Question reference: S4W-00360
- Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 31 May 2011
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Current status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 June 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides guidance to NHS boards regarding how many dedicated physiotherapists they should have to deal with the needs of people with multiple sclerosis.
Answer
It is for individual NHS boards to determine the number of dedicated physiotherapists they require dealing with people with multiple sclerosis (MS) based on local priorities and clinical need. However, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS, formerly NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) launched its Clinical Standards for Neurological Health Services on 21 January 2010, along with an implementation plan for NHS boards’ use, detailing tools and techniques for improvement. The standards are in part generic, dealing with the early part of the patient journey, including access to specialist neurological services and the quality of the patient experience. The remainder of the standards focus on five specific conditions including MS.
Standard 14, which covers access to specialist MS services, requires that as a minimum the MS multidisciplinary team should consist of: a consultant who specialises in the diagnosis and management of MS; an MS clinical nurse; the patient and carer. Additional input from other healthcare professionals including physiotherapists with experience and training in neurological conditions should also be offered.