Medway Neurological Hub
Medway Neurological Network is campaigning for a Medway Neurological Hub, as outlined below:
2. Treatments, e.g. neuro-physiotherapy, speech therapy, counselling, dietary advice etc, including Moore use of group sessions.
3. Therapies, especially group therapies e.g. Pilates, Tai Chi, Exercise/ seated exercise, & Singing including as a social prescription.
4. Integrated personal care plan services - care navigators/ integrated community care teams, including use of social prescribing. Emphasis on a multi-disciplinary team approach.
5. Regular clinics for long-term care of neurological patients, E.g. MND, MS, PD, MSA etc. Focus could be on a particular condition/ set of related conditions for each session.
6. Could play an essential role in the diagnosis pathway to address a major issue at the GP level concerning delayed or inappropriate referral to secondary care (NICE Guidelines NG127). A clinical specialist (Neurologist/ specialist neuro-nurse or GP specialising in neurology) could operate a triage service to identify those who need referral to see a neurologist for diagnosis. GPs could use this service, but it could also be open for self-referral in certain cases.
7. Could be incorporated into Primary Care Networks and could operate as a pop-up hub at a number of different Healthy Living Centres, on different days of the week.
8. Neurological charities to provide information & support and hold drop-ins, perhaps holding a neuro-cafe once a week
A summary of the Medway Neurological Network (MNN) Neuro-Hub proposal can be viewed HERE.
This proposal chimes with the Medway & Swale Health & Care Partnership policy of using hubs and also chimes with the need to reduce out-patient care at Medway Maritime Hospital in order to free-up parking for the new Urgent Care Centre.
Improving Neurological Outptient Services in Medway & Swale Workshop, 19 March 2019. MNN was well represented at this workshop where Nikki Teesdale (Associate Director Secondary Care Commissioning MCCG) outlined the case for change to address problems experienced by users of neurological outpatient services. Issues identified as needing change were: shorter waiting times; appointments closer to home; More clinics delivered from community settings; multi-disciplinary teams; and greater use of technology. MNN added the need for better pathways between GP and secondary care to improve diagnosis. The MNN proposal for Medway Neuro-hubs were seen as playing quite a major role in implementing these changes and it was gratifying to learn that MCCG has taken our proposal fully on board.
For a full MCCG report on this workshop, please click HERE.