Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any adverse effects on children as a result of not establishing a consistent child identifier, especially those children with (1) complex needs and disabilities, (2) long-term conditions such as asthma, autism and epilepsy and (3) looked after children and those at risk; and whether they will publish such an assessment.

No specific assessment has been made. Every child is assigned an National Health Service number at birth or the first time they have contact with NHS services. The NHS number acts as is a unique patient identifier and is used to share information within electronic healthcare records. This contributes to improved health outcomes for children, including looked after children and those with complex needs, disabilities and long-term conditions, by ensuring that health professionals identify patients correctly and have access to information to inform the delivery of appropriate care.

Through the Health and Care Act 2022, the Government has committed to report on Government’s policy on information sharing in relation to the safeguarding of children, including looked after children and those at risk, by summer 2023. The report will include an explanation of whether it is the Government’s policy that a consistent child identifier should be used across agencies.