Some of The Issues:

The low priority given to addressing the needs of people with neurological conditions, their partners and families

The need for nationally accepted standards of care to eradicate post-code lottery of care(1)

Fragmentation and lack of co-ordination between services

Low awareness amongst health, social care and other professionals and the general public about the impact of neurological conditions

Lack of appropriate and good quality rehabilitation, regular monitoring and assessment

Need for better measurement of the effect of service provision on people’s lives

Lack of appropriate and good quality vocational rehabilitation

Ensuring that those affected are involved in the management of their condition

Ensuring that those affected are involved in the planning and commissioning of local services

Need(2) for good quality information that will enable people who have a neurological condition to make choices about their lives and how they want to live.

Need(3) for good quality information that will enable professionals to answer their clients questions

Better support for carers and improved access to respite care for all those who need it

Research(4) required into: umbers of people in the UK who have a neurological condition*, costs (national and personal), use and appropriateness of both health and social services, prevention, acute/emergency, symptoms, treatment and cure

Currently it is estimated that are over 10 million people in the UK with a neurological condition. The NHS does not collect prevalence information(5). It should.

1.The National Service Framework for Long-Term Neurological Conditions was published in March 2005 with an implementation period of ten years. Implementation of this framework has been slow. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/Browsable/DH_4105359

2.Picker Institute Report: http://www.pickereurope.org/Filestore/Publications/Information_access_final_web.pdf

3. Information Access Toolkit: http://www.brainandspine.org.uk/information/index.html

4.Some research has now been commissioned. To find out more go to www.ltnc.org.uk