Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support ex-service personnel who require (a) specialised wheelchairs or (b) other mobility aids but are not supplied or supported by statutory means.
The National Health Service in England has a statutory responsibility to provide care and treatment for veterans’ mobility requirements. A range of equipment is available, following an assessment of clinical need. Bespoke NHS support for veterans is also available, such as personal wheelchair budgets. In addition, the Health Innovation Fund was launched in July 2022 to support organisations to research and trial technology which could assist veterans with complex healthcare needs.