Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Neurological Health Services Clinical Standards

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS)

October 2009

In October 2009 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published Clinical Standards - Neurological Health Services. The official launch of this document in January 2010 marks the end of a lengthy process, assessing the current provision and the needs of the target population. NHS Scotland is to be congratulated for engaging all the stakeholders in the process especially the health professionals and the final document contains excellent aspirations. The proof of the pudding will of course be in the implementation.

The publication recognises that Scotland has an especially high incidence of the most common physically disabling condition affecting young people namely multiple sclerosis (MS). It also recognises the fact that one in five of the emergency admissions, one in eight general practice consultations and a high proportion of disability is due to neurological conditions. Particularly encouraging is the fact that the document recognises that the UK has lagged behind other European countries in its development of neurological services.

Some findings of the analytical phase were:

  • NHS Boards were unable to describe their neurological services accurately
  • NHS Boards appeared to consider neurological health services a low priority
  • Specialist nurses were considered a valuable resource, but their provision varied greatly across NHS Boards
  • The recent pilot of telemedicine neurological services in the north of Scotland was regarded as successful by patients, consultants and nurses.

Looking to the future the standards publication sets six key dimensions of quality:

  • Safe
  • Effective
  • Patient-centred
  • Timely
  • Efficient
  • Equitable

The specific standards for MS are:

  • An effective and comprehensive specialist MS service is available across all NHS boards
  • The NHS board provides a co-ordinated MS diagnosis service with access to a multidisciplinary team experienced in the diagnosis of MS
  • Patients with MS have ongoing access to specialist services appropriate to their needs
More information about the neurological clinical standards from the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) website.