Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Harper (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 20 July 2026.

People with Learning Disabilities: Acute Illness

Question: My Lords, in her Answer, the Minister mentioned accountability. Given that the report demonstrated that the gaps are very significant, with something like 50% of hospitals not even being able to record a patient’s learning disability on their digital record, what are the Government doing to track progress on hitting these recommendations, and what are the accountability measures? If trusts do not deliver this quickly, who gets fired?

Answer: There are financial sanctions for providers that could be brought into play. On accountability, delivery is monitored through NHS governance and assurance processes. This includes the NHS operating framework, annual assessment of ICB performance, regional oversight and review of local delivery plans.

Secondary information