Disabled Access (Aviation Industry)

Debate between Lord Evans of Rainow and Gregory Campbell

Wednesday 7th November 2012 Westminster Hall

[Graham Evans]

The hon. Lady is entirely right. Proactive good practice is encouraged, and I will come on to mention a certain company, and a certain individual who has been busy doing a lot of good work on that issue.

At every stage of the travel process there must be clear checks and balances, to ensure that the right information is being given and passed on, and that legislation is being adhered to. I would like to break down the travel process into the three stages of booking, at the airport, and on the plane, and to review the issues and the examples of good practice—such as those the hon. Lady just mentioned—and to consider how we can improve.

First, let us consider the booking process. Under EU legislation, it is illegal to refuse bookings because of disability, but half of respondents in the study had disability-related problems when booking airline tickets. The central principle of the law is that passengers need to advise as to their needs before travel, with persons with reduced mobility, known as PRMs, being required to give at least 48-hours’ notice. The process, however, is often convoluted, complicated and costly, with unnecessary paperwork or long, repetitious conversations.

Article 11 of the EU regulation states that air carriers and airport managing staff should have training in understanding mobility requirements. However, I support the Department for Transport’s code, which suggests that all staff in the aviation industry should be trained, so that the first point of communication covers the needs of the passenger. If a carer is needed, it is critical that seats be placed together and, where possible, chosen to best suit needs and enable better access. That is basic stuff, and although some airlines are doing it well, others are clearly failing.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate. Does he agree that it is absolutely crucial that most of the main airlines, particularly those that promote themselves as budget or low-cost, train their staff so that disabled people can book flights and manoeuvre their way through airports with the greatest possible support? Such training is crucial in getting a disabled person from A to B via an airline.

[Graham Evans]

I totally agree with the hon. Gentleman. He makes a very good point well. It does not matter whether it is a budget or low-cost airline or any other airline; these are fundamental customer service roles and training should be there, as a given. Let us consider the trains, for example. I use the west coast main line regularly, and have observed passengers in wheelchairs. Although trains are, by design, tight, I have noticed on the Pendolino how those passengers successfully manoeuvre themselves around the seats, luggage and toilets. The doors open, and the staff know exactly what to do. They know where the ramps are to get passengers down from the train to the platform. Platforms vary, and the sizes are different, but the staff do not make an issue of it. They have the right equipment, the right attitude, and clearly the right training, and it is a painless task to watch. A couple of weeks ago I spoke to a young gentleman in a wheelchair and he said, “I travel regularly and it is never an issue getting on or off the train.” The message is that it can be done. With good training and the right leadership and management it is an everyday occurrence, and there is absolutely no reason why that should not be the case for the air industry as well as the trains.

It should not cost more for a PRM to book flights, and I wholeheartedly recommend that there should be online booking facilities for wheelchair carriage, and a freephone number available for providing further information to the airline. It is not always possible to give advance notice, but where possible PRMs should be able just to pick up a phone to make the necessary call and not have to repeat themselves time and again.

Let us now consider what happens on arrival at the airport. Almost half of respondents said there are frequent issues when checking in, with inconsistent advice about the policies for mobility and about health equipment. Inconsistent advice and lack of training contravene the legislation, and I would be pleased if the CAA took a robust approach to communication breakdown.

Neuromuscular Care (North-West)

Debate between Lord Evans of Rainow and Gregory Campbell

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Westminster Hall

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

I thank Mr Speaker for allocating time for this important subject. I pay tribute to the excellent Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which does such brilliant work in this field and has assisted me in preparing for the debate. This morning, I will bring to the attention of the Minister the significant gaps in specialist neuromuscular care services in the north-west region that many people living with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions currently experience. Vital review work undertaken by the NHS North West specialised commissioning group in the past six months is encouraging, but families need to see it translated into real improvements to services. It also provides an opportunity to improve patient outcomes and to reduce the amount of money spent on unplanned emergency admissions to hospital for people in the north-west with neuromuscular conditions.

Let me briefly outline my personal connection to muscular dystrophy. I am 47 years old, and I had a cousin, Stephen Payne, who, if he was still alive today, would be of the same age. He was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the age of six, and I remember the devastating effects that it had on our family. This was in the late 1960s, when not a lot was known about the condition. I remember my uncle, Mr Barrie Payne, taking his son to Harley street for a diagnosis. I am afraid to say that it was not good. None the less, Mr Barrie Payne is a fighter and a campaigner and he threw all his energies into fundraising to see if a cure could be found for Duchenne.

