COVID-19 and Neurology Patients

 

Consultant Neurologists have always been on the front line of medical care giving advice on the horrid infections that have persecuted us over many years.

Our local private hospitals have closed-down all out-patient services and the NHS hospitals are providing less and less outpatient resource.  20% of our population have invested in their own health for many years. This has relieved the NHS of an extra workload over this time (UK spend on insurance policies approx. £6 billion annually plus those who pay privately).

At this complex and sad time, I am finding that many of my patients cannot access, investigation of serious disease, get blood tests vital for survival, or obtain prescriptions for life changing conditions.

I do not understand why so many have had their needs completely ignored. I can already give many examples. Please contact my practice on 02088611777.

So much of neurology can be done by phone or Facetime or equivalent. Contact the Neurological Alliance, the umbrella organisation for 80 neuro support groups on 01923882590 or info@neural.org.uk (They are based in Watford).

Also contact The Association of British Neurologists on 02074054060 or info@abn.org.uk to find out what they are doing to help. These are very challenging times for many. As I have said over the years you do not go into the British Army and get surprised if someone points a gun at you. The same principle in medicine and nursing. If infection worries or even frightens you then don’t do it. We have been here before in medicine, HepB, HepC, HIV, Mad Cow Disease (JC to doctors), pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, SARS, Ebola, etc etc etc. What is different now is the reaction of society – not wrong, but please do not say to me “This has never happened before!!”

Keep well, please follow the rules but do seek guidance for health conditions. No prizes avoiding getting Covid-19 only to suffer major consequences in not looking after the many neuro conditions needing input.

Let us be clear Government indicates medical needs should still be actioned but this is not being catered for at present and the usual very low neurology resources in the UK have been decimated even more.