Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of GP practices refusing shared care agreements on patients facing long waiting times for specialist care, including for ADHD and gender identity services; and what guidance her Department issues to Integrated Care Boards to ensure consistent access to shared care prescribing across primary care.

The Independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, led by Professor Peter Fonagy, was published on 9 October 2026, providing analysis and recommendations across a wide range of issues relating to the current provision of services in this area, including in relation to shared care agreements.

The Government issued an initial response on the day of publication but we will set out the full action that we are taking in response to the review recommendations in our new Mental Health Strategy to be published later this year, including in relation to the issues raised by the Hon. Member. This response is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises

Separately, in his Review of adult gender dysphoria services published on 18 December 2025, Dr David Levy recommended that NHS England and integrated care boards should work with adult gender dysphoria services and general practitioner (GP) representative bodies to establish sustainable local arrangements for hormone prescribing and access to longer-term health monitoring. NHS England and the Department are leading the system-wide response to the review.

The General Medical Council has published guidance which supports integrated care boards and National Health Service organisations in developing and using shared care agreements, and helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities.