What the Scottish Government reforms could mean for Parkinson’s care
The Scottish Government has announced radical plans to cut 14 local NHS boards down to 2. We explain what this could mean for Parkinson’s care in Scotland.
Scotland's Programme for Government (PfG) for the next 5 years was announced on 1 September. And they plan to cut the number of local NHS boards from 14 to 2.
Read the full PfG on the Scottish Government website.
This is a big change to the way NHS Scotland services are managed. But it will take months before the final plans are agreed.
The First Minister also announced plans to speed up discussions about the future of local councils and social care in the next 3 months.
These major reforms must involve people with Parkinson's and their loved ones. We'll make sure your voices are heard.
James Jopling, Director of Parkinson's UK Scotland, said:
"These are major reforms of NHS delivery in Scotland, and the only measure of success will be if they improve people's experiences of care.
"Parkinson's is a complex condition, and there are about 14,000 Scots who depend on specialist NHS support.
"Done well, there's huge potential for these reforms to resolve problems we have now. They could remove delays and duplication around access to new treatments and technologies or addressing critical staffing issues. But structural changes alone won't fix a broken system. And poorly managed changes will only make things worse.
"We're worried that the main aim of these reforms is cutting costs. This focus on the bottom line could mean a race to the bottom for services. People need to be at the centre of the change, not an afterthought.
"We're especially concerned about services in rural Scotland. Parkinson's is more common in people who live rurally, so it's vital that expert Parkinson's services continue to be provided outside the main urban centres, regardless of where NHS executives are based.
"Many questions remain and we must make sure that the voices of people with Parkinson's and their families are heard. Ultimately, people with Parkinson's must be able to access the specialist health and care services they need, wherever they live."
Get involved
If you're interested in helping us respond to these proposals, join our Scottish Parkinson's Influencers Network (SPIN).
Find out more by emailing [email protected].