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Public Accounts Committee report on Neurological services

The Government’s response to the PAC report on Neurological services

On 1^st May the Government published its formal response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on services for people with neurological conditions.

In its March 2012 report the PAC, which scrutinises government spending, made a series of recommendations on how to improve the delivery and financial efficacy of neurological services under the new health and social care landscape. Through the second phase of our ‘better deal for neurology’, campaign with the Neurological Alliance we have been calling on the Government to implement these recommendations in full.

In its response, the Government commits to taking forward only a small number of recommendations, including issues around neurological data and care plans. Importantly, however, it does not accepted those recommendations capable of achieving substantive change in neurological service provision, such as the appointment of a national leader for neurology and the establishment of local neurology clinical networks.

Arlene Wilkie, Chief Executive of the Neurological Alliance commented:

 “We are tremendously disappointed by the Governments response to the PACs report. Had the PAC recommendations been fully implemented, they would have achieved real and positive change for the 8 million people in England living with a neurological condition.

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.

We identified an absence of leadership at both national and local level and poor integration of services as key weaknesses that must be addressed. It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Department has rejected our recommendations in relation to these issues.”

We are planning our next steps, details of which will be available shortly.

Ted Hill MBE, Chief Executive of the British Polio Fellowship added:

 “It’s a real shame that the Government did not take the opportunity to implement the recommendations made by the PAC. We are now working with the Neurological Alliance to decide our next steps.”