Disability Equipment Provision

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Dr Zubir Ahmed)]

Mr Betts, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I start by thanking the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East (Seamus Logan) for securing the debate, as well as all Members who contributed.

We, of course, want disabled people to access and experience healthcare services on an equitable footing and to have a healthcare service that is responsive to their needs. That includes making sure that they have the right equipment at the right time to maintain independence for as long as possible, whether that means wheelchairs, mobility aids or other assistive technologies.

We recognise the profound impact that delays in receiving disability equipment have on people’s quality of life, and I will set out the action that the Government are taking. Before I do so, however, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the points raised by the hon. Members for Tiverton and Minehead (Rachel Gilmour) and for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett), particularly the cases they raised. I will certainly ensure that I take a personal interest in the case described by the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead and that the relevant DWP Minister also has an opportunity to address that particularly harrowing case.

The Liberal Democrat Front Bencher, the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Helen Maguire), asked for an update on the Design for Life statistics on recycling and reusing, and I will get my officials to get back to her on that.

We are committed to ensuring that disabled people have access to the services and support that they need. The Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans), asked about our NHS reforms and whether that might be an opportunity to think about better end-to-end commissioning and strategising on the topic. I can assure him that those conversations are being had both in the context of disability and, with regard to special educational needs and disabilities, in the Department for Education. There are a number of topics that, if we are honest with ourselves, have been often neglected in the last couple of decades and have a material impact on the quality of life for disabled people, sometimes for want of very simple changes to practice and, potentially, legislation, so I am very happy to take that on board with the Bill team.

The reforms that we are taking forward in the health and social care space will hopefully help us to achieve what I have outlined. The 10-year health plan specifically identifies disabled people as a priority group for the development of neighbourhood healthcare, offering more holistic and ongoing support. We are making £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared with ’25-26, to support the sector in making some of those improvements. In July ’25, the Government announced that they would develop a new plan for disability, setting out a clear vision to break down barriers to opportunity for disabled people. That of course aligns with every Department having a Minister responsible for disability. We meet regularly to discuss challenges, particularly some of the ones highlighted during this debate, which often do not fit neatly into one Department’s purview.

As hon. Members will be aware, health and social care are largely devolved across the UK. I will talk mainly about England, but of course I am the representative of a Scottish constituency, like the hon. Member who opened the debate, and he will understand if I just mention that we are committed, through the Barnett formula, to funding the NHS in Scotland, as we are doing in England; there is a £9.1 billion real-terms uplift in the Scottish budget over the period of the spending review.

In England, integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of their local population, and responsibility for providing community equipment to disabled people typically falls at the moment, as has been outlined, to local authorities. They have a statutory duty to make arrangements for the provision of community equipment to disabled people in their area. That equipment can be free for the recipient if the person is assessed as having eligible needs. Types of support include equipment to enable people to live more independently, such as grab rails, walking aids and wheelchairs for short-term use. Responsibility for managing the market for these services rests with local authorities.

For people with long-term, complex mobility needs, support is provided by the national health service, based on assessed need. That may involve the provision of specialist equipment adapted to the specific needs of the individual, and can include both powered and manual wheelchairs.

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

As someone who, growing up, spent a long time on children’s wards at the Royal London hospital and the Royal National orthopaedic hospital and relied on disability equipment, I know that often this service provision is very patchy. Whizz Kidz has described the system as “underfunded, inaccessible, and fractured” and I have also heard that from constituents in Beckenham and Penge. Does my hon. Friend the Minister agree that the Government should look at how we can ensure that high standards are common right across the country on this?

[Dr Ahmed]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend. He always channels personal experience in such a productive way and he is a credit to this House in the way he conducts himself. I remember his maiden speech with great fondness in that regard. I do agree, and I will come later in my speech to how we can maintain quality more persistently across the whole system.

Access to temporary wheelchair provision to support hospital discharge is also determined locally by ICBs. We recognise that elements of the NHS—despite it being on the road to recovery—are functioning below par and that many people are waiting too long to access equipment such as wheelchairs. During the pandemic, some wheelchair services experienced lower referral rates, which led to a surge in referrals post pandemic. Because of that, providers not only reduced their services but now, of course, face a backlog of referrals. That has meant unacceptable waiting times for both adults and—sadly—children, and those have fluctuated as services work to recover.

