Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's 2022-23 priorities and operational planning guidance, published in December 2021, how that guidance will operate to reduce the community service waiting lists for disabled children and their families.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Following publication of updated operational planning guidance in February 2022, NHS England and NHS Improvement requested providers to outline plans to reduce community service waiting lists. This information is being reviewed as part of planning to support providers with service restoration in community health services.
National service development funding, alongside growth in local systems’ core funding allocations, will support systems to increase the overall capacity of community services to provide care for more patients, address waiting lists and develop and expand new models of community care.
NHS England and NHS Improvement published the Community Health Services Prioritisation Framework on 11 January 2022. This set an expectation that community health services, including therapy services and the provision of wheelchairs, orthotics, prosthetics and equipment for children and young people which have been delayed or paused as a result of COVID-19, should resume from 1 March 2022.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
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 reduce waiting times for disabled children to receive community equipment assessments.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to distribute documentation to all local authorities in England to reiterate their duty to (a) assess children in need and (b) provide equipment based on the findings of that assessment.
Answered by Will Quince
The department has published statutory guidance (Working Together to Safeguard Children), for all local authorities in England setting out the duties for assessment of children in need, including requirements for the publication of threshold documents and the framework for assessments. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2.
The guidance is clear that such assessments should focus on outcomes, providing clear decisions on which services and support should be provided to improve the welfare of the child. Guidance is clear that, for disabled children, this includes provision of special equipment under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.
On 15 December 2021, Ministers from the Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Security and the Home Office sent a joint letter to all local safeguarding partners (including local authority chief executives) to re-emphasise their roles in safeguarding children as set out in Working Together.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the £10 billion in extra funding provided as part of covid-19 recovery planning will tackle the waiting times for disabled children to receive an equipment assessment; and what estimate he has made of the timeframe in which those waiting times will be reduced.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
In 2021/22, we have made £2 billion available and a further £8 billion from April 2022 to March 2025 to increase activity and reduce waiting times for patients, including disabled children. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million more checks, scans and procedures and deliver 30% more elective activity by 2024/25.
NHS England and NHS Improvement published the ‘Community health services prioritisation framework’ on 11 January 2022. This sets an expectation that community health services, including therapy services and the provision of wheelchairs, orthotics, prosthetics and equipment for children and young people which have been delayed or paused as a result of COVID-19, should resume from 1 March 2022.
Additionally, the ‘2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance’, published in December 2021, includes a requirement for systems to develop and agree a plan for reducing community service waiting lists. Systems and providers have been asked to ensure that no-one is waiting for longer than 104 weeks for elective care by July 2022 and eliminate waiting times of over 78 weeks by April 2023, except where patients choose to wait longer or in specific specialities.
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings in the report by the Disabled Children’s Partnership and Let Us Learn Too, The SEND Money Survey, that 33 per cent of parents and carers said that they could not afford to spend money on speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy in the last five years, that 26 per cent of parents and carers said that they had spent between £1,000 and £5,000 on those therapies and that 11 per cent said that had spent between £5,000 and £10,000 on those therapies.
Answered by Will Quince
The government recognises that the current special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system does not consistently deliver the outcomes we want and expect for children and young people with SEND, their families or the people and services who support them, as highlighted by the SEND Money Survey conducted by Let Us Learn Too and the Disabled Children’s Partnership.
We are conducting a Review of the SEND system and looking at ways to make sure the system is more consistent, high quality, and integrated across education, health, and care. The outcome of that Review will be published as a green paper for full public consultation by the end of March 2022.
Throughout the Review, we have engaged with people and organisations, including representatives from Let Us Learn Too and the Disabled Children’s Partnership. We will continue to do so through a full, public consultation following publication.
We know that COVID-19 has impacted on services and, as a result, many specialist services have adjusted their delivery models during their recovery. As services resume, we are keen to ensure the right support is available and that children and young people are given access to therapies and equipment. We continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to look at ways to improve therapies access. In support of this, we issued joint guidance in September 2021 for education and health providers, working with a cross-sector group including the Royal Colleges and professional organisations. This guidance sets out the expectations for the delivery of specialist support for children and young people, and is available here: https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/about-cdc/media-centre/news-opinion/delivery-specialist-11-and-group-interventions-children-and.
Education policy is a devolved matter, so arrangements covering SEND policy and provision in Wales are a matter for the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help disabled children and their families to access (1) therapies, (2) assessments, (3) medical interventions and (4) specialist equipment, in circumstances where they cannot afford them and do not receive adequate support from community services.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The NHS Constitution states that access to NHS services is based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability to pay. These services, including those for disabled children, are free of charge, except in limited circumstances sanctioned by Parliament.
NHS England and NHS Improvement published Community services prioritisation framework on 11 January 2022. This sets an expectation that community health services, including therapy services and the provision of wheelchairs, orthotics, prosthetics and equipment for children and young people which have been delayed or paused as a result of COVID-19, should resume from 1 March 2022. A copy of the framework is attached. Additionally, 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance, published in December 2021, includes a requirement for systems to develop and agree a plan for reducing community service waiting lists. A copy of the planning guidance is attached.
On 1 February 2022, we announced more than £45 million of continued targeted support for families and parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) over the next three years. This will focus on improving the delivery and monitoring of statutory SEND services by local authorities, health and care partners and improving access to high quality advice and support for parents, children, and young people.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring local authorities to include the need for after-school provision in the education, health and care plans of disabled children.
