Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to develop a modern service framework for neurological conditions; and what steps he is taking to attract, train and retain specialist healthcare professionals for Parkinson’s.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The first wave of modern service frameworks will include cardiovascular disease, sepsis, mental health, palliative care and end-of-life care, and dementia and frailty. The Government will consider other conditions with significant health and economic impacts for future waves of modern service frameworks in due course.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

NHS staff told us through the 10-Year Health Plan engagement that they are crying out for change. This workforce plan will set out how we will deliver that change by making sure that staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future.

We have set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, twice-yearly meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations, and health services and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions. The forum has identified areas for initial focus, including workforce, which featured as a key item on the agenda at the third meeting of the forum on 18 March.