Improving care for neurological conditions

People with brain and nervous system conditions will get more say in their healthcare, under plans for improving services.

The Scottish Government has launched a 12-week consultation on the country’s first draft National Action Plan on Neurological Conditions, aimed at improving care and raising awareness.

The plan covers common themes that are important to people living with neurological conditions, ranging from everyday conditions such as migraines to rare and life-limiting illnesses such as Motor Neurone Disease and Huntington’s Disease.

The draft plan covers 17 commitments, including:

• Ensuring people with conditions, and their carers, are partners in their care and support
• Providing more coordinated support by health and social care services
• Building a sustainable workforce to deliver care and support
• Improving access to services

Speaking at a launch event at Bobath Scotland centre in Glasgow, Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said:

“There are around one million people in Scotland living with health conditions affecting their brain, spine and nervous system. While neurological conditions range in severity, they all impact on people’s lives and those of their loved ones, and account for around one in ten acute hospital admissions.

“This first Scottish national action plan is an opportunity to transform care for people affected by neurological conditions and raise awareness more broadly. I would encourage everyone with an interest to respond to the consultation.’’

Neurological Alliance of Scotland acting chair Gerard Gahagan said:

“This is the first-ever national plan for everyone living with a neurological condition in Scotland and we welcome the focus on these long-term, complex conditions. We know people want co-ordinated health and social care support, as well as equitable and timely access to specialist knowledge and expertise when they need it.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to ensure that the ambitions of the draft plan are achieved.”

Background

View the Consultation on the draft National Action Plan on Neurological Conditions.

The plan has been developed in partnership with the National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions, The Neurological Alliance of Scotland, and the wider neurological community.

The 2018/19 Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop and consult on the draft plan, with an aim of publishing the final plan by April 2019.

Well known conditions include migraine, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Neurological conditions causes include congenital (e.g. cerebral palsy), hereditary or genetic (e.g. Huntington’s disease), neoplastic (e.g. brain tumours), degenerative (e.g. Motor Neurone Disease) infective (e.g. meningitis).

Bobath Scotland is a charity providing support to children and adults living with cerebral palsy.