3 days ago
Anger grows after boy, 8, was denied NHS care because he attends private school as top Tory blasts 'unfair, outrageous punishment of child'
A former senior Tory MP has slammed health bosses after an eight-year-old boy was denied NHS care because he attends a private school.
Sir Jake Berry, who was Conservative Party Chairman, said the case was 'absolutely unfair', 'outrageous' and symptomatic of a 'failing system'.
And he said it 'may well be the case' that the public sector has now 'turned against people who choose to pay for their kids' education'.
This week, the Mail on Sunday revealed how the boy was unable to access occupational therapy for his hypermobility syndrome because he did not attend a state school.
The former MP for Rossendale and Darwen said he sympathises with the family as he has had to fight for additional help for his own son, who has autism.
He told LBC Radio: 'I have a severely autistic child who is non-verbal, and I battle regularly with the authorities to try to get him the support I need.
'I know what a struggle it is for children with additional needs.
'No matter how wealthy you may be, it is a huge struggle.
His mother discovered health staff had written a letter to her GP saying: 'We are unable to see this child as we do not provide a service to school age children who attend an independent schools [sic]'. Pictured: Children's occupational therapy referral criteria from the Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust website
'When you see something like this, that you know is absolutely unfair, and when you've got some experience of trying to navigate the system yourself, it's worthwhile taking the opportunity to highlight [it].
'This is a failing system. This is an outrageous part of it.'
Sir Jake said the case was akin to a family being told they cannot use Accident and Emergency services because they are signed up to private healthcare.
He said: 'It's completely wrong to punish children for the choices their parents make.'
And he added: 'This [case] bears further inspection. It may well be the case that the public sector has turned against people who choose to pay for their kids' education.'
The intervention comes after the family of the child, who asked to remain anonymous, said they believed a 'two-tier system' is at play.
However, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said any suggestion school choice was a factor was a 'miscommunication'.
According to the boy's mother, he was referred to a paediatrician at Kingston Hospital in south-west London after she noticed he was 'struggling to hold the pen well enough to write properly', along with other mobility issues.
At the hospital appointment she was asked to fill in a form which asked: 'Where does your child go to school?'
She had been hoping to get an appointment with Richmond children's occupational therapy service that would have been the 'most important stage' of his assessment.
However, days later, she received a text message saying the child had been 'declined' the crucial next appointment with occupational health therapists.
She then discovered that the specialist unit had written a letter to her GP, seen by the Mail, saying: 'We are unable to see this child as we do not provide a service to school age children who attend an independent schools [sic].
'We are only commissioned to provide a service to the mainstream schools.'
The boy's older brother – who has the same condition, had been treated without issue several years earlier.
Also during the LBC programme, Mike Trace, chairman of the Private Education Policy Forum, said it was a 'strange case'.
He said he recognised core medical care is still free at the point of use, but occupational health is treated in a number of different ways.
He said: 'A wide range of services related to special needs are treated a different way and in various ways are underfunded and rationed…
'It looks like an attempt to target the services and as I say, a criteria saying which school you went to, which may or may not indicate your wealth, does seem a strange way to ration the services.'
And during the show, hosted by Nick Ferrari, Sir Jake, who served as Tory Chairman in 2022 and lost his seat in 2024, admitted that his party did not do enough for this sector while in government.
He said: 'This sector is chronically underfunded and I hope that with the spending review this week that the government, and I don't care which government is, will find more money for this sector.'
He revealed one of the few 'really serious rows' he had during his years in Parliament was with Jeremy Hunt before the last budget, trying to get him to increase funding for this sector – which he did.
'Parents are desperate,' he added.
'I often feel desperate, with my wife. We need more funding for our children in this sector. The last government didn't do it. I'm really hoping the Labour Party might.'
When contacted by the Mail, a spokesman for Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust said the boy had not been denied treatment because of his school.
They said occupational therapy services are provided to all children who hold an education, health and care plan (EHCP), regardless of their school.
For those without an EHCP, some state schools provide an on-site NHS occupational therapy advice.
The spokesman added: 'We are sorry if the wording of our correspondence has caused upset and confusion; we will amend it prospectively.'
It is understood anyone without an ECHP who attends a private school would not be able to use on-site services at state schools.
A DHSC spokesman said: 'NHS services are free at the point of use to all.
'NHS occupational therapy services are provided for all children with an EHCP.
'For those without an EHCP, some schools provide on-site NHS occupational therapy.
'The Trust has apologised for any miscommunication in its correspondence with the family and is amending its wording to avoid any confusion in the future.'
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) has called on Health Secretary Wes Streeting to take action over the case.
It comes after the Mail on Sunday also revealed other similar cases.
These included the mother of an autistic girl in Somerset saying her daughter was denied access to NHS mental health services, and was told: 'If you can afford the school fees, you should pay privately. If you had kept your child at the local authority primary school, she would have been supported.'
It is also understood that in Norfolk a child was refused a much-needed standing frame by the NHS because he went to private school.
And last month it was revealed young cancer patients from private schools had to pay £115 an hour for tutoring in an Edinburgh hospital's wards, while it is provided free to state school pupils by the city council.
The controversy comes as families await a judgement from the High Court over the Government's decision to place VAT on private school fees.
