New APPG on Access to Disability Equipment calls for evidence

The newly formed All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Access to Disability Equipment have launched a call for evidence, aiming to identify the key barriers preventing people with disabilities from accessing the medical equipment they need.

Open from today for four weeks, the call for evidence invites professionals, including medical equipment suppliers and healthcare professionals, as well as individuals with disabilities and their families, to respond.

The APPG was formed in May 2025 to support the development of policies that address barriers to the timely and equitable provision of equipment. It provides a forum for MPs and peers to engage with disabled individuals, families, advocates, charities, and equipment providers. Its focus is on understanding how access to specialist medical equipment impacts independence, health, and quality of life.

Families frequently experience delays, linked in part to staff shortages, limited training opportunities, and variations in local provision. The process can be further complicated by funding pressures and a lack of coordination between national, regional and local services and commissioning practices. These challenges can have a profoundly negative impact on the daily lives of patients and their families.

The inquiry’s findings will inform recommendations made by the APPG, aimed at driving progress toward a more responsive and person-centred system.

Reduction in access to disability equality

Access to disability equipment remains a significant challenge across the UK. The children’s disability charity Newlife, for instance, estimates that only 2 in 5 families with disabled children have access to all the specialist medical equipment they need, while nearly half of local services have reduced their equipment budgets in the past year alone.

Stephen Morgan, Director of Charitable Services at the children’s disability charity Newlife, said: “Newlife’s Fight for our Future campaign has highlighted the devastating impact that delays and barriers to equipment have on children with disabilities and their families. From missed milestones to family stress and lost independence, the consequences are real and urgent.

“We warmly welcome this first inquiry from the APPG on Access to Disability Equipment. It is inspiring to see parliamentarians taking meaningful action to listen and drive change on an issue that affects so many lives.

“We’ll be encouraging families to share their stories and experiences with the inquiry, because together, we have the power to help shape a future where every child and adult with a disability gets the equipment they need, when they need it, to thrive.”

APPG Chair Daniel Francis, Labour MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford, added: “For someone with a disability, access to medical equipment is a lifeline. It enables independent living and brings dignity, opportunity, and freedom. So it is deeply upsetting that so many people in the UK can’t get the equipment they need.

“Everyone should have access to the right equipment at the right time. But for this to happen, we must truly understand the root causes of these prevailing barriers to access impacting so many families. This means hearing directly from those impacted, including the carers, professionals, and equipment suppliers all working to make the provision of essential medical equipment more efficient, effective, faster and fairer for all those who depend on it.”

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.

See Full Bio