Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his department has to ensure equitable access and service provision for patients with functional neurological disorder (FND) across South Derbyshire.

NHS England’s updated Specialised Neurology Service Specification, published in August 2025, includes specific reference to functional neurological disorder (FND). It states that all specialised neurology centres must include access to treatment services for FND. The service specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-neurology-services-adults/

There are a number of other national-level initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including FND, such as the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme, which aim to improve care for people by reducing variation and delivering care more equitably across England, including for people in South Derbyshire.

Additionally, we have set up a UK Neuro Forum facilitating formal, twice-yearly meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and the Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learning across the system and to discuss challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including FND.