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Through the Neurological Care and Support – a National Framework for Action 2020-25 , Scottish Government and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) are improving referral pathways. The CfSD continues to work with neurological services to support the appropriate adoption of Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT) which ensures patients receive the right care in an appropriate setting, and Patient Initiated Review (PIR) which puts patients at the centre of their care.

The CfSD is working with Public Health Scotland towards capturing data in relation to ACRT and Discharge PIR, which will provide a better understanding of the scale, spread and potential further opportunity of these approaches.

The CfSD Neurology Specialty Delivery Group are developing a number of GP fact sheets for common neurological symptoms designed to support clinical triage by ensuring patients access the correct pathways in timely, robust and appropriate manner. These resources are intended to support good communication between secondary and primary care. They have been developed by a multi-Board expert group of primary and secondary care clinicians and are currently being prepared for national use.

Through our Neurological Care and Support – a National Framework for Action 2020-25 we are also funding condition-specific pathway work, in particular regarding Functional Neurological Disorder and migraine.

The Scottish Government funds health and care research largely through the Chief Scientist Office's two response mode grant committees: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/

These meet twice per year and their role is well-known across the health and care research community in Scotland. Applications on qualitative research on the impact of living with a neurological condition are welcomed. Any such applications would go through the CSO's standard independent expert review process to enable funding decisions to be made.

The Chief Scientist Office partnered with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Medical Research Council to fund a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (JLA PSP) on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). This used standard JLA methodology to work with clinicians, patients and carers to identify the most important areas for research. The outputs of the ME/CFS PSP were published in May 2022 and represent an important resource for the ME/CFS community, together with researchers and research funders:

https://www.jla.nihr.ac.uk/priority-setting-partnerships/ME-CFS/

Commitment 13 in the Neurological Care and Support: Framework for Action 2020-2025 relates to the support of research into neurological conditions

Action to support Commitment 13 of the Neurological Care and Support: Framework for Action 2020-25 is detailed in the response to Parliamentary Question S6W-13711 on 23 January 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

In 2019, we published a Neurological Care and Support – a National Framework for Action 2020-25 , with a vision to ensure everyone with a neurological condition can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms.

Since October 2020 we have we have awarded £2.1 million across three rounds of funding to 35 projects by NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and third sector organisations working to achieve better outcomes for people living with neurological conditions.

I further refer the member to the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025 – Midpoint Progress Report , which contains case study examples of innovative projects we have funded which test and evaluate new models of care. A list of funded projects is also available on the Scottish Government website: Neurological Framework Funding: list of organisations funded - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Chief Scientist Office is part of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. Detail on the work of the Chief Scientist Office is available online: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk.

Research studies taking place in NHS Scotland and funded by members of the Association of Medical Research Charities are eligible for support through the NHS Research Scotland infrastructure arrangements: https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/services.

The NHS Research Scotland Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network is funded by the Scottish Government to promote a culture of clinical research in neurological and dementia research across Scotland and to support patient recruitment into high quality studies from both rural and urban areas: https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/dementia-and-neurodegenerative-disease.

On 13 December 2022 we published a report of the estimated prevalence of 28 specific neurological conditions: Neurological Conditions: estimating the prevalence in Scotland of selected conditions using GP and Hospital Admissions datasets - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The work was initiated by the Scottish Government and supported by Public Health Scotland (PHS). Estimates were derived from GP recorded diagnoses and hospital admissions data.

The report addresses the commitment in the Neurological Care and Support: Framework for Action 2020-2025 to develop more accurate epidemiological data.

Undertaking this work has enabled us to begin looking at how neurological diagnoses are recorded in health and care records, and how we gather and report prevalence.

As well as action being taken to improve the use of digital technology across health and social care in general, as set out in our Care in the Digital Age: delivery plan 2022 to 2023 , digital technology has been used by a significant number of the projects we have funded to support delivery of the aims and commitments of the Neurological Care and Support: Framework for Action 2020-2025 . These include training resources for staff; patient and carer information; self-management tools that enable engagement with healthcare professionals before and after appointments; data gathering and healthcare surveillance systems; and engagement with service users using video technology.

I further refer the member to the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025 – Midpoint Progress Report , which was published on 13 July 2022. The report contains case study examples of innovative projects we have funded which use digital technology to better integrate services and neurological care provision.

We have also published practical guidelines for health professionals on conducting virtual appointments in neurology, covering use of different technologies and their suitability for assessing a range of neurological conditions: Digital Consulting in Neurology | TEC Scotland . We delivered an online seminar for Allied Health Professionals to support the launch of this guidance.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13687 on 23 January 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13707 on 23 January 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

In 2019, we published a Neurological Care and Support – a National Framework for Action 2020-25 , with a vision to ensure everyone with a neurological condition can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms.

The aims include improving the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support, developing sustainable workforce models and ensuring high standards of person-centred care.

Despite the disruption to health and social care services during the pandemic, we have sustained our efforts to deliver the 17 commitments of the Framework. Since October 2020 we have we have awarded £2.1 million to fund innovative projects by NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and third sector organisations working to achieve better outcomes for people living with neurological conditions.

I further refer the member to the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025 – Midpoint Progress Report , which was published on 13 July 2022. This report provides an update on the progress under each of the five aims in the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025.