Mental Health Services: Huntington’s Disease Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Fraser of Craigmaddie
Main Page: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(1 year, 2 months ago)
Lords ChamberThe plan with the neuroscience transformation programme is to give that pathway to every ICS, which it should follow and commission to, to make sure that specific treatment is in place. It is a complex area, as we all know. Again, as I understand it, there are more than 7,000 rare conditions. I want to be open about the ability to put in place a specific individual care co-ordinator for every one of those, but we need to make sure that ICSs have enough skills in their locker—for want of a better word—so that they can recognise the situations and make sure they are commissioning to the plan.
My Lords, I declare my interests as chair of the Scottish Government’s neurological advisory committee and a trustee of the Neurological Alliance of Scotland. This is an issue not just for people with Huntington’s disease but for people with other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s. NICE standards for people with Parkinson’s recommend the prescription of Clozapine for hallucinations or delusions, but only psychiatrists are enabled to prescribe it; therefore, people with Parkinson’s do not have access to this treatment because neurologists cannot prescribe it. Will the Minister look at this? Maybe this is one way to ensure that people get the treatment they need.
Yes, I think is probably the best answer I can give in the circumstances. I will absolutely do that and will write to my noble friend.