Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that children (a) requiring tracheostomy care and (b) with other complex medical needs receive adequate support in mainstream schools following the withdrawal of integrated care board funding for specialist medical provision.

Maintained schools have a legal duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” for supporting pupils with medical conditions, and must comply with their duties under the Equalities Act 2010. The NHS is responsible for meeting the health needs of people diagnosed with an illness or medical condition.

The regulatory arrangements for healthcare professionals provide for them to delegate the delivery of healthcare tasks where it is safe and reasonable to do so.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council Code and the Health and Care Professions Council Standards both include regulatory standards requiring registrants to delegate only when they are satisfied that the other person is competent to carry out the delegated task safely, and require the healthcare practitioner to supervise and support those who are delegated to. Where a healthcare task needs to be undertaken by a registered nurse, then it should not be delegated.