Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to ensure there is an allied health professional on the boards of NHS (a) integrated care boards and (b) hospital trusts.

Allied health professionals play an important role in diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients, often requiring specialised training and certification.

There are no statutory limitations on allied health professionals being board members of integrated care boards, National Health Service trusts, or NHS foundation trusts. The Health and Care Act 2022 promotes integration and joint working across NHS providers and local authorities to provide the best health and care services for their local population. Currently, there are no plans to take legislative steps in this area.

NHS England has published an NHS leadership competency framework for board members. The framework is for chairs, chief executives, and all board members in NHS systems and providers, as well as serving as a guide for the aspiring leaders of the future. It is designed to support the appointment of diverse, skilled, and proficient leaders.