It is estimated that a million people in Scotland are living with a neurological condition, and yet per capita we have the fewest number of neurologists compared with other high-income countries. When you factor in the challenge of recruiting and retaining neurologists to rural and remote locations, it makes it even more of an issue for people living with neurological conditions in these areas. Many remote and rural areas are dependent on larger central belt health board providers to provide specialist support, which leads to a stranglehold on provision to remote areas including the highlands and islands. Some health boards pay for a neurologist to visit parts of Scotland which do not have neurologists in situ, but other health boards expect people to travel to the central belt for their appointments. This can often involve an overnight stay and a carer or family member taking the day off work to support that person in getting to their appointment. There are also many examples of people taking time off to travel to an appointment only for that appointment to then be cancelled. It would be fairer if irrespective of where people live, that they can access a neurologist and specialist nursing locally, whether that is someone working in situ, or someone who is sent by a larger health board to the Highlands and Islands and other remote and rural areas. A lot can be done online via NearMe/Attend Anywhere, but this isn't suitable for all neurology appointments particularly because some neurological conditions make online/digital tech difficult to manage (for instance, for people with movement disorders, cognitive and memory issues and the anxiety and stress that managing an online appointment can cause) and quite frequently the tech breaks down and the appointment is then managed via a telephone call where the doctor cannot see the patient at all. Face-to-face appointments are a vital aspect of care. This is particularly true at diagnosis, medication changes and for those with progressive conditions.
I have been waiting for neurological appointment for well over a year. I doubt I will ever achieve one. This is so WRONG on so many levels but no one appears to even care.
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