The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. All service changes should be led by clinicians and be in the best interests of patients, not driven from the top down.<\/p>
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It is for NHS commissioners and providers to work together, with local authorities, patients and the public, in bringing forward proposals that will improve the quality, safety and sustainability of healthcare services.<\/p>
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Any changes must be supported by the Government\u2019s four tests for service change, namely:<\/p>
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- support from general practitioner commissioners;<\/p>
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- clarity on the clinical evidence base;<\/p>
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- robust patient and public engagement; and<\/p>
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- support for patient choice.<\/p>
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Once a decision on a local case for change has been made, it is up to the NHS to ensure its local services meet the needs of its population.<\/p>
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More generally, we would expect any local plans for changes to acute services to take full account of the impact on neighbouring hospitals.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T12:41:26.5594108Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Accident and Emergency Departments"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what has been the impact since 2009 of the closure of accident and emergency departments on neighbouring hospitals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3701", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness McDonagh"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness McDonagh"} ], "uin" : "HL2242"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100046", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100046/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Network Rail, which leads the industry deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), is fully engaged within European groups involved in ERTMS rollout. In particular Network Rail is looking closely at the Danish deployment, which will deliver ERTMS onto mixed traffic corridors. The assessments of Network Rail are fed into national planning activities for ERTMS implementation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1557", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kramer"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Kramer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T15:26:13.7629336Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "European Rail Traffic Management System"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made as to progress in other countries of the European Union of the successful installation of the European Rail Traffic Management System on any busy mixed traffic railway.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bradshaw"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bradshaw"} ], "uin" : "HL2252"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100048", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100048/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Transport has forecast premiums for the purposes of the competition for the InterCity East Coast franchise. These forecasts take into account Grand Central\u2019s access rights at their current levels. The Invitation to Tender for the InterCity East Coast franchise competition includes a Risk Assumption relating to the impact of an expansion of Open Access operations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1557", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kramer"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Kramer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T15:25:22.6907056Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "East Coast Main Line"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what impact they consider that the long-term access rights for Grand Central on the East Coast Main Line will have on the premium payments generated by the Intercity East Coast franchise.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bradshaw"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bradshaw"} ], "uin" : "HL2254"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }