Call for urgent action to England’s neuro workforce crisis

The British Polio Fellowship (BPF) has joined The Neurological Alliance and other leading organisations including the Association of British Neurologists, British Paediatric Neurology Association, Royal College of Psychiatrists, and Parkinson’s UK are demanding the government tackle the growing crisis in neurological care in its upcoming 10-Year NHS Workforce Plan.

In England today, at least one in six people is living with a neurological condition, including late effects of polio and post-polio syndrome (PPS). Neurological conditions such as PPS are complex. They affect people of all ages and every aspect of daily life, yet the current workforce is struggling to meet demand. Specialist, joined-up care from a range of healthcare professionals is essential, but services are under intense pressure, and too many people face unacceptable waits or can’t even access the care they need. 

Despite the Government’s target that 65% of patients should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral by March 2026, and the expectation that every trust delivers at least a 5-percentage-point improvement, only 56.1% of neurology patients are currently seen within 18 weeks, highlighting the scale of the challenge ahead. Without urgent intervention and support for the clinical neuroscience workforce, these challenges are expected to worsen.

As the 10-Year NHS Workforce Plan is developed, the leading organisations are urging the Department of Health and Social Care to prioritise the neurological workforce and ensure services are properly staffed, trained, and resourced to meet rising demand. The statement is calling for action in four key areas:

1. Reform how the clinical neuroscience workforce trains and works to support the goals of the 10-Year Health Plan. This includes developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for neurological conditions and collecting better data on patients, services, and staff to help with future workforce planning.

2. Train the future workforce to ensure they can provide the multidisciplinary, digitally enabled care of the future and design services with people affected by neurological conditions and community groups such as charities.

3. Retain skilled staff by providing clear career pathways, better support, and tackling burnout.

4. Support delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan by making sure care moves safely from hospitals to communities, improving digital systems, and prioritising both prevention and proactive management of neurological conditions with help from multidisciplinary healthcare teams and charities.

   
   

Providing timely access to the right care and healthcare professionals will not only improve health outcomes for people with neurological conditions, but also save money. The direct and indirect economic cost of neurological conditions to the UK economy is estimated to be at least £96 billion. This could be reduced by more than £30 billion annually if everyone had fair access to the best available care.

The Government is currently receiving evidence for the 10-year workforce plan. The Neurological Alliance and supporter organisations are ready to work with the Department of Health and Social Care to make this happen and ensure that everyone affected by a neurological condition can access high-quality, timely care, no matter where they live.

Kripen Dhrona, Chief Executive of the British Polio Fellowship, said:

“The effects of polio are lifelong and complex — we must ensure the healthcare workforce is equipped, supported and plentiful enough to deliver the care people deserve.”

Georgina Carr, Chief Executive of The Neurological Alliance, said: 

"Too many children, young people and adults are still waiting far too long for care that could change their lives. We and our partners have set out the solutions needed to act now — to build a workforce fit for the future, drive down waits and transform outcomes for people with neurological conditions.

The neuroscience treatment pipeline is hugely exciting, but innovation means nothing without the right staff to deliver it. The 10-Year NHS Workforce Plan is the Government’s chance to act, by strengthening the clinical neuroscience workforce, building clear training and career pathways, improving workforce data, and delivering a Modern Service Framework so everyone gets the right care, at the right time.”

To read the statement on the 10-Year NHS Workforce Plan visit www.neural.org.uk/workforce,