Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the shortfall in clinical psychologists; and whether he plans to provide additional funding for clinical psychology training places in the next financial year.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
Clinical psychologists are an essential component of the NHS workforce. NHS England’s workforce growth commitment has included significant investment to double the number of NHS commissioned Doctorate in Clinical Psychology training places since 2019/20 to just under 1,100 places in 2024. It is expected this level of commissions will be sustained in the 2025/26 financial year.
However, we know that the NHS has been facing workforce shortages for a number of years and, while there has been growth in the mental health workforce over recent years, more is needed. That is why, as part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government will recruit 8,500 mental health workers to help ease pressure on busy mental health services.
We are working with NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment alongside the refresh of the Long Term Workforce Plan, which will revolve around the three shifts to deliver our 10 Year Plan, specifically: moving more care from hospitals to communities; making better use of technology in health and care; and focusing on preventing sickness, not just treating it.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is funding research into (a) sensory processing sensitivity and (b) mitigations for that sensitivity.
Answered by Feryal Clark
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects and strategic investments, including research into sensory processing sensitivities, such as autism and ADHD. Research is funded by different Research Councils, including the Medical Research Council through its Neurosciences and Mental Health Board.
Additionally, the Department of Health and Social Care funds health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including sensory processing sensitivity, at https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continuation of a community eating disorders service in Stockport following the planned closure of the existing service at Oakwood House on 31 March 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) will continue to commission adult community eating disorders for the residents of Stockport and is working to agree arrangements with an alternative National Health Service provider given the planned closure of Oakwood House. The plan is for the replacement service to offer National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-compliant evidence-based services for eating disorders, in addition to a physical health pathway and medical monitoring, which is currently not delivered by Oakwood Psychology Services.
The ICB has put in place plans to manage the transition between services, including exit planning meetings with Oakwood who are continuing treatments and interventions with current patients on the caseload to handover a service with no waiting list. The ICB will be maintaining a log of all services’ users, with non- patient identifiable information, who will need to be transferred to the new provider and have the right information governance processes in place. Oakwood will continue to offer advice and support to key referrers and stakeholders about any of their patients.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the psychological impact upon prisoners who spend long periods of time in solitary confinement.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Prisoners in England and Wales are not kept in solitary confinement. A prisoner may be removed from association where this appears desirable for the maintenance of good order or discipline, or is in the prisoner’s own interest. Prisoners in the adult prison estate may be separated in this way under the Governor’s authority for a maximum of 42 days. Segregation beyond this period must be authorised by a Prison Group Director, as an authority independent of the prison. The use of segregation is governed by Prison Service Order 1700.
The mental and physical health of prisoners removed from association is repeatedly assessed. Any prisoner segregated for over 30 days must have an individual mental health care plan in place. Segregated prisoners are managed by a multi-disciplinary team, which includes healthcare, mental health teams and psychology, overseen by a segregation review board. This board continually reviews both the physical and mental health of prisoners.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government for how long is it lawful for a prisoner to be kept in solitary confinement.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Prisoners in England and Wales are not kept in solitary confinement. A prisoner may be removed from association where this appears desirable for the maintenance of good order or discipline, or is in the prisoner’s own interest. Prisoners in the adult prison estate may be separated in this way under the Governor’s authority for a maximum of 42 days. Segregation beyond this period must be authorised by a Prison Group Director, as an authority independent of the prison. The use of segregation is governed by Prison Service Order 1700.
The mental and physical health of prisoners removed from association is repeatedly assessed. Any prisoner segregated for over 30 days must have an individual mental health care plan in place. Segregated prisoners are managed by a multi-disciplinary team, which includes healthcare, mental health teams and psychology, overseen by a segregation review board. This board continually reviews both the physical and mental health of prisoners.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) support and (b) improve decision-making in the provision of education, health and care plan assessments.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have special educational needs that require an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Under the EHC needs assessment process, local authorities must seek information and advice from a range of partners, including the child or young person and their parents, their school or college (if any), relevant health and social care partners, an educational psychologist and any other relevant professionals.
Local authority special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) caseworkers are a key part of the SEND system, co-ordinating the assessment process to develop EHC plans and working closely with families, schools and other professionals to support children and young people with SEND.
In March 2024, the department funded a short-term project to train local authority caseworkers, reaching around 260 attendees. The training was aimed at improving understanding of SEND legislation to support more effective decision-making and was delivered by the Independent Provider of Special Education and Condition Data Collection. We are currently considering options for future support for this workforce.