My very earliest memories, therefore, are of a family fighting and campaigning for a cure for that dreadful disease. I also have very early memories of politicians getting involved in this vital subject. I pay tribute to Lord Alf Morris of Manchester, who, at the time, was the MP for Wythenshawe. Coincidentally, Lord Morris’s sister lived on my council estate, and I remember him driving to our estate in his Wolseley car. At the time, those cars were for very special people. He came to see my family when he visited his sister and I remember thinking at the time what a special man he was. In those days, in the ’60s and ’70s, it was thought that politicians could help ordinary people from working-class backgrounds such as mine. I remember so well the work that my family and Mr Morris did to get a change in legislation. I am pleased to say that Alf Morris was behind the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which was the first Act in the world to give rights to people with disabilities.

I did my best to raise money for the muscular dystrophy charity. I used to sell pens, pencils, rulers and pencil cases in my school yard at primary school. Imagine a head teacher allowing a child to go into school with a bag full of goods to sell for cash in these politically correct times. Coincidentally, my head teacher lived next door to my cousin, Stephen Payne, and at school fairs he used every opportunity to raise money for muscular dystrophy.

My uncle continued to campaign to raise money and awareness. People in wheelchairs were often not allowed access to places such as airports and museums, which led to considerable arguments. My uncle rightly felt that people with disabilities should be allowed in. I am glad to say that in the 21st century, things are a lot different.

Stephen was a bright and articulate individual, and he was always forthright in his opinions. He was a Manchester City fan, while I was a Manchester United fan. When Manchester United got relegated in 1973, he certainly let it be known how pleased he was about that. Stephen died in California when he was 21. His peers died when they were in their very early teens, which just goes to show that palliative care and hydrotherapy can extend the lives of people with Duchenne.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is the leading UK charity and focuses on all neuromuscular conditions. It is dedicated to improving the lives of all people with such conditions. Founded in 1959, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign funds vital research, provides and supports care services and gives information, advice and direct help to individuals living with neuromuscular conditions. I am honoured to be a member of the all-party parliamentary group for muscular dystrophy, which has highlighted shocking gaps in service across the UK and continues to call for improvements in access to specialist neuromuscular care to follow up recommendations in the Walton report.

There are more than 60 types of muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions. It is estimated that more than 1,000 children and adults in every million of the population are affected by muscle-wasting neuromuscular diseases—in the north-west around 8,000 people in total. Such disorders can be genetic or acquired. A number of conditions, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, are particularly aggressive. They cause progressive muscle wasting, weakness, orthopaedic deformity and cardiac and respiratory compromise, and result in premature death. Many young boys in the UK with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are dying before they get beyond their teens; that is unacceptable.

Specialist multidisciplinary care has been developed by leading clinicians as the best model for delivering effective care for such complex multi-system diseases. The provision of expert orthopaedics and early cardiac monitoring and intervention has been shown to improve muscle function and maintain independent mobility. People with neuromuscular conditions, therefore, need specialist multidisciplinary care, support and intervention from a range of professionals and specialists. That was recognised as part of the specialised services national definitions set. Leading neuromuscular clinicians fought hard to get those services recognised as specialist by the Department of Health.

Specialised services are defined in law as services with a planning population of more than 1 million people, which means that a specialised service is not provided by every hospital in England. The SSNDS describes the services in more detail. The definitions provide a helpful basis for service reviews and strategic planning, which enables commissioners to make comparisons of activity levels and spend. They help with the identification of activity that should be regarded as specialised and therefore subject to collaborative commissioning arrangements. The 10 specialised commissioning groups, acting on behalf of the members of primary care trusts, are responsible for the commissioning arrangements for specialised services.

Neuromuscular conditions come under the auspices of a number of specialities; they are genetic conditions, so geneticists sometimes deal with patients. The conditions sometimes affect children, so paediatricians are involved. A number of the adult forms come under the heading of neurology. Some of the conditions require respiratory care, which is provided by a respiratory practitioner, and some are metabolic conditions such as Pompe, and patients are treated by specialists for metabolic disorders. Therefore, health care for people is quite fragmented, and that clouds professional responsibility. “Neuromuscular” must be recognised as a speciality along with neurology.

Dr Ros Quinlivan, a leading consultant in paediatrics and neuromuscular disorders, has outlined the effects of neuromuscular conditions and how they need to be managed:

“Neuromuscular conditions are rare and include: Muscular dystrophies, metabolic myopathies, congenital myopathies, inflammatory myopathies, Spinal Muscular Atrophies. Many of these conditions affect only skeletal muscle and thus cannot be considered to be neurological disorders, in fact skeletal muscle can be considered to be the largest organ in the body. Most neuromuscular disorders are genetic in origin and affect families, but the inflammatory myopathies are acquired and require specific treatment. Affected patients range from newborn infants to elderly people. The effect of many of these conditions is on the skeleton causing skeletal deformities due to muscle contractures and on the heart and lungs causing respiratory or cardiac failure which can significantly limit life expectancy.

The physical management of these disorders is quite distinct compared with conditions affecting either the nervous system or the musculo-skeletal system (bone and joints). Proximal and axial muscle weakness caused specific functional difficulties not seen in patients attending clinics in other specialist areas. The progressive nature of these conditions means that a multi-disciplinary approach to care, with experienced clinicians specialising in neuromuscular disorders, is essential to achieve the best outcomes.”