However, action is being taken to address waiting times in England. In October 2025, we published the NHS medium-term planning framework, requiring all ICBs and community health services to actively manage and reduce waits above 18 weeks and to develop a plan to eliminate all 52-week waits. The community health services situation report will be used to monitor ICB performance against waiting-time targets in 2026-27, and it currently monitors waiting times for children, young people and adults under

“Wheelchair, orthotics, prosthetics and equipment”.

These targets will guide the system to reduce the longest waits first.

Palliative Care

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Thursday 5th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) for securing this debate. Discussions around assisted dying have divided this House, yet I think we can all agree that the prominence that palliative care has been given as a result is incredibly welcome. Before I discuss policy and funding, I repeat the words of Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern hospice movement, who said that palliative care is about more than just bricks and mortar.

Many of the benefits of proper palliative care and hospice support are not easily quantified, and certainly cannot be captured on a balance sheet. At St Christopher’s hospice in my constituency, established by Dame Cicely, there is a real focus on living fully until the end of life, as well as on allowing time for spiritual reflection and reconciliation at the end of life. St Christopher’s was the first modern hospice in the world for end-of-life patients that combined medical care, research and teaching. Every family in Beckenham and Penge has been touched by St Christopher’s hospice. Speaking to them about the care that their loved ones received, I truly began to understand the meaning of holistic care.

To use just one example, patients are given access to a specialist adapted gym and physiotherapists, with a focus on retaining practical movements to maximise quality of life. To give another example, St Christopher’s invites out-patients into the hospice for art classes and therapies, providing them with community and enjoyment. It also ensures that the hospice is a familiar and safe place, meaning a more comfortable experience should they become an in-patient at the hospice in the future.

The care extends beyond patients to the families. St Christopher’s offers bereavement support to families after a death, and encourages conversations towards the end of life that facilitate reconciliation, honesty and peace. The impact of St Christopher’s hospice can be seen in the enthusiasm of our community for supporting the hospice at various fundraising events throughout the year.

It is so important that those benefits, as well as the savings that hospices can generate for the NHS, are recognised by the Government, but we know that recognition alone is not enough. The number of people with palliative care needs is projected to rise significantly over the next 25 years, putting more pressure on a system that is already squeezed. Marie Curie estimates that by 2048, the number of people with palliative care needs will be 25% higher than in 2023. We also have a postcode lottery for palliative care in this country. Because the hospice movement grew organically over the decades, locations were not planned with the aim of providing even access. Where a person lives should never determine the dignity of their death or their ability to access the support I described.

Even in one place, significant disparities exist between groups. The barriers to accessing care are unacceptably high for ethnic minority communities and those living in poverty. A lack of culturally tailored care, language barriers, and a historical disconnect between some communities and traditional hospice services mean that many families carry the burden of end-of-life care entirely alone, unaware of the holistic support that they are entitled to. We need providers and the Government to begin to address that.

I am glad that the Government have begun to relieve some of the problems. Last year, they announced record funding—a £100 million boost for adult and children’s hospices, including £1.6 million for St Christopher’s. This is the biggest investment in end-of-life care in a generation. It has enabled and supported the construction of the Nuffield ward at St Christopher’s, which is the first of three wards to be refurbished. I was incredibly proud to visit the hospice in December, along with the Health Secretary, to officially open the ward.

I ask the Government to continue in the spirit of that recent success. As Steve Smith, chief executive of St Christopher’s, said following the latest funding announcement,

“while this investment is deeply appreciated and has already helped modernise facilities, it cannot stand on its own. We must ensure the long-term sustainability of our hospice sector.”

I therefore welcome the news that the Government are developing a palliative care and end-of-life care service framework for England. Unbelievably, it will be the first national plan for this vital area of care to be delivered since 2008.

From speaking to friends at St Christopher’s and Hospice UK, I know that there is a real desire to engage with Ministers on shaping this vision. In order to meet the Government’s ambitions in the 10-year health plan to shift care out of hospitals and into the community, this framework must commit to a fairer long-term funding model.

[Adam Jogee]

My hon. Friend is making a really important speech, which I am enjoying, as I am sure others are. He set out the challenges facing the palliative care system. Does he agree that rather than proceeding with changes to bring in assisted dying—a change from zero to hero that would only make the challenges he set out worse—the resources, effort and time of civil servants, the NHS and all of us should be focused on getting the palliative care system fit for the 21st century?

[Liam Conlon]

I agree with my hon. Friend. When it comes to palliative care, a postcode lottery does not offer people a real choice, either; I made that point during the debate on assisted dying.