Answered by Will Quince
Local authorities, including City of York council, have a statutory duty ensure there are sufficient childcare places for working parents in their area with children aged 0-14, or up to 18 for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Parents may contact their local Family Information Service who can give advice on childcare providers in their area: https://www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/FIS/family-information-service.html.
We have prioritised these settings remaining open for all children, including those with SEND, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and continue to encourage schools to offer this provision. The department has issued guidance to providers in this area to ensure they can continue to operate whilst reducing transmission of COVID-19, alongside accompanying guidance for parents and carers. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
Short breaks services for children with SEND, sometimes known as respite care, allow young people to develop skills, wider social networks and independence. They also give parents a much needed rest from caring responsibilities. That is why in April 2011 the government introduced a statutory duty for all local authorities to provide a range of short breaks to meet local needs. The duty also requires them to consult upon and publish a short breaks duty statement which sets out clearly what is available locally and how it can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria.
Additionally, councils will be funded £30 million for the next three years to set up more than 10,000 additional respite placements, helping to provide positive opportunities for disabled children and young people.
While it is for individual authorities to decide what level and type of short break support to offer, and to set their own eligibility criteria, they have received help from central government in meeting their statutory duties through an investment of £800 million between April 2011 and March 2015 in un-ringfenced grants. In each of 2011-12 and 2012-13, an additional £40 million in un-ringfenced capital funding was made available for short breaks to allow them to invest in additional equipment and infrastructure.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to help ensure that every child can access a local out of school provision services irrespective of the complexity of their care needs.
Answered by Will Quince
Local authorities, including City of York council, have a statutory duty ensure there are sufficient childcare places for working parents in their area with children aged 0-14, or up to 18 for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Parents may contact their local Family Information Service who can give advice on childcare providers in their area: https://www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/FIS/family-information-service.html.
We have prioritised these settings remaining open for all children, including those with SEND, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and continue to encourage schools to offer this provision. The department has issued guidance to providers in this area to ensure they can continue to operate whilst reducing transmission of COVID-19, alongside accompanying guidance for parents and carers. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
Short breaks services for children with SEND, sometimes known as respite care, allow young people to develop skills, wider social networks and independence. They also give parents a much needed rest from caring responsibilities. That is why in April 2011 the government introduced a statutory duty for all local authorities to provide a range of short breaks to meet local needs. The duty also requires them to consult upon and publish a short breaks duty statement which sets out clearly what is available locally and how it can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria.
Additionally, councils will be funded £30 million for the next three years to set up more than 10,000 additional respite placements, helping to provide positive opportunities for disabled children and young people.
While it is for individual authorities to decide what level and type of short break support to offer, and to set their own eligibility criteria, they have received help from central government in meeting their statutory duties through an investment of £800 million between April 2011 and March 2015 in un-ringfenced grants. In each of 2011-12 and 2012-13, an additional £40 million in un-ringfenced capital funding was made available for short breaks to allow them to invest in additional equipment and infrastructure.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of provision for out of school provision for disabled children by City of York Council.
Answered by Will Quince
Local authorities, including City of York council, have a statutory duty ensure there are sufficient childcare places for working parents in their area with children aged 0-14, or up to 18 for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Parents may contact their local Family Information Service who can give advice on childcare providers in their area: https://www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/FIS/family-information-service.html.
We have prioritised these settings remaining open for all children, including those with SEND, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and continue to encourage schools to offer this provision. The department has issued guidance to providers in this area to ensure they can continue to operate whilst reducing transmission of COVID-19, alongside accompanying guidance for parents and carers. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
Short breaks services for children with SEND, sometimes known as respite care, allow young people to develop skills, wider social networks and independence. They also give parents a much needed rest from caring responsibilities. That is why in April 2011 the government introduced a statutory duty for all local authorities to provide a range of short breaks to meet local needs. The duty also requires them to consult upon and publish a short breaks duty statement which sets out clearly what is available locally and how it can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria.
Additionally, councils will be funded £30 million for the next three years to set up more than 10,000 additional respite placements, helping to provide positive opportunities for disabled children and young people.
While it is for individual authorities to decide what level and type of short break support to offer, and to set their own eligibility criteria, they have received help from central government in meeting their statutory duties through an investment of £800 million between April 2011 and March 2015 in un-ringfenced grants. In each of 2011-12 and 2012-13, an additional £40 million in un-ringfenced capital funding was made available for short breaks to allow them to invest in additional equipment and infrastructure.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Disabled Children’s Partnership polling released January 2022, what recent progress he has made on tackling the backlog in disabled children’s health services, including the provision of (a) therapies, (b) wheelchairs, (c) hoists and (d) other equipment.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
As part of COVID-19 recovery planning, we are reviewing how we can improve the provision of health services, including therapies for disabled children. We have made £2 billion available in 2021/22 and a further £8 billion from April 2022 to March 2025 to increase activity and reduce waiting times for patients, including disabled children. This funding could deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million more checks, scans and procedures and allow the National Health Service in England to deliver 30% more elective activity by 2024/25 compared to pre-pandemic levels. A further £5.9 billion of capital funding was announced in the October 2021 to support elective recovery, diagnostics, and technology.
We are supporting access to appropriate disability equipment via NHS Supply Chain, which maintains a framework contract for the supply of rehabilitation and disabled services equipment, such as paediatric wheelchairs, to the NHS and other healthcare settings.