Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether spare capacity at Kidderminster Hospital could be used to relieve pressure on Worcester and Redditch Hospitals.

This is a matter for the local National Health Service organisations. NHS England advises that under the Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire (FOAHSW) programme, the intention is to increase the amount and range of daycase and short stay surgery carried out at Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre. Some elective work is expected to move to Kidderminster Hospital from the Worcestershire Royal Hospital to create capacity for the Worcestershire Royal Hospital to undertake more emergency work. The FOAHSW proposals are due to go out for public consultation shortly.