Crucially, the framework must also address the regional and socioeconomic inequalities that plague the system, so that across the whole country, people can access the high-quality, compassionate palliative care that I know my constituents value so dearly at St Christopher’s.

Let me finish by thanking all the trustees, staff and volunteers at St Christopher’s hospice for caring for families with unrivalled professionalism, dedication and empathy. Dame Cicely said:

“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.”

She would be incredibly proud of the staff and volunteers at St Christopher’s hospice today, whose work enables that to happen.

Pharmacy First: Withholding Payments

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dr Ahmed]

This Government take our responsibilities seriously in providing an effective 21st-century primary-care NHS, free at the point of care. That is why when we came into power we ensured that the pharmacy sector had the largest uplift of any part of the NHS in the past two years—£3.1 billion. To support primary care further, we ensured that GPs who could not find employment found it under this Labour Government. It is only this Government that can modernise the NHS, make it free at the point of care and ensure that it is a high-quality service going forward.

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

My constituent Raj Matharu runs the brilliant Westchem pharmacy in West Wickham, is CEO of Community Pharmacy South East London, and last year was shortlisted for community pharmacist of the year. I have heard from residents across West Wickham how his pharmacy provides trusted and frictionless access to healthcare and advice across a range of issues. Pharmacy First can both provide a quicker, easier service for patients and relieve pressure on primary care. What support have the Government put in place for community pharmacies, especially in relation to funding?

[Dr Ahmed]

As I have stated, we have given pharmacies a record £3.1 billion settlement. We absolutely endorse the need for pharmacies to do more in our communities. We are enabling pharmacists up and down the country to expand their repertoire, and we are ensuring that Pharmacy First remuneration is a dynamic process, month on month, that reflects the activity that each pharmacy is doing.

Eating Disorders: Prevention of Deaths

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Westminster Hall

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that, further to masking the scale of the crisis, excluding eating disorders as a contributing factor on death certificates also cruelly extends the pain that families feel, insinuating that otherwise healthy young people have died from organ failure?

[Mr Quigley]

I thank my hon. Friend for that important point—it does. The loss of a loved one is harrowing enough without the true cause not being recorded. That is why we are calling for a confidential inquiry into eating disorder deaths.

Given the concerns about under-reporting and inconsistencies in the data, it is even more alarming to read the findings from the Health Service Journal that revealed that between 2018 and 2023, 19 deaths related to eating disorders could have been entirely avoided. These tragic outcomes are attributed to severe failures in care, including missed or poorly managed safety risks, a lack of specialist knowledge among healthcare professionals and unacceptable delays in accessing appropriate treatment. If I were to ask for a show of hands in this room, I am sure many would be raised on that point.

--- Later in debate ---

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

It is an honour to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Desmond.

I will keep this fairly brief. Many of the points I was going to raise have been mentioned, but I want to say that tackling this issue is not new, and contrast the challenges we now face under this Labour Government compared with the previous Labour Government.

I had the pleasure of working for Tessa Jowell, and I remember her telling me that as Culture Secretary one thing she focused on was banning size zero models from the catwalk at London Fashion Week, and the impact that that made on the promotion of unhealthy body images.

This week I have two students from Beckenham and Penge, Claudia and Arek, doing work experience with me, and they are here today. Speaking to them about the challenges that they and their generation face as sixth formers today, they mentioned the constant bombardment of images on social media and trends such as #SkinnyTok. Our previous Government did not have to face that, but we have to face it today.

It will be really interesting to hear from the Minister how he thinks we can, all of us, address the new emerging challenges for the new generation, where we see eating disorders and associated conditions at a record high, in no small way down to the prevalence now of social media and smartphones.

Dementia Care

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Voaden]

I thank the hon. Member for her contribution, and I agree that community groups such as the one around the Yealm are vital in caring for people with dementia.

Devon as a whole is falling worryingly behind. As of March 2025, our county’s dementia diagnosis rate stands well below the national average, placing Devon 39th out of 42 NHS systems in England. At the same time, demand for services is increasing sharply. Referrals to the Devon memory service have surged by 94% of the past five years, yet no additional investment has been made to meet this rising need. In Torbay the pressure is especially acute, with some individuals now waiting up to 20 weeks for an assessment.

A diagnosis can change lives. It provides clarity, access to support and the opportunity to plan for the future. It has proven to help people live well with dementia, but without investment people are being locked out of vital services, including support groups. One local dementia charity told me:

“Until there is a formal diagnosis, patients and their families cannot access our Memory Cafes, as our funding requires a confirmed diagnosis to provide support.”

