Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve the identification of speech, language and communication needs among children and young people who are in contact with specialist NHS children and young people’s mental health services.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
On 20 December 2018, the first wave of 25 trailblazer sites were announced which will trial the plans set out in the Green Paper, ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision’, published in December 2017.
All trailblazer areas will build on support already in place and will work with other professionals such as speech and language therapists, including in support of delivering schools’ responsibilities for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The aim will be to improve identification of mental health needs, including through knowledge of the links between mental health and other needs children and young people have such as speech, language and communication needs, and to provide more comprehensive support for their full range of needs.
In addition, the NHS Long Term Plan sets out where extra National Health Service funding will be focused and how services will be designed.
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists on the training of approved mental capacity professionals; and what plans he has for further such discussions.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We are discussing with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists ahead of implementation to establish the detail of the role they will play in the new system and the suitability of speech and language therapists becoming approved mental capacity professionals (AMCPs). We will continue to engage with the College regarding the AMCP role as well as on the statutory Code of Practice.
Subject to further consultation and development of the Code of Practice the government envisages that the professionals which could take on the role of AMCPs would include social workers, learning disability nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and other suitable health and social care professionals as appropriate.
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to consult on which groups of professionals are able to train to be approved mental capacity professionals.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We are discussing with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists ahead of implementation to establish the detail of the role they will play in the new system and the suitability of speech and language therapists becoming approved mental capacity professionals (AMCPs). We will continue to engage with the College regarding the AMCP role as well as on the statutory Code of Practice.
Subject to further consultation and development of the Code of Practice the government envisages that the professionals which could take on the role of AMCPs would include social workers, learning disability nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and other suitable health and social care professionals as appropriate.