Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the finding of the Disabled Children’s Partnership’s No End In Sight Report, that six in 10 families with disabled children are still experiencing some form of delay with health appointments and operations, what assessment he has made of delays to health appointments in disabled children; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing specific funding to help disabled children access health appointments.

No specific assessment has been made. However, as part of COVID-19 recovery planning we are working with the Department for Education and NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve the provision of health services to disabled children. NHS England and NHS Improvement published guidance making clear that essential community services must be prioritised for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged up to 25 years old and who have an Education Health and Care Plan in place or who are going through an assessment for one. On 25 March 2021 NHS England and NHS Improvement issued 2021/22 operational planning guidance​, including an elective recovery framework and expectations in relation to re-establishing services. This framework includes elective in-patient activity for children and young people aged 0 to 16 years old.