What plans does the Welsh Government have to improve care for people with Huntington's disease through the development of an implementation plan for the quality statement for neurological conditions?
The Welsh Government wants to ensure that all people living with chronic neurological conditions, including Huntington's disease, have access to safe and high-quality services. This is at the heart of the Quality Statement for Neurological Conditions. The quality statement sets out clear expectations for neurological services in Wales, including the development of evidence‑based, integrated neuro‑rehabilitation services for all neurological conditions. This includes access to psychological support, improved service navigation, and opportunities for self‑referral for people living with, or affected by, neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease. The new Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that this leads to improved outcomes of care for people with Huntington’s disease.
Health boards are expected to use the quality statement to underpin the planning and delivery of high-quality services in line with clinical standards and guidelines, including those from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The statement lays out quality attributes of Neurological Condition Services in Wales which include:
- Develop and embed evidence based, comprehensive and integrated neuro-rehabilitation services for all conditions, including psychological support and opportunities for self-referral for those living or affected by a neurological condition.
The Quality Statement for Mental Health outlines the planning expectations for the delivery of mental health services in Wales, including how we support people with a physical health diagnosis. Health boards will be supported to deliver the Quality Statement by NHS Wales Performance and Improvement.