Thursday 9 February 2012
Three full time care advisor posts secured in Scotland
Patients and families from across Scotland met NHS decision-makers in the Scottish Parliament yesterday as details of three full time care advisor posts were outlined at the Cross Party Group on Muscular Dystrophy meeting chaired by Jackie Baillie MSP.
A panel of NHS Regional Planning Group and National Services Division representatives clarified the situation about the commitment to increasing care advisor support in Scotland to three full time posts.
The NHS representatives sought to address the confusion around the number of posts and the 'muscle specialist advisor' term which has been used recently.
The panel told the Cross Party Group that:
- the two current care advisor posts will be consolidated into the two full time posts in the West of Scotland and South East and Tayside Regional Planning Group areas over the forthcoming months
- a new full time care advisor post will be recruited within the next six months in the North of Scotland Regional Planning Group
- an evaluation of the care advisor posts will take place two years after the post-holders are in place
- the National Services Division will clarify with the Scottish Government the naming of the post to avoid further confusion for patients and families
- the Scottish Muscle Network will take on the additional aspects that had originally been proposed for the Muscle Specialist Advisor roles, such as clinical trials and a comprehensive clinical database
- Katherine Collins, Nursing and Quality Advisor at the National Services Division, will be the named co-ordinator for the establishment of the three full time care advisor posts
There have been many months of confusion over the commitment to the three full time care advisor posts and frustration for families at the delay in putting the plans into action.
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign therefore welcomes the progress that has been made at the session and looks forward to working with the National Services Division and NHS Regional Planning Groups across Scotland to ensure that the three care advisor posts are consolidated and recruited for so that people living with neuromuscular conditions in Scotland are able to access the essential care, support and advice that they are entitled to receive.
On the panel giving evidence at the Cross Party Group on Muscular Dystrophy session were:
- Katherine Collins, Nursing and Quality Advisor, National Services Division
- Heather Knox, Director of Regional Planning, West of Scotland Regional Planning Group
- Ken Mitchell, Programme Manager for Acute Services and Workforce, North of Scotland Regional Planning Group
- Jacqui Simpson, Director of Regional Planning, South East and Tayside Regional Planning Group
- Jan McClean, Regional Healthcare Planner, South East and Tayside Regional Planning Group
- Rona Laskowski, Strategic Programme Manager, NHS Lothian
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign provides all the organisational support for the Cross Party Group on Muscular Dystrophy in the Scottish Parliament. For more information about this meeting and the work of the Cross Party Group, please get in touch on 020 7803 4839 or by email to j.kingsley@muscular-dystrophy.org
