Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Health Inequalities 2023-04-25 (2)

Tuesday 25 April 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Caroline Dinenage asked about steps to address health inequalities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, noting an increase in numbers and poor care standards since the Transforming Care programme started.
  • The Minister responded that they are making progress in reducing the number of people waiting to be discharged from in-patient facilities by 30% and are meeting integrated care boards to support faster discharges.
  • Richard Thomson asked about plans for similar funding and support for health checks for people with learning disabilities across England.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Caroline Dinenage Con Gosport
NHS
Context

The Transforming Care programme started eight years ago with a target of halving the number of people in in-patient mental health settings by 2024, but the Challenging Behaviour Foundation reported that the number of children in these settings has nearly doubled.

Question

What steps are being taken to address the health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people? It is eight years since the Transforming Care programme started, yet reports show an increase in numbers and poor care standards. Does the Minister agree that better care is needed?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

Our priority is ensuring high-quality care, and we are making progress in reducing the number of people waiting to be discharged from in-patient facilities by 30%. I am meeting individual integrated care boards to support faster discharges.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific plans or commitments were not provided regarding addressing the increased numbers and poor care standards.

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Q2 Caroline Dinenage Con Gosport
NHS Children & Families
Context

The Transforming Care programme aims to reduce the number of people in in-patient mental health settings, yet reports show an increase in numbers and poor care standards.

Question

Does the Minister agree that people with learning disabilities and autistic people deserve better care given the current situation where the number of children in in-patient facilities has nearly doubled since the Transforming Care programme started?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

Our priority is ensuring high-quality care, and we are making progress in reducing the number of people waiting to be discharged from in-patient facilities by 30%. I am meeting individual integrated care boards to support faster discharges.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific plans or commitments were not provided regarding addressing the increased numbers and poor care standards.

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Q3 Richard Thomson
NHS
Context

The Scottish Government announced £2 million funding last year to help deliver health checks for all people with learning disabilities.

Question

What plans do the UK Government have to provide similar funding and support for health checks for people with learning disabilities across England?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

We ensure that those eligible for safe and wellbeing reviews get one, and last year about 87% of those who were eligible did so.

Not addressed: No specific plans or funding commitments were provided to match Scotland's programme.

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