Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the hospitals where ward closures are planned, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [68508] Andy Burnham: The Department does not routinely collect and hold centrally operational management information on proposals to close wards or capacity.
This Government have given local authority overview and scrutiny committees the power to review and scrutinise health services from the perspective of their local populations. National health service bodies are under a duty to consult overview and scrutiny committees on any plans to make substantial variation to NHS services. Those committees have the powers to refer any proposal to the Secretary of State if they believe the plans are not in the interests of the health service. | 
