The open letter
Dear James Murray MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,
We call on the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to introduce a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for neurological conditions with a target to reduce avoidable emergency admissions by 30% by 2035.
1 in 6 children, young people and adults in England live with a neurological condition, like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, myasthenia gravis, epilepsy and motor neurone disease, among many others.
Meanwhile, neurological services are overstretched, with access varying widely across the country. Many people wait more than a year to see a specialist. Too many people are reaching a crisis point, resorting to A&E because they don’t have access to the right care soon enough. For many others, they must travel miles from where they live to access the services they need.
The cost of inaction is high. Neurological conditions cost the UK £96 billion every year, with much of that cost driven by people and carers being forced out of work because the right treatment, care and support is not there.
There is currently no long-term plan for neurological conditions in England under the NHS. By delivering an MSF for neurological conditions, you can create real change and improve the lives of millions of people.
People with neurological conditions, clinicians, and charities are ready to work with Government to develop an MSF for neurological conditions. With the right plans in place through an MSF and a shared ambition, we are confident that the government could deliver:
- Improved access to support and services that people with neurological conditions need to live well — reducing avoidable health crises and avoidable emergency admissions by 30% by 2035.
- Improved outcomes — tackling unwarranted variation across neurology services.
- Better access to services — services should be closer to home, reducing the burden of travel and making care more equitable.
- Economic benefits — supporting more people with neurological conditions to live well and for them and those who care for them to stay in work and/or education for longer.
