The UK government launches first-ever forum to address gaps in treatment and care for people affected by neurological conditions, following the #BackThe1in6 campaign.
The announcement follows a long-standing campaign led by The Neurological Alliance together with The Neurological Alliance of Scotland, Wales Neurological Alliance and the Northern Ireland Neurological Charities Alliance and supported by over 100 organisations and more than 19,000 people.
The #BackThe1in6 campaign, called on UK governments to establish a Neuro Taskforce to address key challenges facing people affected by neurological conditions including delays to treatment and care, a lack of mental health and wellbeing support and insufficient information at the point of diagnosis. The campaign was underpinned by the experiences of over 8,500 people who responded to My Neuro Survey, the largest neurological patient experience survey in the UK. As a member of the UK Neurological Alliance, the MS Trust has been fully supportive of this work. Read more on the #BackThe1in6 campaign here.
The Neuro Forum will hold two formal meetings a year across the Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England, devolved governments and Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. This is the first UK-wide government forum focusing on services and support for people affected by neurological conditions. Work is underway to deliver the first forum meeting in early 2025 with a further meeting in the summer and ongoing meetings in the years ahead.
Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, said:
I am proud to welcome the launch of the UK Neuro Forum. This long overdue forum will help address common concerns and challenges experienced by people affected by neurological conditions, which are too often overlooked. This initiative will unite governments, clinical leaders and campaigners to tackle shared challenges and drive UK-wide collaboration to improve gaps in treatment and care of people with conditions that impact the nervous system.
Leaders of the four UK Neurological Alliances said:
After years of campaigning with our members and community, we’re delighted the government has announced this landmark initiative, which has the potential to improve services for people affected by neurological conditions now and in the future. Taking a UK-wide approach to developing solutions and sharing best practice across systems and nations is a positive step towards improving services for everyone affected by neurological conditions.
Dr Niran Nirmalananthan, National Clinical Director for Neurology, NHS England, said:
I am delighted we are announcing the launch of the UK Neuro Forum. Neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability and affect over 16 million people in the UK. This initiative brings together key stakeholders from across the UK for the first time, and aims to share learning to ensure patients receive the equitable care and treatment they need, with the goal of improving lives. This collaboration will bolster the ongoing work we are delivering through NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme.
