patient voice

Older woman struggling to walk between parallel bars
April 6, 2022

Providing insight, working together: driving the neurology agenda forward in 2022

David Martin, The Neurological Alliance’s Chair of Trustees and CEO of MS Trust, writes: I recently met Sally. She is living in pain. Sally is struggling to walk and struggling to work. Her appointment to see a neurologist is months away. Sally is one of the 176,000 people with existing or suspected neurological conditions whose […]
February 28, 2022

England Rare Conditions Action Plan falls short on mental health

The Department of Health and Social Care have published the first Rare Diseases Action Plan for England, coinciding with Rare Disease Day on Monday 28 February 2022. The plan sets out the Government’s plans to improve the speed of diagnosis, access to genetic testing and how they assess access to medicines for rare conditions. The […]
February 23, 2022

Clinicians and patient groups call for mandatory review of neurology care

The National Neuroscience Advisory Group (NNAG) is calling on NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) to audit neurology services and implement a standardised set of outcome measures. Using standardised outcome measures would allow a more accurate understanding of access and experiences of care and how services are delivered across England. This would make it easier […]
February 7, 2022

Shared goals, shared knowledge: raising the profile of neurorehabilitation

The Independent Neurorehabilitation Providers’ Alliance (INPA) recently joined The Neurological Alliance. Chloë Hayward from INPA writes: INPA is a collation of independent organisations providing rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and neurological conditions. Some INPA members are large companies with multiple specialist units, others have one dedicated service. There are also […]
January 19, 2022

Unwavering focus: pushing for improvement in neurological services

Dr Arani Nitkunan, consultant neurologist and Neurological Alliance Trustee, writes: As a consultant neurologist working mainly in a district general hospital in Southwest London (Croydon University Hospital), there are several reasons why I very much appreciate all the work of The Neurological Alliance.  Firstly, the Alliance’s surveys (including My Neuro Survey), have informed us that […]
December 15, 2021

Things have changed for the better. Is that the case for your neurological condition?

Sarah Joiner, Vice Chair of the MS Trust and member of The Neurological Alliance #MyNeuroSurvey Steering Group, writes: I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1981.   Back then I received care from a consultant and a small medical team.  Hours of waiting all morning, an examination to see how the condition had progressed, and some […]