New report calls for urgent neurology workforce census as no UK region meets minimum staffing level

26/01/2026

The UK lacks a single, reliable dataset on its adult neurology workforce, severely limiting efforts to plan services and tackle inequalities in care for people living with a neurological condition, according to a new report published by the Association of British Neurologists.

No consistent national picture of the workforce

The report, ‘The State of the UK Neurology Workforce: Needs for a Population of 100,000’, finds that existing workforce data is fragmented, incomplete and often unreliable, with no consistent national picture of how many neurologists are working in the NHS, where they are based, or how much clinical time they provide. As a result, workforce planning is largely driven by estimates rather than need, contributing to long waiting times and stark regional variation in access to specialist care.

The report reviewed available data, which reveals that that the UK has between 1.1 and 1.8 consultant neurologists per 100,000 people, although even these preliminary figures may be unreliable. By comparison, European countries with a similar income have a median of 6.6 neurologists per 100,000 population.

The Neurological Alliance is backing the report’s call for a comprehensive census of the multidisciplinary neurology workforce across the UK within the next two years. This would, for the first time, provide a clear national picture of the number and location of consultant neurologists, specialist nurses, allied health professionals and support staff, making it possible to address regional inequalities in access to specialist services and build a workforce fit for the future.

No nation meets the recommended minimum consultant neurologist provision

The report also calls for regions to ensure a minimum of 1.6 whole-time equivalent consultant neurologists per 100,000 people, a figure that no country in the UK has currently achieved.  This figure reflects the current UK average and is intended as a levelling-up baseline, not a measure of optimal or future need.

The report also reveals significant gaps in specialist nursing provision. For epilepsy, which affects  937 people out of every 100,000 people, England has just 0.4 specialist nurses per 100,000 population, well below NICE-recommended levels of 1.8.

“Planning is too often guesswork”

Professor Neil Robertson, President of the ABN, and Clinical Professor of Neurology at Cardiff University, said: “Patients are being let down by lack of access to neurologists across the UK. We are unable to plan a sustainable neurology workforce that meets the needs of the population when we do not know how many neurologists we actually have. This is not just about numbers on a page – it’s about patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and headache disorders who face wildly different access to specialist care depending on where they live. Without accurate data regional services cannot plan effectively, and patients will continue to fall through the gaps.”

“The neurology workforce needs to grow to meet changing population needs and the increasing complexity of neurological therapies. But growth
must be evidence-based. We’re calling on NHS England, Health and Care Commissioners, and the Department of Health and Social Care to support this census so we can finally plan services that patients deserve.”

Georgina Carr, Chief Executive of The Neurological Alliance, said: “It is deeply concerning that in 2026 we still cannot say with confidence how many neurology professionals are working in the NHS, where they are, or whether there are enough of them to meet patient need. This lack of data means workforce planning is too often guesswork, and people with neurological conditions are left waiting years for diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care.”

“The ABN’s recommendation of a minimum of 1.6 consultant neurologists per 100,000 population is a clear and pragmatic starting point to level up services across the UK. But it is only that, a starting point. A comprehensive workforce census is essential if we are to move beyond minimum standards and build a neurology workforce that is genuinely fit for the future.”