NHS plan to tackle ‘terrible condition’
Launch in Bothwell
One of the world’s first local care frameworks for Huntington’s disease has been launched in Bothwell.
Families affected by the condition joined health staff at NHS Lanarkshire’s Kirklands Hospital.
The framework tries to ensure families dealing with the complex neurological condition receive the best possible care, information and support.
Dr Alison Gordon, consultant psychiatrist and lead Huntington’s disease clinician for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Huntington’s disease is a rare condition with symptoms that can vary widely from person to person.
“As a result, health and social care staff can often be perplexed by the disease, meaning care and support can suffer.
“The care framework is designed to help by guiding health and social care staff and empowering families.
“It is an extremely comprehensive and easy to use tool that has the ability to transform Huntington’s disease care.”
This is a localised Lanarkshire version of the Scottish national care framework.
And Marianne Hayward, the head of health and social care at South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership, added: “It was a pleasure to have been involved in the launch of the Lanarkshire Care Framework for Huntington’s Disease. It’s great to see Lanarkshire being one of the first to develop its own localised version of the national framework.
“I look forward to working with the Scottish Huntington’s Association and local Huntington’s disease staff to help raise awareness of this terrible condition and improve support for those impacted by it through the use of this groundbreaking framework.”
Symptoms of the disease typically begin to develop between the ages of 30 and 50. It is hereditary, meaning that it impacts upon entire families over generations.