Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
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 that NHS services make reasonable adjustments to accommodate additional need when treating children with (a) SEND and (b) level 3 autism.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is dedicated to ensuring that National Health Services are accessible for everyone, including for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and those who are autistic. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations must implement reasonable adjustments to enhance accessibility for disabled individuals. All organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care must follow the Accessible Information Standard.
A key initiative being rolled out is the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, supported by e-learning for health and care staff. The flag helps healthcare and social care providers identify and implement necessary reasonable adjustments for people, including any adjustment needs relevant to their SEND or autism, and supports provision of appropriate care.
NHS England has published a range of guidance to support tailored care provision. Guidance on Meeting the Needs of Autistic Adults in Mental Health Settings highlights the need for tailored support for autistic individuals facing mental health difficulties, and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/meeting-the-needs-of-autistic-adults-in-mental-health-services/
Guidance on health and care passports sets out how passports should record a person’s health and care information, such as communication preferences, supporting consistent, and tailored care. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/health-and-care-passports-implementation-guidance/
Furthermore, under the Health and Care Act 2022, all Care Quality Commission registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to their role. The Government is rolling out its preferred package, the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, to the health and adult social care workforce.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the 10 year Workforce Plan will help tackle regional variations in access to specialist care for people with (a) long-term and (b) complex conditions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. Its development will include consideration of regional variations in access to specialist care.
We are committed to working with partners to ensure the plan meets its aims and will engage independent experts to make sure the plan is ambitious, forward looking, and evidence based.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was for the diagnosis of a neurological condition in the last 12 months.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data specifically on the time taken to reach a confirmed diagnosis of a neurological condition. There is no national dataset that measures the exact time from referral to confirmed diagnosis, as pathways vary by condition and may involve multiple tests and consultations.
We recognise the importance of timely diagnosis and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.
Additionally, by expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, for patients with neurological conditions.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of clinical specialists in Parkinson's disease that will need to be recruited in each of the next five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to publish regular reports on workforce numbers in neurological services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has no plans to publish regular reports specifically on workforce numbers in neurological services.
However, NHS England already publishes monthly data on the National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service workforce in England. This includes data on doctors working in specialities that support neurological services who are employed by NHS provider trusts and integrated care boards.
A time series containing recent data, including selected preliminary statistics for August 2025, can be found within the July 2025 publication of statistics, within the file NHS Workforce Statistics, July 2025 Doctors by Grade and Speciality. Within this file, the full-time equivalent numbers of doctors working in specialities that come under neurological services are available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics
There are many other professions who are key to the delivery of neurological services, such as nurses, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. However, the data published on these professions is not detailed enough to show the service delivery area which these professions work in.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
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 that clinical staff working in neighbourhood health teams have adequate expertise in Parkinson’s Disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s homes to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and this could include staff with expertise in Parkinson’s care.
While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will also give significant licence to localities to tailor their approach to local need. Integrated care boards will, therefore, develop workforce models to reflect local population needs, with flexibility for neighbourhoods to design teams that fit their demographics and health priorities.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish detailed independent workforce modelling ahead of publication of the 10 Year Workforce Plan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to updating workforce modelling which will be set out in and alongside the 10 Year Workforce Plan when it is published in spring 2026. As we develop the modelling for the 10 Year Workforce Plan, it will be supported by external independent scrutiny.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the need for community eating disorder services to deliver treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is currently producing new national guidance with sections on binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). NHS England has also developed training for primary care staff and others who come into contact with people with an eating disorder.
NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to treatment for all children and young people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with ARFID.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish a framework for community eating disorder services to deliver an Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder treatment pathway.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is currently producing new national guidance with sections on binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). NHS England has also developed training for primary care staff and others who come into contact with people with an eating disorder.
NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to treatment for all children and young people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with ARFID.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the time taken to respond to the Hughes Report recommendations on women impacted by valproate and pelvic mesh.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments, including the Cabinet Office. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.