Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 25th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Kinnock]

My hon. Friend will be aware that we are bringing forward the Mental Health Bill, and an important part of that legislation will enable family members—when they are chosen as a nominated person—to have powers to request assessment under the Act, challenge decisions and request considerations of discharge in line with the nearest relative powers.

[Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

13. What steps he is taking to ensure special educational and disability needs are met by the NHS.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)]

I commend my hon. Friend for her dedication to improving support for children in her role as the opportunity mission champion. Children with special educational needs and disabilities may access a range of NHS services, including health assessments and specialised support. All integrated care boards must have an executive lead for SEND to ensure that that work receives sufficient focus. We are working closely with the Department for Education on reforms to the SEND system.

[Sarah Smith]

As the Minister is aware, last year we faced the devastating closure of the Accrington Victoria hospital after 14 years of mismanagement by the Conservative party. I place on record my thanks to the frontline staff who have managed that transition and the operational challenges to relocate services, but sadly a fully purposed building for children with SEND had to be used to relocate clinical services. How does the Minister plan to ensure that those with SEND are at the heart of commissioning plans and service development?

[Ashley Dalton]

The system we inherited has been failing to meet the needs of children with SEND for far too long—that became clear in what happened at the Accy Vic. Through the 10-year health plan, we will consider all those policies, including those that impact on children and young people. We are working closely with the Department for Education to support the delivery of the opportunity mission. I also hosted a roundtable recently with children and young people, including those with SEND, so that they can feed directly into the 10-year plan. They will be at the heart of our thinking and planning on these issues.