Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to assess the healthcare needs of disabled people with (a) neurodivergence, (b) learning disabilities and (c) other conditions during menopause.

No assessment has been made. The Department and the National Health Service are implementing a programme of work to improve menopause care so all women can access the support they need.

Under the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations are already required to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are accessible to disabled people as well as to everybody else. To make it easier for people with a learning disability and autistic people to use health services, NHS England is working to improve the use and recording of reasonable adjustments to ensure care is tailored appropriately.

All organisations that provide NHS care are required to follow the Accessible Information Standard which aims to ensure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information that they can easily read or understand and can communicate effectively with services. People over the age of 14 with a learning disability can receive an annual health check to maintain their health. This can identify undetected health conditions early and ensure the appropriateness of ongoing treatments.