Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to create a pathway for NHS (a) diagnosis and (b) care for (i) hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and (ii) hypermobility spectrum disorders.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England will improve services for people with EDS and other long-term conditions by shifting care to the community with neighbourhood teams, expanding access to physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and using digital innovation to help patients self-manage and receive more integrated, personalised care. This approach aims to provide more proactive and accessible support by bringing services closer to home and making it easier for patients to access the help they need.