Thursday 13 September 2012
Cross-party parliamentary support for service improvements
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is joining forces with all four muscular dystrophy cross-party parliamentary groups over the next couple of months in the battle to improve services.
Northern Ireland Assembly
The first meeting of the All Party Group on Muscular Dystrophy in the Northern Ireland Assembly since the launch of the McCollum Report is taking place on Monday 24th September. The All Party Group and Muscular Dystrophy Campaign are putting pressure on the Northern Ireland Executive and Health and Social Care Board that the McCollum Report recommendations result in the urgently-needed improvements to neuromuscular services in Northern Ireland are being implemented.
Welsh Assembly
At the Welsh Assembly, Dr Andrew Goodall, Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan Health Board and lead Health Board Chief Executive for neuromuscular services in Wales, will be on the panel at the Cross Party Group on Muscular Dystrophy meeting on Tuesday 23rd October to discuss the development of neuromuscular services in Wales over the last six months.
Scottish Parliament
The next session of the Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 31st October will focus on self-directed support in the light of the current Social Care (Self-directed support) Bill going through the Scottish Parliament.
We will also be discussing the latest developments in securing additional neuromuscular care advisor support in Scotland.
Houses of Parliament
NHS commissioners have been invited to the next meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Muscular Dystrophy on Wednesday 7th November discuss the new NHS structures in relation to the commissioning, planning and delivery of specialist neuromuscular care across England.
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and the APPG for Muscular Dystrophy have worked closely with NHS commissioners to develop and improve specialised services for people with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Young Disabled People's inquiry, with the support of the Trailblazers, is a couple of months away from its conclusion, with a session on air travel on Wednesday 24th October before the report launch on Wednesday 21st November.
You can keep up to date with all our forthcoming parliamentary and Muscle Group meetings on the Campaign events section of the website.
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign provides all the organisational support for the cross-party groups on muscular dystrophy across the UK. For more information on the plans for these groups over the next few months, please get in touch on 020 7803 4839 or by email to j.kingsley@muscular-dystrophy.org
