There are many people across Gloucestershire who are affected by a neurological condition.

There are over 600 types of neurological conditions, which are broadly categorised:

  • Sudden onset conditions (eg Acquired Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, Meningitis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome)
  • Intermittent and unpredictable conditions (eg Epilepsy, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), some Long Covid, Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome, certain types of headache and the early stages of Multiple Sclerosis)
  • Progressive conditions (eg Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, later stages of Multiple Sclerosis, Charcot Marie-Tooth disease, Huntington’s Disease)
  • Stable neurological conditions (eg Post-Polio Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy in adults)

All these conditions impact upon the nerve system of the body. Some may be life limiting conditions others may not be, but all will have an impact to some degree on the quality of life of the people affected.

Neurology Service at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This service aims to provide a patient-centred service to those with acute and chronic neurological illness, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The team consists of medical, nursing and support staff, based at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with outreach where possible to the entire Gloucestershire community.

Improving Outcomes

To improve outcomes for individuals living with neurological conditions NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB), recently established the Neurology Clinical Programme Group (CPG). The CPG will raise the profile of neurological conditions and try to bring together representatives of health, social care and voluntary and community organisations to encourage collaborative working and improve the health and social care pathway for the people who use their services, their families and those important to them.

Collaborative Partnerships

The Neurology Sub-Group currently provides a broad forum for agencies, voluntary groups and individuals who have experience of one of the many neurological conditions and the challenges of these conditions. The Sub-Group will provide input to the Neurology CPG providing examples of practice across the county which will assist the CPG in ensuring the neurological services delivered in Gloucestershire are to a consistent and high standard.

We want to expand the membership of the Neurology Sub-Group further to get a wider representation and input from as many different neurological conditions as possible.

If you would like the opportunity to influence future neurology services, please contact disabilitiescommissioning@gloucestershire.gov.uk for more information about how you can become part of the wider network to support and develop positive outcomes for people with a neurological condition.

Physical Disability and Sensory Impairment Partnership Board

The Physical Disability and Sensory Impairment Board brings together people with lived experience and their families with a wide array of relevant organisations across different sectors with the aim of providing a place of guidance for services and a group for sharing projects that have been undertaken across a wide variety of organisations and groups.

For more information https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/disabilities/physical-disability-and-sensory-impairment-partnership-board/