Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance her Department provides to Integrated Care Boards on commissioning dental services for children with complex learning disabilities; and whether she plans to mandate minimum service standards for this cohort.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning dental services to meet local needs. NHS England’s clinical standard, Oral health and dental care for children and young people, provides a national framework to support local commissioning decisions and help ensure that children and young people receive care in settings configured to meet their clinical, behavioural and medical needs.

The clinical standard, Oral healthcare for autistic children and young people and/or those with a learning disability in special education settings, also sets out minimum standards for oral healthcare services for autistic children and young people and those with a learning disability aged four to 25, with particular reference to residential special educational settings.