I know from family members that this kind of support can make a world of difference, giving carers contact with others who truly understand the pressures and strain of caring for a much-loved relative who is slowly but surely losing themselves to this awful condition.

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

The hon. Member speaks about community groups and their importance. In recent months I have had the pleasure of joining and supporting lots of dementia support groups, including South East London Mind’s young onset dementia activists group, Beckenham dementia café, and Beckenham and Penge dementia café, and Angela from Bromley Dementia Friendly Community. Will she join me in acknowledging the incredible acts of kindness that such groups do every single day, so often motivated by their personal experiences of dementia?

[Caroline Voaden]

I absolutely commend all those groups—the hon. Member is lucky to have so many in his constituency.

Like many other diagnoses that can be equally shocking to receive, dementia has no cure. Approved medications offer limited benefit only in the early stages and not for everyone. For those in the moderate to late stages, the most effective treatments are access to information to navigate the social care system and good-quality care. That means personalised, respectful and consistent support not only for the individual but for their family too, and that family support is critical. Across Devon and beyond, unpaid carers bear the overwhelming weight of responsibility. There is a physical, financial and emotional toll from the moment of diagnosis, yet respite support is sparse and, in many places, non-existent.

Hospice and Palliative Care

Liam Conlon Excerpts

Monday 13th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)]

I thank the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Mr Kohler) for securing today’s debate.

I am incredibly proud of many things in Beckenham and Penge, but particularly St Christopher’s hospice. It was founded in 1967 by Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the global hospice movement. The movement came about because Dame Cicely, a nurse who was researching pain control, believed that more could be done to help people at the end of their life. That included dealing with physical symptoms and tackling the stigma around painkillers, but also the idea that people should be able to achieve emotional closure through individualised care and support.

The assisted dying debate has been mentioned today by Members from across the House. I had over 2,000 constituents contact me about that debate, and there was roughly a 50:50 split between those who supported and opposed the Bill, but every single one of them was united by compassion, and they relayed their experiences of seeing people at the end of their life.

I pay tribute this evening to a woman I was incredibly fortunate to work for in this place, Dame Tessa Jowell. Tessa was a very good friend, a mentor and an amazing boss. Six years ago next week, she made her final speech in Parliament. Tessa was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. I was with her from her diagnosis through to writing the press release on the night she died. She finished her speech in the other place by saying:

“In the end, what gives a life meaning is not only how it is lived, but how it draws to a close.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 25 January 2018; Vol. 788, c. 1170.]

I sincerely believe that.

St Christopher’s hospice gives meaning to life as it draws to a close. It does so by taking a holistic approach; it cares for a patient’s physical, spiritual and psychological wellbeing. I have seen at first hand the intimate bonds and relationships established between staff, volunteers, patients and families. The hospice is one of the largest providers of palliative care education in the world. For all those reasons, we in Beckenham and Penge all support St Christopher’s hospice, which is a huge part of our community. I was fundraising for the hospice long before I became an MP, and I continue to do so.

People help in lots of different ways, and I want to give a special mention to Penge Fest, which is south-east London’s answer to Oktoberfest. Local businesses such as Brewery, the Three Hounds and Designer Drapes, organisations including Friends of Cator Park and Penge business improvement district, and many more came together with local residents for a day of fun and fundraising that included an oompah band. The event brought Penge high street to a standstill last summer. We will continue to fundraise for St Christopher’s hospice, but we should not have to do so to pay for the basics. Supporting our hospices benefits everyone, from the NHS to patients, and that is why I welcome the Government’s announcement, just before Christmas, of an extra £100 million in hospice funding through the extension of children’s hospice grants. That will ease the strain on hospices and benefit patients, as well as the wider health and care systems.

However, hospices still face pressures, including increased demand for services, the rising cost of provision and discrepancies in funding across the country, which many Members have mentioned this evening. That is why, as the Minister recognises, hospices must be a key part of the Government’s plan to shift care into the community, including through the provision of at-home care services. That can ease the acute pressures on the NHS. I invite the Minister to visit St Christopher’s to see its fantastic work for himself, and to discuss the role of hospices in the Government’s commitment to ensuring that every person has access to high-quality end of life care.

I thank the hon. Member for Wimbledon again for securing today’s debate, and the Government for the vital work that they are undertaking on this important issue.