The draft guidance will improve access to vital rehabilitation services for millions of people living with long-term neurological conditions in England
A new guideline by NICE aims to address widespread variation by recommending a standardised approach to rehabilitation across five major neurological conditions, including brain and spinal cord injuries.
One in six people live with a neurological condition
In the UK, around one in six people (16.5 million) have a neurological condition.
The draft guideline aims to address variation in care provided in hospital and community settings by recommending healthcare professionals take a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury, based on a holistic assessment of each person’s needs, and could involve physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive therapies, as well as psychological support and vocational counselling.
“Without consistent rehabilitation support, people can experience an unnecessary decline in their condition and quality of life. This useful and useable guideline will help ensure everyone receives the ongoing care they need to maintain independence and wellbeing,” commented Professor Jonathan Benger, chief medical officer and interim director of the Centre for Guidelines at NICE.
Improving assessment and referral pathways for patients
One key recommendation in the draft guideline is for a single point of contact for people with chronic neurological conditions, including ensuring there are complex case managers within each of the 42 Integrated Care Boards in England. These specialists would coordinate care across health, social care, and third-sector organisations, ensuring people receive the necessary rehabilitation services.
NICE has also recommended improving assessment and referral pathways. This includes re-referral for those with changing needs, so GPs and other healthcare professionals know how and when to send people back to specialists. Additionally, NICE recommends that people with chronic neurological conditions, their carers, and their families should know how to access rehabilitation services in their area.
“This draft guideline highlights how rehabilitation should be coordinated across health and social care, schools, employers and the voluntary sector. For people with long-term neurological conditions, this means smoother transitions between services and less chance of falling through gaps in care – ultimately leading to better outcomes and improved quality of life,” commented Dr Ian Bernstein, chair of the independent NICE guideline committee.
Ian continued: “The key to achieving integrated care is the recommendations to assign a single point of contact for people with long-term neurological conditions through their journeys.”
“People affected by neurological conditions face inconsistent and variable access to appropriate rehabilitation services. In our most recent patient experience survey, 57% of adults and 53% of children and young people in England told us they would like to have been offered outpatient rehabilitation but weren’t able to access it,” commented Georgina Carr, Chief Executive of The Neurological Alliance
Georgina continued: “This new draft guideline recognises the variation people experience and provides an important opportunity to support access to consistent, quality services for everybody with a neurological condition. We encourage the neuro community to engage with the draft, so the final guideline reflects the realities of living with a neurological condition.”
The draft guideline also recommends stronger collaboration between commissioners and service providers, and improved communication between health, social care, education, and employment organisations.
