Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure the process by which doctors declare neurodivergence or learning disabilities is robust and cannot be subject to abuse.

National Health Service trusts hold information on the Electronic Staff Record system, the human resource system for the NHS, on an employee’s protected characteristics, including disabilities. Individuals and organisations have a responsibility to ensure entries are accurate and organisations are encouraged to monitor trends in their data to better ensure the health and well-being of their employees.

Any allegations of dishonesty would be considered to be a conduct issue and investigated in accordance with the employer's disciplinary policy and procedures.

Local employers across the NHS have arrangements in place to support staff with disabilities, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments.

Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to consider and make reasonable adjustments for employees who have a disability, taking advice from their local occupational health and human resources department. This includes removing or reducing any substantial disadvantages that employees with a disability may face compared to someone who does not have a disability.