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Muscular Dystrophy

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and the point was made clear to me when I had a meeting with young people and their relatives in my office some time ago. It is clear that we still have a lot of work to do on getting best practice out to all clinicians. The group overseeing the review includes service users, carers, clinicians and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. I understand that their work will draw on a substantial amount of the best practice that the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign has already promoted in the west midlands. I can tell the hon. Lady that the moving film I saw in my office made it clear that access to wheelchairs is absolutely crucial. I have been informed that the review has also looked at wheelchair access and that it will recommend that wheelchair provision should be a specialised service. It will also recommend that there should be wider collaboration between PCTs on the issue of wheelchairs, and that wheelchairs should be included in the planning and commissioning of provision for those with neuromuscular conditions. Access to a specialist multidisciplinary service is key and can, as the hon. Lady demonstrated, significantly increase life expectancy as a result of overall care monitoring and the maintenance of services. Again, the appropriate commissioning of services is vital. I have asked the national team, through the deputy director, Steve Collins, to work with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. On best practice commissioning, a workshop in the new year would be very helpful, and Steve Collins, who is with me today, is keen to have one. Nationally, the long-term conditions delivery and support team has been supporting improvements to commissioning for the services that we are discussing. Earlier this year, the team delivered a number of regional "Levers for Change" events to spread understanding about the different mechanisms that can be used to promote implementation of the national service framework and, where appropriate, of NICE guidance. Long-term neurological conditions, and particularly the NSF's quality requirements, will be referenced in a commissioning guide, which is under development as part of the wider long-term conditions agenda. I have to stress again, however, that one reason for the variations in local services is the lack of clinical leadership on this issue. We are working alongside those involved with long-term conditions to pull together all our regional clinical champions, who will work with local NHS organisations. I am conscious of the time, so I want to tell the hon. Lady and my hon. Friend of the Prime Minister's commission on the future of nursing and midwifery. I am pleased that my profession of nursing is always at the forefront when carers and users want specialist nurses. Specialist nurses can have the time and commitment to give families, and that is one of the key issues that the commission is looking at. People with muscular dystrophy and their families are concerned about access to new drugs and treatments, and it is absolutely understandable that they want potential treatments to become available as soon as possible. We need to ensure that the quality, safety and efficiency of any potential treatment are not in doubt. We are a world leader in health research, and I congratulate our scientists, who have done so much for those with this disease. I cannot conclude without acknowledging and thanking the all-party group for the Walton report. I must also tell Stuart, whose story has touched me today, that we will do our very best and that we will continue to work to bring about improvements for people living with muscular dystrophy. Question put and agreed to.