It is now felt by the clinical community that it is time to make a neuromuscular curriculum part of the medical career, to establish the neuromuscular field in its own right. The conditions have a lot in common, so it makes sense that they are treated by the same person. For example, some forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy exhibit similar symptoms to some forms of spinal muscular atrophy, but one is a muscle disease and the other more a neurological disease. They are long-term rare conditions, which makes them quite different from neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Neuromuscular services need to be commissioned on a regional basis. Currently they are commissioned by the 10 regional NHS specialised commissioning groups, with top-slicing of PCTs. That method of commissioning services for these rare and very rare conditions has been endorsed by a new body of experts, the British Myology Society. It makes no sense for one PCT to commission specialised services. Unlike conditions such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, there are no guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for these neuromuscular conditions, which presents real difficulties when trying to set standards of care across the country.

That situation has been a contributing factor to the postcode lottery that has arisen, and which was highlighted in the all-party group on muscular dystrophy’s Walton report, published in August 2009. That followed reports by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, as part of the charity’s “Building on the Foundations” campaign, which revealed the shocking lack of specialist care in many parts of the country. The lack of knowledge, training and skills in the sector is a significant concern. For example, there is no specific training or curriculum for neuromuscular services in the neurological field.

I am sure that hon. Members will share my concerns and the frustrations of people living with neuromuscular conditions in the north-west, as expressed in the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s patient survey in 2010. Deborah Hurst from Liverpool is affected by facioscapulohumeral—FSH—muscular dystrophy. However, she was not diagnosed with it until she was in her late thirties. She is now 47. Her two daughters were born before she was correctly diagnosed and one of them, who is now aged 25, has inherited the condition. Deborah says:

“I have two daughters and I knew one was affected, but the doctor told me I was fussing and silly. When I finally got them tested, he congratulated me on my actions, which I was very mad about as my daughter took her diagnosis very badly at the time and ‘congratulations’ was not what we wanted to hear.”

Mrs H from Lancashire has a son affected by a neuromuscular condition. She says that in her experience, GPs do not understand such conditions:

“My GP is very good but says, ‘We have about two hours of tutorial on muscular dystrophy in the whole medical training.’ So therefore they have no in-depth knowledge.”

Elaine Sands from Stockport is also affected by FSH muscular dystrophy. She does not receive any specialist care, but she would value the support of a neuromuscular care adviser. She says:

“As I am housebound, it would be nice to have someone give me physiotherapy and also some kind of visitor who knows about my condition, as I live alone and I would appreciate being able to talk to someone who understands the disease.”

However, the situation is different for Joanne Ashton. She has a five-year-old son, Liam, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Through the specialist neuromuscular service at Alder Hey hospital, Joanne and her family have access to a specialist consultant, Dr Stefan Spinty, and to a full multidisciplinary service, including a neuromuscular care adviser. Joanne says:

“Shirley, our Care advisor, is fantastic. We only have to ask and she’s there. Liam had his wish granted, through the “Make A Wish Foundation”, because he was nominated by Shirley. So we are all impressed with the care advisors.”

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s clinician-led report, “Building on the Foundations in the North West”, which was published in June 2009, made a number of findings about neuromuscular services in the north-west.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way and I congratulate him on securing this debate. He has rightly referred to the issue of care advisers. Obviously I understand that the north-west of England is his particular concern, but does he agree that if more emphasis were put on having excellent care advisers right across the UK, like the adviser who he has just referred to, that would help those who suffer from this condition immensely in trying to come to terms with it?

[Graham Evans]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. I wholeheartedly agree. When someone is suffering from a condition, there is nothing quite like having people trying to help who understand what they are going through, both physically and mentally. So I wholeheartedly agree.

As I was saying, the “Building on the Foundations in the North West” report found that three out of four neuromuscular patients and their families have no access to a key worker or a care co-ordinator. About 6.5 regional care advisers are needed to serve the estimated 8,000 people —which is up from an earlier estimate of 6,500 people—in the north-west area who have a neuromuscular condition. Many of those people are simply not known to providers of health services.

The report also found that neuromuscular patients have very limited access to treatment, in particular to ongoing physiotherapy. Specialist physiotherapists are required to support outreach clinics and to provide training and professional development for community physiotherapists. In the north-west, two fifths of neuromuscular patients said that they do not receive enough physiotherapy.

Another finding of the report was that there is no dedicated physiological service for neuromuscular patients, despite the importance of such a service as part of multidisciplinary care for that patient group, who have rare and very progressive conditions. Those conditions are often genetic, there are no known cures and there are only limited treatments available. Greater support at the transition from paediatric services to adult services is needed, given the evidence that services are removed or greatly reduced when patients leave paediatric services, even though their needs may well increase given the progressive nature of many of these conditions.