Community Health Services: Children

(asked on 14th December 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times in children’s community health services.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 12th January 2024

We monitor community health services waiting lists for children and young people and hold NHS England to account on actions to reduce waiting times.

NHS England has asked local health systems to develop plans to reduce waiting lists for community health services.

Recognising the waiting times for speech and language therapy, in September 2023, the Department for Education launched 'Early Language Support for Every Child' (ELSEC), with NHS England. ELSEC is a two-year pathfinder programme funding innovative workforce models to improve early identification and support for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs within early years and primary school settings. ELSEC will take place in nine sites across England, one in each Change Programme Partnership. It is running across two academic years from September 2023 to August 2025.

In future more healthcare will be provided in the community, and that is why the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan includes commitments to increase the community workforce, with increases in training places for community nurses and allied health professionals, and a renewed focus on retaining existing staff.

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