Thank you for contacting me about health and social care for disabled children following the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has made available £2 billion in 2021/22 and a further £8 billion from April 2022 to March 2025 to increase activity and reduce waiting times for patients, including children with disabilities.
This funding could deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million more checks, scans and procedures, and allow the NHS in England to deliver 30 per cent more elective activity by 2024/25 compared to pre-pandemic levels. A further £5.9 billion of capital funding was announced in October 2021 to support elective recovery, diagnostics and technology.
The Government is also supporting access to appropriate disability equipment via the NHS Supply Chain, which maintains a framework contract for the supply of rehabilitation and disabled services equipment, such as paediatric wheelchairs, to the NHS and other healthcare settings.
Regarding your concerns about the mental health challenges of disabled children and their families, the NHS Long Term Plan commits to increasing funding for NHS mental health services by approximately £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24, to allow a further two million people to access mental health support.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.