Neuromuscular Disorders: South East

(asked on 22nd November 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with muscle-wasting conditions living in (a) Kent, (b) Surrey and (c) Sussex have access to a neuromuscular care advisor close to their home.


Answered by
 Portrait
David Mowat
This question was answered on 30th November 2016

Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning specialised neurological services, which includes services for patients with neuromuscular disorders. NHS England has published a service specification for neurological care, which sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. The specification can be found at:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d04-neurosci-spec-neuro.pdf

NHS England advises that, until summer 2016, a neuromuscular care advisor was in post at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the main neurosciences centre for the south east, and provided a co-ordinator service to London and the south east of England. Since the post holder left the role, the Trust has been reviewing the post and funding mechanisms. NHS England advises that a number of meetings have taken place and a business case has been developed to take to clinical commissioning groups to agree funding and the service model. The Department is advised that the Sussex Collaborative of National Health Service organisations has confirmed that it is planning to employ a care advisor.

Reticulating Splines