Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) an ageing population and (b) trends in the level of comorbidities on demand for rehabilitation services.

Effective capacity and demand planning supports the provision of adequate rehabilitation packages. The 2023-2025 Better Care Fund Policy Framework requires local areas to agree and submit a plan showing:

- expected demand for intermediate care services, and other short-term care, to help people to remain independent at home;

- services to support this recovery, including rehabilitation and reablement;

- expected capacity in the health and wellbeing board area to meet this demand.

Appropriate capacity should be commissioned, within available budgets, for people with step-down intermediate care needs. This includes, but is not limited to, older people and those with comorbidities.

In addition, the Major Conditions Strategy outlines our approach in tackling six groups of major health conditions, by creating a health and care system that is faster, simpler, and fairer, focusing on prevention, proactive care and more person-centred care.