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Prosthetics: Training

Asked by John GradyLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 23 March 2026UIN 119622

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department or NHS England has undertaken a risk assessment on the potential closure of prosthetics and orthotics pre-registration programmes.

Answered by Karin Smyth

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education to support the availability of a diverse range of training routes into health and care careers including prosthetics and orthotics. While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for the future supply of prosthetics and orthotists, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability.

The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England remain committed to working with stakeholders through NHS England’s small and vulnerable professions programme, to help maintain and strengthen training and education pathways for pre-registration learners. This work has been supported recently with a meeting between myself and the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics to discuss strengthening a sustainable training and workforce pipeline.

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