Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to retain the chief allied health professions officer role following the abolition of NHS England.

The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament. We will be engaging with partners inside and outside the organisations as the process to design the future Department of Health and Social Care continues.

The specific changes and impacts for particular groups employed by NHS England will be considered during the detailed design process for the future Department of Health and Social Care. Our aim is to ensure the future Department of Health and Social Care will have the right staff to be able to effectively discharge its accountabilities, including for workforce education, training and professional leadership for all of the clinical professions, including the Allied Health Professions. AHPs will continue to play a critical role in the new Department of Health and Social Care, just as they have in NHS England and at the frontline.