To agree a medium-term approach to ensure the ongoing delivery of the professional assessments of equipment and adaptions needs for disabled children.

Assessments for equipment and adaptions for disabled children have, historically, been provided by Wye Valley NHS Trust (WVT) as part of services commissioned by Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), However, it has been clarified that provision and funding of such work forms part of the council’s duties regarding support for disabled children.

That:

(a)       Wye Valley NHS Trust is commissioned to provide equipment and adaptions assessments for disabled children for three years to 31 March 2019 at a cost of no more than £53,000 per year.

Tender or bring the service in-house. This option is not recommended at the current time. The function has been integrated with other paediatric therapy services within WVT as part of an historic arrangement. Paediatric therapy services were highlighted as an area requiring improvement by the 2016 SEND (special education needs and disabilities) joint inspection of Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The council, CCG, and WVT continue to work together to improve these services. The delivery of equipment and adaptations work, as described by this report, should therefore be maintained within this strategic approach, which aims to achieve seamlessness across a range of education, health and care services that disabled children may need.