NEUROMUSCULAR CARE IN HAMPSHIRE

That this House calls on NHS South Central Specialised Commissioning Group and the primary care trusts in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton to use their specialist services budgets to provide a neuromuscular care adviser for the estimated 1,700 families living with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions in the region; recognises the invaluable support provided for families by this essential post; notes that neuromuscular care advisers provide cost-effective care by helping to save consultant time and, as part of a multidisciplinary team, help to prevent expensive and traumatic emergency hospital admissions for this group of patients; and further calls on the Government to urge regional NHS decision-makers to ensure that all families in Hampshire affected by these rare and very rare neuromuscular conditions have access to specialist multidisciplinary care which improves quality of life and increases life expectancy.