In addition, we recognise the critical role of professionals such as educational psychologists within the SEND system, including their statutory contribution to EHC needs assessments.
To support this, we are investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, which builds on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in September 2023.
As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments. Trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. This requirement will increase from two to three years for those trainees beginning their course in September 2024.
This is to support local authority services to recruit and retain their educational psychology workforce, benefiting from the public investment in their training, and supporting the delivery of statutory assessments and wider work.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from the Growth and Skills Levy on the availability of Clinical Associates in Psychology in the NHS.
Answered by Janet Daby
The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system.
This government has made tough choices to fix the foundations of our economy in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund Level 7 apprenticeships, outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.
The department will take advice from Skills England, who have been engaging with employers on this, and expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships soon.
Learners who have started these apprenticeships will be funded through to completion.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support research into evidence-based interventions for women prisoners who self-harm; and why the Women Offenders Repeat Self-Harm Intervention Pilot III has not re-started.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
A range of evidence-based interventions and services are provided for women in prison. Referrals for all services are encouraged from across the female estate, to support women to access the services they need. These services include the Women’s Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, as well as the Women’s Estate Psychology Service team, which provides forensic psychologists within all 12 women’s prisons to deliver therapeutic services.
HMPPS is piloting an enhanced approach to supporting women in their first weeks in custody, which is often the time when they are most vulnerable. This pilot is fully operational at five women’s prisons. It includes one-to-one psychological support and psychology-based group work.
The Women Offenders Repeat Self-Harm Intervention Pragmatic Trial piloted the delivery of face-to-face therapy. The provider subsequently proposed to move to a digital model. HMPPS was concerned that this could carry significant risks, given the vulnerability of the women. It was not clear how the wellbeing of the women would be safeguarded.
HMPPS would be glad to consider a new proposal to deliver the programme in women’s prisons, on condition that delivery was on a face-to-face basis to support the vulnerability of the women engaging in the therapy, and with provision of after-care.
Asked by: Baroness Hollins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure access to evidence-based psychological therapies for women in prison, including through digital delivery.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
A range of evidence-based interventions and services are provided for women in prison. Referrals for all services are encouraged from across the female estate, to support women to access the services they need. These services include the Women’s Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, as well as the Women’s Estate Psychology Service team, which provides forensic psychologists within all 12 women’s prisons to deliver therapeutic services.
HMPPS is piloting an enhanced approach to supporting women in their first weeks in custody, which is often the time when they are most vulnerable. This pilot is fully operational at five women’s prisons. It includes one-to-one psychological support and psychology-based group work.
The Women Offenders Repeat Self-Harm Intervention Pragmatic Trial piloted the delivery of face-to-face therapy. The provider subsequently proposed to move to a digital model. HMPPS was concerned that this could carry significant risks, given the vulnerability of the women. It was not clear how the wellbeing of the women would be safeguarded.
HMPPS would be glad to consider a new proposal to deliver the programme in women’s prisons, on condition that delivery was on a face-to-face basis to support the vulnerability of the women engaging in the therapy, and with provision of after-care.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the capacity of local authorities to assess children for the purposes of education, health and care plans.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department wants to ensure that, where required, education, health and care (EHC) plan assessments are progressed promptly and, if needed, plans are issued as quickly as possible so that children and young people can access the support they need.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have special educational needs that require an EHC plan. EHC plans must be issued within 20 weeks of the needs assessment commencing so that children and young people can access the support they need. The most recent dataset shows that there were 138,200 initial requests for an EHC plan and 90,500 assessments took place in 2023. 50.3% of new EHC plans in 2023 were issued within 20 weeks.
The department recognises the critical role of educational psychologists within the special education needs and disabilities (SEND) system, including in their statutory contribution to EHC assessments. To support this, we are investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024. This builds on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in September 2023. As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments.
Furthermore, the department is providing almost £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.
The department knows that local authorities have seen an increase in the number of assessment requests and that more needs to be done to ensure that local areas deliver effective and timely services. This includes better communication with schools and families.
The department continues to monitor and work closely with local authorities that have issues with EHC plan timeliness. Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make the required improvements, we help the local authority to identify the problems and put in place an effective recovery plan. This includes, where needed, securing specialist SEND adviser support to help identify the barriers to EHC plan process timeliness and put in place practical plans for recovery.