Overview

• A London NHS clinic initially declined to treat an eight-year-old with hypermobility syndrome after staff learned he attended a private school, citing commissioning for state schools only.
• Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust apologised for the miscommunication and is updating its policy wording to make clear that eligibility hinges on clinical need, not on school type.
• The Department of Health and Social Care has reiterated that occupational therapy is free at the point of use for all children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, regardless of school choice.
• Conservative MPs and the Independent Schools Council have criticised the incident as discriminatory class bias and urged ministers to guarantee equal NHS access for every child.
• Experts warned that chronic underfunding and rationing of occupational therapy services across trusts may have exacerbated the incident and called for increased investment.