NHS: Wheelchair Services Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Baroness Watkins of Tavistock
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NHS: Wheelchair Services
Baroness Watkins of Tavistock Excerpts(1 day, 5 hours ago)
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Baroness Merron (Lab)
I accept the observations that my noble friend has made; I know he has been a voice on this for many years. I share with him the impatience for change and welcome the work of the APPG and the Wheelchair Alliance. The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, which was published just in October, requires that, from 2026-27, all ICBs and community health services must actively manage and reduce the proportion of waits across all community health services over 18 weeks and develop a plan to eliminate all 52-week waits. I expect that wheelchair provision and services will improve through this as well as other means.
Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (CB)
Can the Minister comment on whether we keep any statistics in relation to people who have to stay in hospital who avoid discharge because of the length of time taken to get wheelchairs?