Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure ICBs provide an annual health check to adults with cerebral palsy.

The Government is committed to making sure that people with cerebral palsy receive quality care. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on cerebral palsy in adults, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng119

The guidance recommends that people with cerebral palsy should have an annual review of their clinical and functional needs, carried out by a healthcare professional with expertise in neurodisabilities. This review should consider mobility, communication, pain, mental and physical health, participation, and any new or changing support needs.

While NICE guidelines are not mandatory, they reflect best practice, and the Government expects healthcare commissioners to take the guidelines fully into account in designing services that meet the needs of their local population and to work towards their implementation over time. Recommendations in NICE guidance are based on rigorous clinical and economic evidence and ensure that services are both clinically effective and cost‑effective, and support more consistent, sustainable care across the country.