Government doubles funding for disabled children

12 February 2009

Child Health Strategy welcomed – but only local implementation will deliver

EDCM today welcomes the government’s announcement, which clarifies that an additional £340 million has been given to Primary Care Trusts for disabled children from 2008 – 2011. The figure has been announced as part of the Child Health Strategy, ‘Healthy lives, brighter futures.’

This is in addition to the £340 million revenue funding allocated to local authorities through the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme and the £90 million capital funding from the Children’s Plan – bringing the government’s total funding allocation for disabled children to £770 million.

EDCM board member Christine Lenehan says:
‘We are delighted that the Department of Health has answered our calls for the funding available to health services to improve services for disabled children to be confirmed. This clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment to improve the lives of disabled children and their families.

The only way this funding will make a real difference to disabled children and their family’s lives is through effective implementation on the ground. We are keen to understand the mechanisms government will put in place to ensure this happens so PCTs can be full delivery partners for the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme with their local authority counterparts.’

Christine Lenehan continues:
‘It is important to remember that this additional £340 million for PCTs in England is part of their baseline allocations and is not ringfenced. In the devolved NHS it is for each PCT to set their own spending priorities. That is why we are urging all PCTs show leadership locally, by acting on the NHS Operating Framework and Vital Signs to make disabled children a priority. PCT leaders must use these levers and the confirmed funding to transform the health services that disabled children receive.’

EDCM also welcomes further measures in the Strategy to prioritise disabled children, including:

- A commitment that by 2010, all children with complex health needs will have an individual care plan.

- A commitment that £30m of the new money will be directed towards children’s palliative care services

- A commitment to develop new commissioning models for community equipment for children, with a series of pilots to begin in 2009-10.

- A commitment to establish a partnership between Whizz-Kidz and the London Strategic Health Authority in conjunction with PCTs and local authorities.

EDCM will be writing to every PCT in England asking them to set out the amount they plan to spend on services for disabled children in 2009-2011, as part of a new programme of work this year on disabled children and health. This will include a campaign briefing highlighting the remaining barriers to healthcare for disabled children, in terms of inequalities in access to universal services and gaps in the provision of specialist care.