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Hospitals: Rural Areas

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 30 March 2026UIN 122663

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of whether rural hospitals have adequate access to specialist medical equipment.

Answered by Karin Smyth

No specific assessment has been made. National Health Service providers, working with integrated care boards, are responsible for delivering NHS healthcare services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes the medical equipment needed to deliver those services.

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