Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Community Hospital Services

Tuesday 13 January 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Lloyd Hatton asked about restoring closed clinics at Swanage and Wareham community hospitals due to patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
  • Alan Mak inquired about the removal of vital services like X-rays and scans from Oak Park community clinic without prior warning or consultation.
  • The Secretary of State offered to meet with Alan Mak to discuss restoring services locally.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lloyd Hatton Lab South Dorset
NHS
Context

Lloyd Hatton campaigns for the restoration of rheumatology and chemotherapy clinics in Swanage community hospital and Wareham community hospital, respectively. Both were closed despite positive outcomes and high satisfaction levels.

Question

I have been campaigning to restore the rheumatology clinic at Swanage community hospital and the chemotherapy clinic at Wareham community hospital. Both of those clinics were closed despite good health outcomes and high levels of patient satisfaction, and local NHS bosses agreed that they were successful clinics before they were mothballed. With all that in mind, does the Secretary of State agree that we must deliver key services and clinics closer to where patients actually live? Will he take the opportunity to encourage local NHS bosses in Dorset to restore our much-needed chemotherapy and rheumatology clinics?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

I can well understand why my hon. Friend is particularly concerned about the impact of changes on cancer patients. I know that his integrated care board has heard his representations, and it will have heard them again today; I am sure it will be happy to meet with him, as will my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Health. It is important that people have the services that they need on their doorstep. That is one of the reasons why we are devolving so much power, responsibility and decision making closer to communities so that services can be designed around the differing needs of communities in different parts of the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a direct commitment to restore specific clinics, only suggested meeting with local NHS bosses.

How: Suggesting Meetings

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Q2 Alan Mak Con Havant
NHS
Context

X-rays and scans have been removed from the Oak Park community clinic in Alan Mak's constituency without prior warning or consultation.

Question

Vital services such as X-rays and scans have been removed from the Oak Park community clinic in my constituency without any prior warning or consultation from the ICB. Will the Secretary of State meet with me to discuss how we can restore those services locally so that my constituents do not have to travel to Portsmouth?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

The hon. Gentleman should absolutely make representations to his local ICB if he has concerns about service reconfigurations. We are investing more in the NHS, but I recognise that there are none the less big challenges for ICBs to face. I am sure that the ICB would be happy to meet him to hear his concerns.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to a direct meeting, only suggested local ICB involvement.

How: Suggesting Meetings, Acknowledging Challenges

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