This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Neuroscience Implementation Group
16/05/2006
The Chief Executive of NHS Borders, John Glennie, has been appointed chair of the Neuroscience Implementation Group.
Delivering for Health, the Executive's long-term vision for the NHS, set out a model for redesigning the neuroscience service centred around three tiers of access - community, regional, and a single prime site for the most complex procedures.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"This is one of the key parts of Delivering for Health, and I'm grateful to John Glennie for agreeing to take it on. John will have a central role to play in making sure that this work is implemented by firmly embedding it in NHSScotland's planning processes.
"We began by looking at neurosurgery, but it is clear that we need to look at all the disciplines that make up neuroscience in order to decide how neurosurgical services best fit into people's needs.
"We want to create a service which starts in the community, giving people the ready access they need to specialist neurological opinion. That level of the service will also be there to give local support to people going through the process of rehabilitation after an intervention like neurosurgery. It will have clear links to the next tier, covering the more common types of neurosurgery, and these will be delivered across the four neurosurgical units in Scotland.
"The model also envisages a single prime site where the most complex adult and child neurosurgery will be concentrated to make sure that patients get the best possible outcome.
"Our next task will be to identify the members of the group. I'm inviting representation from the Scottish Neurological Alliance, which represents the interests of all patients with a neurological condition, so that patients and carers have a strong voice on the group.
"I'm also asking the Scottish Neurosciences Council to identify the representatives of the neurosciences who will need to be involved.
"The group will also include nurses, Allied Health Professionals, members of the primary care team and representatives from the three Regional Planning Groups. Because this is a national service, I'll want to make sure that the interests of all parts of Scotland are represented.
"The Implementation Group will also take into account concerns already expressed about issues including emergency neurosurgery and the transport implications of the model for patients and their families and carers. In all of this work, the interests of patients and their safety must be paramount."
Mr Glennie said:
"I'm delighted to be able to play a part in this vital work. Scotland needs and deserves a world class neuroscience service delivered consistently across the country.
"I am confident that the Group can help to achieve that aim."
The membership of the Implementation Group is expected to be finalised by the summer with a first meeting expected in the autumn. The Group will report back to Ministers by the end of 2007.
The neuroscience service is to be developed as a Managed Clinical Network, so that patients and carers and clinicians have a strong voice in shaping and running the service and to make sure the patient's pathway to the more specialised services and back home again is as smooth as possible.
Delivering for Health was published in November 2005. The agenda for neuroscience is set out in section 3.7 and the table on page 64. The main specialties that make up neurosciences are: neurosurgery, adult and paediatric, neurology, adult and paediatric, neuroradiology, neuropathology, neurophysiology, neurorehabilitation, neuroanaesthetics and critical care and neuropsychology.
Neurosurgery is currently delivered from four regional centres: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital; Ninewells Hospital, Dundee; the Western General and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh; and the Southern General Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow. Each unit is an integral part of a multidisciplinary neuroscience service and is connected to a University Medical School.