Health Services: Rural Areas
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to tackle variations in access to specialist services in rural communities.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
Highly specialised services are typically delivered in a small number of centres across England with experience and expertise in the management of rare diseases where caseloads are small and there is benefit from national coordination.
As such it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access these services. Commissioners therefore work with service to review the geographic spread of patients so that action plans can be identified to address inequities. A range of strategies have been implemented, and continue to be developed, to remove barriers to access, including remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation. In line with their commitment under the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England has developed and published a health inequalities toolkit which has been shared with clinical teams to support a continued focus. This action plan can be found at the following link:
The need to support patient access and reduce health inequalities also plays a key role in decision making as to where and how NHS England commission services.
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