Standards of care could rise in England

Paul Burstow MP, Minister for Care Services, has announced a Quality Standard for multiple sclerosis will be developed as a priority by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

His announcement follows last week’s damning Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report which showed neurological services were inadequate and ‘well below’ standard.

A Quality Standard is made up of 10-15 statements each setting a benchmark for key areas of care. These standards are to help all healthcare professionals improve the standard of care they provide as well as the people who decide what services to provide.

The Quality Standard, which would apply in England only, would provide a similar guide to the Clinical Standards for Neurology that already exist in Scotland.

What we want

The MS Society has been at the forefront of a longstanding campaign to ensure a Quality Standard for MS is urgently developed. In October last year the Society submitted a consultation response to NICE, suggesting 14 statements covering key aspects of care like prompt diagnosis and access to MS specialists. 

Laura Weir, Head of Policy & Campaigns at the MS Society said:

“This is fantastic news. A Quality Standard is a vital tool that will establish a universal standard of care for people with MS, helping to address today’s variation in care received by people across England.

“A year ago, we were told by officials that we would not get a Quality Standard for MS. This is therefore an extremely positive move towards the government recognising MS, and neurology more broadly, as a priority.

What happens now

MS is one of many quality standards that have been referred to NICE for development. Our next job is to make sure it appears at the top of NICE’s ‘to do’ list so that an MS Quality Standard can be developed alongside the MS Clinical Guideline currently under review.