) the use of apps to replace local services with technology.

Local commissioners have been asked to review their current local urgent care facilities against the key Urgent Treatment Centres standards and make a decision for each facility; these decisions should be based on local patient need and take into consideration current and planned future provision of urgent and primary care services.

NHS England is working with clinical commissioning groups to develop complementary online channels to operate alongside existing services, which offer patients choice and flexibility. This includes the deployment of NHS 111 Online to all areas in England, allowing people to connect with urgent health care services through either a web-based or app-based interface.

NHS Improvement is leading the effort to standardise and enhance the service offer, make sure services are best positioned to reduce unnecessary attendances at accident and emergency departments, and help patients understand what services are available wherever they are in the country.