Government disregards call for neurology tsar

3 May 2012

We spoke out on behalf of people with Parkinson's this week as the Government refused to implement vital changes to improve neurology services in England.

Recommendations were made by the Public Accounts Committee in March 2012 following their investigation into services for people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's.

Damning criticism

The Government was faced with damning criticism about the services from two of its watchdog bodies, the National Audit Office in December 2011 and the Public Accounts Committee in January.

These reports suggested that billions of pounds of NHS and taxpayers' money is being wasted on inappropriate, untargeted and unscrutinised spending.

We, as part of the Neurological Alliance that represents 72 charities, hoped the Government would take strong measures to right the wrongs that had been exposed.

Ignored calls for change

But a Government response (PDF, report 72 in the document, pages 14-20) issued on Monday makes clear that the Department of Health has disregarded calls for a 'neurology tsar' to help develop a strategy to deliver better services.

They have also refused to put sufficient and fair measures or strategies in place to ensure that the NHS and others are effectively meeting the needs of people with neurological conditions.

Missed opportunity

Professor Martin Rossor, President of the Association of British Neurologists commented on the report:

"This is a missed opportunity that would have brought clinicians together to make real progress on improving patient care, spending money more efficiently and mitigating service variation."

Extremely disappointing

The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee said:

"Services for people with neurological conditions are simply not up to scratch, and the implementation of the Framework for improving neurology services has not worked.

"It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Department has rejected our recommendations in relation to these issues.

"The Department has got to do better and we will be taking this up with them in due course."

The Public Accounts Committee will review services for people with neurological conditions again in 3 years time.

We will continue to fight

"Instead of taking the criticism on the chin and rectifying mistakes," says Steve Ford, our chief executive, "the Department of Health has chosen to fudge its way out of a corner."

"We will not give up the fight to improve services for people with Parkinson's. We will pursue top NHS decision makers to ensure that neurology, and Parkinson's, is adequately addressed in the new systems.

"We will also continue to work locally to campaign for service improvement and get neurology on the agenda of local decision makers."

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