§ 22. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the requirements for emergency acute services in remote rural areas. [34723]
§ Ms BlearsEach health community is responsible for developing services that meet the needs of the community they serve, taking account of clinical standards and safety and the views of local people.
The NHS Plan sets out our vision for a health service designed around the patient, with a commitment to provide a comprehensive range of services for everyone, using the guiding principle of providing as much care as possible as close to home as possible.
Each Primary Care Trust needs to consider how best to plan and commission services to meet local needs, rather than imposing a single model of service from the centre.