Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the level of awareness of motor neurone disease patients of their right to a carer's assessment; and if he will take steps to (a) identify and (b) help tackle barriers to securing a carer's assessment.

The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the level of awareness of motor neurone disease patients of their right to a carers’ assessment. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any unpaid carer who appears to have a need for support and to meet their eligible needs on request from the carer.

The Health and Care Act 2022 includes provisions for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to assess the performance of local authorities’ delivery of their adult social care duties as set out in part one of the Care Act 2014, including local authorities’ responsibilities to undertake an assessment of a carer's needs of support. CQC's duties will commence from April 2023.